The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-07
Makes n Very Important State.
ment for Insurgents.
BUT INDEPENDENCE
WILL SATISFY THEM-IT IS AN.
NouNcED THAT IF THE UNITED
STATES INTERVIEWS WITHOUT
RECOGNIZING INDEPENDENCE
THAT THE PROVISIONAL COW
ORNAMENT WILL TURN IT'S
ARMS AGAINST THE TROOPS OF.
THIS coUNTRY-soME VERY
PRONOUNCED VIEWS ON THE.
SUBJECT.

NEW YORK. April e.-The Cuban
junta, through its counsel. IIoratio s.
Rubens, made an important statement
to-day. 1t declared in the most une-
quiroeal language that the Spanish pro.
Nislonal government would rejec. any
Intervention by the United States unless
It should be preceded by a recognition OF
independence OF the Cuban republic; but
that Il the United states persisted In In
~terYening without recognizing Cuban In
dependence, the Cuban government and
military forces would refuse 10 cooper
ate; and that IL United States troops
should be sent to Cuba upon the basis OF
intervention without reorganization, the
Cuban army would In the last resort
turn Its arms against the United States.
The statement made by Mr.. Rubens
was preceded by the following: 1.-THE de-
clarntion l am about TO make Is official,
fur ! am the legal representative OF the
tuf1ta. and / know their uyalterable con-
yictions and position. 1t Is in line with
the %utterances OF the delegate OF the Gu
ban provisional government 10 the
United States. Thomas Esterda Palma,
when the suggestion was made that this
government should counsel the Cubans,
and II necessary, coerce them to an ac-
ceptance of autonomy"
after quoting from the address to the
people OF the United States, Issued by
Mr.. Palma, IN March II. Mr.. Rubens
says:
In the face OF the present proposal Of
Intervention without previous trecogni.
ton 1t Is necessary for us to go a step
farther n say that we must and will
regard such Intervention as nothing less
than a declaration of war by the United
States against the Cuban revolutioniste.
Ifintervention shall take place on that
basis, and, the United States shall land
an,armed force on Cuban soil, we shall
treat that force as an enemy to be op.
posed, and, II possible. expelled. SO long
as the recognition OF a free CUBAN re-
public is withheld. I do not mean to say
that the Cuban army will assemble on the
coastSto resist the landing of federal
troops, but thatit will remain in the In
terror, refusing to cooperate. declining
TO Acknowledgment American authority,
ignoring and rejecting the Intervention
TO every possible extent. Should the
\ United States troops succeed In expell-
ing the Spanish: should the United
States then declare u protectorate over
Observation-Disclosures provisional or tcna-
tive-and seek TO extend Its authority
over the government Of Cuba and the
army Of liberation. we would resist with
force Of arms as bitterly and te%nacious!y
as we have fought the armies OF Spain.
s"But should the United States recog-
4 nize the independence and then inter-
vene, 1t would be most welcome to the
= Cubans and the expense would gladly be
betrayed from the treasury OF re-
public.
There is a view OF this matter which
1t behooves the United States to weigh
carefully. Should this country forcibly
intervene without recognizing any gov
ernment in Cuba It would be responsible
to all nations of the earth for every In
jurygto their subjects or their property
during the whole period OF the occupa-
non. whereas should the republic OF
Cuba be recognized as the lawful sover-
eighty in the island. upon It will de-
rolve all responsibility.
II may be said that the United States
would be too high minded to influence
the result OF the plebesclte OF which T
have spoken as the sequent Of occupa-
ton without recognition. But has not
the United States corrupt elections In
its.own borders? How could It 'guaran-
tee an absolute fair and unbiased cleo
ton in Cuba? Shall it set up for the
B Cuban people a standard OF purity at
The ballot box which It's more %enlighten-
ed:citizens have not been able to OBJ
tain?Thc mistake OF the United States
3s,in treating the Cubans as children in
stead Of men fighting for liberty and pre-
pared to keep up the conflict to the death
against whomsoever opposes their one
object. We should infinitely prefer
hands Off than that the United States
should Intervene without recognition OF
Cuban independence. There are 10000
Cuban guerrillas to oppose such inter-
vention. But, OF course, W hope for
better things. We expect, even. that
Congress will upset this clever scheme Of
Spain and BUR executive. and declare,
first. our independence, and then inter-