The age-herald., 1898-04-10
THE JUNT AAND ITS WORK
  SinewS of the Cuban War in New Street. ITS ORIGIN AND FUNCTIONS
 
 s. Described by Dr. Castillo Jose Mart and His Place in Its History -Ramifcatons in Other Parts of the World.
ITS ORIGIN AND FUNCTIONS

brain at once of Cuban organization out side the island itself. Passing through the narrow, dark hallway of this house, climb ing a flight of stairs, then traversng an- other hallway darker and narrower than ' the first, the visitor finds himself in a fair sized room, dense with tobacco smoke. Portraits of Cuban generals and few rusty rifles that look as though they had seen active service hand on the walls. In the center of the bare wooden floor stands a table covered with green baize. Except ing a dozen plain wooden chairs, the room is unfurnished. Here the visitor finds a number of swarthy Iberians-if 1t be late in the afternoon the number may be a score-all of them smoking, gestculating and talking in Spanish. Some are reading Spanish or American newspapers aloud to groups of interested listeners, invariably | to be followed by discussions in high pitched, excited tones, violent noddng Of heads and waving of hands. In all this talk one word Is constantly iterated, emphasized each time with expressive gesture-"la guerra" Such is the place known as the s'Cuban Junta-"
 In the event of war between the United States and Spain the junta. of course, leaves the country. T. Estrada Palma will go to Washington as Cuban minister; the others probably to Cuba to fight. Gu bans in this country have been here throughout the instruction only because they were absolutely needed here to col- lect funds.
 As a matter of fact, there Is no such thing as Cuban junta in New York to- day. The junta here expired in 1878 with the last Cuban insurrection known as the ten years war. The word junta, which signifies assemblage or board of direction, became, during the last Cuban struggle with Spain, the familiar designation of the Cuban organization in this city, and when war broke out again in 1895 the term was revived and applied to new Cuban or ganzation. differing in many respects from the previous one.
 This organization, whose notifications extended to many distant parts of the world, was the conception of the man whom the Cubans recognize as the moving spirit of the present struggle-Jose Marti. Marti was young man when, toward the close of the ten years war, he was sent to a Spanish prison, but even then he had conceived the idea of the organization which should furnish the sinews of war to the Cubans when the next revolt should break out Shortly afterward he succeeded in escaping to America, and at once set to work laying the foundations of that organ ization and preaching war against Spain. When at last his efforts had succeeded, his organization had been perfected and war with Spain begun, he returned to Cuba, where he lost his life during the first three months of hostilities.
 At the head of this organization of jrnta is Estrada Palma, who, with his assist ant, Dr. Castillo, officially represents the Cuban government. Palma occupies thus a dual position; he Is at once a the repre- sentative of the Cuban government and Of the Cubans in this country and other parts of the world, and Is, so to speak, the con- necting link between them. Senor Palma and Dr. Castillo employ as their counsel Horatio s. Rubens a Cuban by birth, but an 9merican citizen, who thus is In the position of legal adviser to the Cuban or ganiZation.
 And this organization-of what does it consist? Briefly of clubs formed for the purpose of raising funds. These, of which there are more than hundred, are, for Hhe most portt in the United States. though there are some in Paris, Italy, England, Mexico, Central and South America. Be sides these there are five "professaofal clubs consisting almost entirely Of physl- clans, whose duty it Is to furnish surgical instruments, bandages and the like for the wounded Two of thee clubs are in Tampa, one in Key West, one in New York and one in Philadelphia.
 The members of the junta are not at all reticent about discussing their aims and methods. Dr. Castillo, while sitting in one of the offices adjoining the room where the Cubans meet for discussion, talked Of the matter freely while smoking his brown paper cigarette.
 "Our principal business" said he, 'is to IurQlSl the OuDd1 dTuly WILL SuPpHSSs arms, ammunition, clothing, shoes, blan- kets and surgical instruments. Food we do not have to consider. The Cubans get all of that themselves. They raise veg etables, especially sweet potatoes, and have plenty of cattle. But the other things we have to buy, and that take great deal of money. We get good deal from pri- vate contribution. We have received in one contribution even as much as $12O,0Oo; often sums of s50,OOo, $2O0OO or sl0,o0O. Then the clubs furnish large amounts. They gather as much as they can whenever they can and forward 1t to the common treas- urer, B. J. Guerra who furnishes it to MT. Palma as he requires it. In addition to this, every Cuban who is working in @ factory or shop is taxed 10 per cent. of his earnings for the cause.
 'Hnhere are probably 5000 Cubans in New York and 9, 900 in other pants of the United States. Many of these are men of the bet ter class, who have fled with their families from Cuba All the a.ble-bodied, single men are in the army. So the greater part of the refugees from the island are women and children, with a smaller proportion 'of mar ried men. Many of these refugees are able to contribute to the cause. Those that are deStttue arc cared for by our regular char ioeblo associations in Tampa, Key West and this city"
 When the reporter suggested that 1t must bo an exceedingly difficult matter to get the supplies to the army after they had
 
 replied: That Is comparatively easy mat ter. We have friends everywhere, and when we send anything to the army we are sure that it will reach its destination. For example, have just ordered $3o0 worth of surgical instruments from Philadelphia, to be sent to certain place in Cuba, and am perfectly confident that they will reach their destination. Only a few days ago ordered 150 blankets to be sent from a cer- tain town in Cuba now occupied by the spanish to the army. These blankets are now keeping our soldiers warm. Difficult to get out of the Spanish towns with sup plies? Yes, of course; and dangerous, too; it :s not so hard as you would suppose to slip quietly into a boat at the rivers edge at midnight and drop down the river, or even to get through the Spanish lines. All classes are with us and assist us. We have a junts in every town in Cuba--secret, of course with every one of which we have regular communication by mail. All these fu,itas have regular communications with tb> army Tn spite of the difficulties which