Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-03-24

Palma at the office of the Cuban junta
last night:
To the American People;
The frequency with which there has lately
appeared In the public press suggestions mnde
by malicious or misinformed individuals that
Cuba would accept or could be forced TO accept
autonomy or anything short OF independence,
has impelled us TO make definite and final
statement on this subject From the first our
motto has been Independence or DEATH" We
are now more firmly than ever determined to
carry out our programme As we will not NC
cept, We will not even discuss the proposals Of
autonomy. After three years Of the most sam
culinary and uncivillzed warfare OF modern
times carried on by Spain, we IRE stronger
than ever 1t Is for us to say what will satisfy
us. not for others, Our ideals and our national
honor we can conAde to the keeping OF our
selves alone,
l cannot think that the American people
have forgotten the principle laid down In their
own declaration OF independence, nor can be-
ieve that any true American can be found who
you'd advise us TO forsake the ideal OF repub-
llcan government for the monarchical, even in
Its most liberal form There is no why TO COM
pei the Cubans to accept autonomy except by
force Of arms.
We have fought three years, not against
Spain alone, but against the whole world Not
helping hand was extended to us, no country
gave us equal rights with Spain The right to
arm our people by purchasing weapons In this
country and transporting them to Cuba is nd
mitted, but although engaged In lawful trafiic
we had TO run the blockade to get from those
shores and again run the gauntlet In Cuba
Spain has proven impotent to compel us by
force to accept autonomy. She now desires
the MD OF the United States TO compel us to ao-
cept cannot believe that the American peo-
pie would ever lend themselves TO the most
trencherous and bloodstained monarchy Of his
tory for such II purpose, Should such prove to
be the case, however, declare, In the name OF
the Cuban people in arms, that force alone can
compel our submission. We, who have seen
hundreds OF thousands OF our race and families
exterminated by slow starvation by cowardly
decree Of the most inhuman commander Of
sanguinary Spain, will fight against anything
but independence, no matter who opposes u.s.
II, unfortunately, this incredible proposal be
carried into effect, and American bayonets are
arrayed against us In our struggle for freedom
and In MD OF the Spanish monarchy, we will
fight on, sadly but determined and let history
judge whether the Vanquished had not q purer
ideal Of free institutions than the victors In
such case, we will be extermlnated, but future
generations VIII again take up our flag and our
inspirations, and Cuba will yet be free. Nor
will we ever ngree TO o truce until our inde-
pendence Is established We will continue to
fight as did the Americans under jackson at
the battle OF New Orleans, even after the
treaty Of peace is signed, II 1t should be nee.
essary.
The Cubans cannot be convinced that the
United States will ever try to force us to re-
main under the Spanish flag, but Ihavc deemed
1t my duty to appeal to the generosity. the
sympathy and the patriotism OF the American
people to the end that they may understand the
justice and ilrmness Of our demand for com
plete independence
TOMAS ESTRADA PALMA.