Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-18
CUBAN JUNTA SAYS 1T IS IDLE TO
TALK OF COMPROMISE.
AN OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION.
NOTHING BUT ABSOLUTE INDEPEND-
ENCE CAN END THE WAR.
PROPOSALS of Autonomy Will Not Even
Be Discussed-An Appeal to the
American People Not to FOr-
get Their Own Dec
laration.

New York. March 1.-THE following proc
lamation to the people of the United States
was issued by T. Estrada Palma. at the
office of the Cuban junta tonight:
ITO the American People,
THE frequency with which there has
lately appeared in the public press sug-
gestions made by malicious or misinformed
individuals that Cuba would accept or
could be forced to accept autonomy, or
anything short of independence. has i'm
PEELED us to make definite and final state
ment on this subject.
From the first our motto has been In
dependence 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 proposals OF
autonomy. After three years of the most
sanguinary 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
ideals and our national honor we can con-
fide to the keeping of ourselves alone.
Il cannot think that the American people
have forgotten the principle laid down in
their own declaration of independence. nor
can I believe that any true American can
be found who would advise us to forsake
the ideal of republican government for the
monarchical, even in its most liberal form.
There is no way to compel the Cubans
to accept autonomy except by force of
arms
I'VE 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 purchas-
ing weapons in this country and trans
porting them to Cuba is admitted, but al
though engaged 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, SUBJ
jected to delay. but invariably restored by
the slow and costly process of the law.
Nevertheless, We never faltered. We al
ways appreciated the fact that the SYM
pathy of the American people was with us.
Spain has proven impotent to compel us
by force to accept autonomy. She now de-
pei us to accept.
II cannot believe that the American
people would ever lend themselves to the
most treacherous and bloodstained mon
archy of history, for such a purpose.
Should such prove to be the case, how
ever. 1 declare, in the name of the Cuban
people in arms, that force alone can COM
pei our submission. We. who have seen
hundreds of thousands of our race and
families exterminated by slow starvation
by cowardly decree of the most inhu-
man commander of sanguinary Spain, will
fight against anything but independence,
no matter who opposes us.
''If. unfortunately, this incredible pro-
pcsal be carried into effect, and American
bayonets are arrayed against us in our
struggle fer freedom and in aid of the
Spanish monarchy, we will fight on. sadly
but determined, and let history judge
whether the vanquished had not purer
ideal of free institutions than the victors.
In such case. We will be exterminated. but
future generations will again take up our
| flag and our inspirations, and Cuba will
| yet be free. Nor will we ever agree to a
truce until our independence is estab-
| lisEed. We will continue to fight as did
| the Americans under Jackson at the bat
| tie 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 I
| have deemed it my duty to appeal to the
| generosity, the sympathy and the patriot
| ism of the American people to the end
| that they may understand the justice and
! firmness of our demand for complete in
| dependence.