Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-03-25
MUST WE FIGHT CUBA?
Palma Declares That Autonomy Will
Not BE Accepted.

New York, March 19.-The follow
ing proclamation to the people OF the
United States was issued by Tomas
Estrada Palma at the office of the
Cuban junta tonight:
"To the American People: The fre-
quency with which there has lately ap-
peared in the public press suggestions
made bv malicious or misinformed in
dividuals 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 'Independ-
ence or Death. We are now more
firmly than ever determined to carry
out our programme. As we will not
accept, we will not even discuss the pro-
posals of autonomy. After three years
of the most sanguinary and uncivilized
warfare of modern times, carried on by
Spain, we are stronger than ever. 1t is
for Us 10 say what will satisfy US, not
for others. Our ideas and our national
honor we can contide to the keeping OF
ourselves alone.
81 cannot think that the American
people have forgotten the principles
laid down by their own declaration of
independence, or can believe that any
true American can be found who would
advise us to forsake the idea of repub-
lican government for monarchial gov
ernment, even in it's most liberal form.
"There is no way to compel 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 a helping hand was
equal rights with Spain. The right to
arm our people by purchasing weapons
in this country and transporting them
to Cuba is admitted, but although en-
gagged in lawful traffic, we had to run
the blockade TO get from these shores
and again run the gauntlet in Cuba.
"Our ships and cargoes were seized
subjected to delay, but invariably re-
stored, by the slow and costly process
of law. Nevertheless, we never
faltered. We always appreciated the
fact that the sympathy of the admins
tration was with us. Spain has proven
impotent to compel us by force to ac-
cept autonomy. She now desires the
aid of the United States to compel us to
accept.
81 cannot believe that the American
nation would ever lend itself to the
most treacherous and bloodstained mon
archy of history for such purpose.
Should such prove to be the case, how
ever, l 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 sanguin.
ary Spain, will fight against anything
but independence, no matter who Op-
poses us.
but if, unfortunately, this incred
ible proposal be carried into effect
and American bayonets be arrayeC
against us in our struggle for freedom
and in aid of the Spanish monarchy
we will fight on, sadly, but deter
minedly, and let history judge whether
the vanquished had not a purer idea o
free institutions than our victors. Ii
such case we will be exterminated, but
future generations will again take NJ
our flag and our aspirations, and Cub;
will yet be free.
Nor will we ever agree to the truc'
until our independence is established
We will continue to fight, as did thu
Americans under jackson at the battle
of New Orleans, even after the treat.
of peace is signed, if it should be neces
sary. The Cubans cannot be convince'
that the United States will ever try t,
force us to remain under the Spanisl
flag, but have deemed it my duty t.
appeal to the generosity, the sym
pathy and the patriotism of the Ameri
can people that they may understan
the justness and firmness OF our deman
for complete independence.
"TOMAS ESTRADA PALMA"