Evening star., 1898-04-08
THE DE LONE LETTER.
How 1t Was Secured Told to the
Foreign Affairs Committee.

How 1t Was Secured Told to the
Foreign Affairs Committee.
The foreign affairs committee of the
House met at II o'clock this morning and
continued the hearing of Mr.. Quesada, the
representative of the Cuban republic In this
city. President Palma of the Cuban junta
was also present. Mr.. Quesada continued
his statement as to the status OF the gov
ernment of the republic.
Cuban Bonds.
Some very interesting facts were devel-
oped before the committee. The deputy
treasurer of the Cuban republic appeared
with his books. and they were inspected
by the committee. He explained that OF
the $10.0OOOO0 of bonds authorized only
$4,000 had been actually disposed of. Some
of these were in payment of provisions sent
to Cuba. For some of the bonds par had
been obtained. These were taken mainly
by the friends of Cuba. The lowest price
at which any were sold was 25 cents on the
dollar, batch of $4,000 being sold for
&,oOO in pressing emergency. One mil
lion OF the bonds. he said. were locked up
In the safe of Belmont & Co. Of New York,
to be sold when the price fixed, 45 cents on
the dollar, had been obtained. Three mil
lion OF the remainder had been signed but
were locked up in the treasurer's vaults.
The De LONE Letter.
The deputy treasurer was asked if he
kLew the history of the publication of the
DeLome letter, and, without names, he told
the first authentic story of how 1t was OBJ
tanned. He explained that 1t was alb
stracted by a clerk in the post office Mt
Havana. who was in sympathy with the
Cuban cause, and sent back to New York
There its importance was at once realized
and 1t was given out for publication, the
action being justified because it showed
ccnclusively what the Cubans had always
&C Intended. that Spain was double-deaIine
Mr.. Quesada concluded his statement
about the status Of the Cuban government.
He went extensively into the authority ex-
ercised over the eastern provinces by the
government, where, he said, all was COM
paratively peaceful. Industry was going
on. taxes were being collected, and all the
functions Of government were being dis
charged
In regard to the capabiity of self-govern-
ment of the Cubans, he said that thew
were a much higher class of people than
thcse who had successfully revolted from
Spanish domination in South America.
The children of the better and more
wealthy classes had all been educated in
the United States or abroad They had i'm
bibed the spirit of sslf-sovernment The
lower classes were laboring people. peace
fully disposed as evidenced by the fact
that they were regarded as desirable work.
men at Key West and New York and wher-
ever they had gone. He said the people Of
Cuba were all most kindly disposed toward
the United States, and looked upon this
country as big brothsr, but they wanted
independence and thought their struggle
for freedom should De recognized. They
should be given 4 status a:mong the nations
Of the earth.
Most significant action was taken when
the hearing concluded. Mr.. Newiands
moved an adjournment until Monday at II
o'clock. which was carried.
The committee has no regular day of
meeting now, and is subject to the call Of
the chairman. In order to be In position
to act, the friends of independence and ac-
ticn took the precaution Of adjourning un-
til Monday, so that, if necessary, they
could act on that day if the message was
not to come in, and not depend upon a call
from the chairman This is regarded as
extremely significant as showing the tenn
per of the committee against any further
delay.
Deputy Treasurer Guerra OF the Cuban
republic was before the Senate committee
on foreign relations also and testified re-
garding the Cuban bonds. Those sold had
been disposed for about an average Of 10
cents on the dollar. Mr. Guerra said the
expenses of the Cuban army were slight.
but that what expenses there were were
paid by private subscription and by the
returns from the taxation of the property
in the portion controlled by the insurgents.
Not less than 100000 had, he said, been
collected by taxation. The insurgent army
generally secured its supplies from the
country, and all the soldiers, both officers
and men. were serving without compensa-
ton.