The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-18
If America AbandOns Cuba She
VIII Fight on Sadly,
Are the Touching Words of an
Appeal to Americans
ISSUED BY THE CUBANS
Independence or Death Still
Their Brave Cry.
Will Never Trust TreacherOus
and Blood Stained Spain.

New York, March 1S.-The following
proclamation to the people of the Uni
ted States has been issued by T. Estra-
da Palma, at the Office of the Cuban
junta:
ITO the American People:
THE frequency with which there has
lately appeared in the public press sug-
gestions made by malicious or misin-
formed individuals that Cuba would
accept or could be forced to accept au-
tOnOnly, or anything short of independ-
ence, has impelled US to make definite
and final statement on this subject.
From the first our motto has been:
Independence or Death We are now
more firmly than ever determined to
carry out our programme. AS we will
not accept, we win not even discuss, the
proposals of autonomy. After three
years of the most sanguinary and un-
civilized warfare of modern times, car
ried on by Spain, we are stronger than
ever. 1t is for US to say what viii sat
isfy us; not for others. Our ideals and
our national honor we can con11de to
the keeping of ourselves alone.
L cannot think that the American
people have forgotten the principal laid
down in their own Declaration of Inde-
pendence; nor can I believe that any
true American can be found who would
advise US to forsal1e the ideal of repub-
hcan government for the mOnarchials
even in it's most liberal form.
There is no way to compel the Gu
force of arms.
I'VE have fought three years. not
against Spain alone, but against the
whole world. Not a helping hand was
extended to US; no country gave US
equal rights with Spain. The right to
arm our people by purchasing weap-
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 gaunt-
let in Cuba.
'Our ships and cargoes were seized,
subjected to delay, but invariably re-
stored by the slow and costly process
of the law. Nevertheless, we never fall
tered. We always appreciated the fact
that the sympathy of the American
people was with us Spain has proven
impotent to compel US by force to ae-
cept autonomy. She now desires the
aid of the United States to compel US to
accept.
Il cannot believe that the American
people would ever lend itself to the most
treacherOus and blOOd-stained mon
archy of history for such a purpose.
Should such prove to be the case, how
ever, I declare in the name of the Gu
ban people in arms, that force alone can
compel our submission We, who have
seen hundreds of thousands of our race
and families exterminated by slow star
walton by a cowardly decree OF the
most inhuman commander of sanguln-.
ary Spain, will fight against anything
but independence, no matter who oP-
poses US.
''If unfortunately, this incredible pro-
pOsal be carried into effect and Amer1-
can bayonets arrayed against US in our
struggle for freedom and in aid OF the
Spanish monarchy, we will fight on
sadly but determinedly, and let history
Judge whether the vanquished had not
a purer ideal of free institutions than
the victors In such case we viii be
exterminated, but future generations
will again take up our flag and our as
pirations, and Cuga viii yet be Iree-
Nor will we ever agree to a truce un-
til our independence is established. We
will continue to fight as did the AInerl-
cans under Jackson at the battle Of
New orleans, even after the treaty OF
peace is signed, if it should be necessa-
ry. ,.z
that the United States viii 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 patriotism Of the American
people to the end that they may under
stand the Justice and frmness of our
demand for complete independence
"(Signed