The herald., 1898-09-10
A NATIONALIST PARTY
TO DO POLITICS I'M THE ISLAND
OF CUBA
THE JUNTA MEMBERS ARE BUSY
The Main Purpose Is to Prevent Action
in Conflict With American Gov
eminent Ideas
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK, Sept. 9.-The Times says:
The Cuban revolutionary party In this city
Is engaged In the formation OF q political
party In Cuba to be known as the Ma
tonalist party. The plans OF the leaders
have SO far progressed that meeting will
be held today or tomorrow to select COM
mttee from 200 to $50 Cubans as a nucleus
Of the organization. The movement Is in
the nds Of T. Estrada Palma, Fidel 6.
Peir 1, Horatio s. Rubens and others well
kne IN. So far the plans have been kept
a. ct, but the Cuban leaders will, within
I few days, issue a manifesto setting forth
their purposes and cause 1t to be widely
distributed among their followers prnci-
pality in Cuba According to Mr.. Pierra the
principles of the new party will be based
On the principles contained in the war
resolutions Of Congress. passed on April
., 1893 In explaining this and other feat
ures, Mr.. Pierra said:
"Our intentions are in this movement,
to follow closely the desires of the Amer
lean government and the laws laid down
BY It for the rehabilitation of Cuba. When
once the preliminaries OF the party organ
isation are arranged. we shall send COM
mittee Of two or three to Cuba to undo
some political work that has already been
started and that is in conflict with the
ideas of this government. BY this mean
that some OF our people have already made
arrangements to hold In a town in the
province Of Santiago de Cuba a political
gathering in October for government pur-
poses and we purpose to see that 1t is
stopped and that no political machinery
be put In operation In Cuba until, in the
opinion of the American government, the
Cuban people are ready for II.
"Our reason for starting the Nationalist
party thus early Is practically to begin a
campaign of education. Our people in
Cuba. OF course need such instruction. We
wish and we think we are able to form a
large and powerful party. II will contain,
Of course, the original revolutionary party
and we expect to be Joined by the left au-
Economists who constitute the most pro-
gressive and liberal element Of that class.
III the purely Spanish elements wish to
assimilate with the new party, well and
good. 1t will be received without refer
ence &c it's sentiments of the past. The COM
mercial ineresls of many Of the Spaniards
are important. and as they suffer by re-
turning to Spain 1t Is not unlikely that
the new party will eventually contain
many of the old-time royalsts.
How will the Cubans take to politics?
Well, We are now In politics. It may be
a slow process. What Cuban arrives at
by process of political reasoning, an
American will reach by instinct. But we
expected to prove that we are capable Of
self-government. The Cubans seen by the
Americans during the war, with the ex-
ception Of few leaders. were of the low
est, which forms not more than a third OF
our population. This is largely the negro
class. Judged by them. the Cubans are
Judged unjustly. It is as though a cultured
foreigner judged the body Of American nj
by. say, portions of your East side in New
York City. There will always be discord-
ant elements in every country, but when
the American government is ready for our
elections we hope to be prepared to meet
the situation"
Mr.. Pierra in speaking OF the commercial
development Of the island said he expected
few enterprises would be started by for
eigners until after the Spanish had left.
"And after that" he said, I'VE must raise
something to SELL"