Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-03-24
MUST WE FIGHT CUBA?
Palma Declares That Autonomy will
Not lie Accepted.


Estrada Palma at the Office OF the
Cuban junta tonight:
''To the American People; The fire.
quency with which there has lately APP
pcared in the public press suggestions
made by malicious or misiniormed in
dividuals that Cuba would accept or
could he 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 sangunarv and uncivilized
warfare of modern times, carried on by
Spain, we are stronger than ever. 1t is
for us to say what will SATISFY us, not
for others. Our ideas and our national
honor we can conlide 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 rcpub-
lican government for monarchial gov
eminent, even in its 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 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 admitted, hut 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-
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 NOM
archy of history for such a purpose.
Should such prove to be the case, how
ever, 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 a cowardly decree of the
most inhuman commander Of sanguin-
airy Spain, will fight against anything
but independence, no matter who OPP
poses us.
"But If, unfortunately, this incred-
ible proposal be carried into effect,
and American bayonets be arrayed
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 OF
free institutions than our victors. In
such case we Will be eXtermlnated, but
future generations will again take up
our flag and our aspirations, and Cuba
will yet be free.
Nor will we over agree to the truce
until our independence 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 if it should be neces-
sary. The Cubans cannot be convinced
that the United States will ever try to
force us to remain under the Spanish
flag, but have deemed it my duty to
appeal to the generosity, the sym.
pathy and the patriotism of the Ameri-
can people that they may understand
the business and tirmness of our demand
for complete independence.
"TOMAS ESTRADA PALMA"