The Topeka state journal., 1898-05-06
HONORS FOR Palma.
Will Most Likely Become President
of Cuba When RecoEnized.

Washington, May 6.-When the new
republic of Cuba is recognized, and 1t
must be before long, there will be an in
teresting question as to the first pres
ident.
Many people have supposed that Gen.
Gomez would take the position occupied
by Washington in the United States
and follow out his success ,aS the brain
and the will Of the revolution, by be-
coming the first president of the new
republic.
It is said, however, by Cubans who
are well posted as to the situation, that
in all probability when he has once
achieved the independence of his coun-
try, Gomez will return to private life,
followed by the affectionate regard OF
his cOuntrymen.
He has an ambition to be known as
the great liberator Of Cuba, but does not
care to become the civil chief of the
government when it is established.
Gomez is an elderly man now, and be-
sides that he is native of San Domin-
go, although he has lived in Cuba since
his childhood, married Cuban wife,
and sacrificed his beloved son to the Gu
ban cause.
The first president of the new republic
is more than likely to be Senior Tomas
Estrada Palma. He is the delegate pIen-
ipotentiary of the Cuban republic. In
this capacity he represents the insur-
gents abroad as Ben Franklin did Gen.
Washington's government, and he Is
popularity known as the Franklin or
Cuba.
Estrada Palma now represents more
nearly than any other one man the civil
government of Cuba, and he is partlcu-
larly well fitted for that condition, be-
ing a straight forward, plain spoken
man, as honest as the day, and possess
ed of exquisite native diplomacy, Whlch
has enabled him to reconcile all the dlf-
ferent elements among the hot heaoeo
CubanS.
Palma like all the other leaders, has
been a revolutionist for the period of
generation Of men. He was secretary OF
state, and for a short time president
during the ten years war; and ne was
one of the few who left the island after
the treaty of peace without giving alle-
glance to Spain. There were good rea-
sons for this. Toward the end OF the
war a small body of SpaniardS captured
Palma's mother. They deliberately
starved her in the hope that he would
come to see her, and thus they couId
catch him.
of the archives, and they hoped to Sc
cure these discriminating documents.
Palma steeled his heart against -lne
temptation to see his mother peIore sne
died and she was literally starved TO
DEATH within a few miles OF his mead
quarters.
A few weeks later the fortunes of war
brought to his camp as prisoners the
men who had murdered his mother.
They were ranged up before Palma Ior
sentence, and, of course, expected 10 pc
shot, but the single hearted old patrlot
looked them over and said:
'I will not have my mothers memory
stained by an act of bloody revenge
even upon her murderers. Let the men
co. 49,
1t is hardly a wonder that when the
new revolution broke out Palma drew
up the paragraph in the Cuban constl-
tuition which fixes the penalty or deatn
for any insurgent who treats for peace
on any basis except that OF absolute IN
dependence.
Under his appointment as delegate
plenipotentiary, Palma has directed the
cuban revolution from this country ana
the skill he showed in organizing M
clustering expeditions, coupled with tne
Tenarkable letter he wrote to Secretary
Olney, has marked him out as the pro-
bable first president of the coming re-
public of Cuba. Should this be done,
there will be no danger of military
dictatorship in the island, for rama IS
essentially in person man or peace,
although he has stood behind the nghC
against Spain since 1858, beng popular
ly known as the spinal cord or the rev.
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