Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-11
AGAINST CUBAN LOTTERY.
President Palma Would Veto Bill if
Passed by Island Congress.

The Havana Post in recent issue pub
fishes an interview with President Palma
in which the executive of Cuba discusses
matters of concern to the republic Presi-
dent Palma expresses his opinion of the
proposed lottery under government aus
pices, suggested as a means of raising
revenue with which to pay the anticipated
$50, 100000 loan. The relations between
Cuba and the United States are also re-
ferred to by the Cuban president. The in
terview, in part, follows:
Il am stubborn man with respect to
whatever refers to my patriotic duties, and
L discharge them without party passions
or struggles influencing my mind. l am not
holding this post for ostentation nor was
1 led to 1t by anything else than my patri-
otiSrn. l want the country to support me
and the politicians to comprehend well that
as a man of experience-my years having
been of some avail to mel adapt my pro-
cedure according to the necessities of a
people commencing independent life. am
firm in my purposes and look only TO the
strengthening of the republic, in which L
have faith, and when existence already
bends me toward the grave have no other
aspiration than to reach it, having made
my country happy and left 1t prosperous.
L am neither near to nor distant from
any party. My position is easily under
stood. l came here without knowing the
parties, without knowing whether the men
in the parties We're bound to this or that
program; the people knew my program be-
fore they elected me, and l have not devil
ated from it, nor will l do so. The men
who were close to me from the start are
those whom l knew and in whom, by know
ing them thoroughly, 1 had confidence 1t
did not concern me at all that those men
should belong to this that party. L
saw both nationals and republicans with
out perfect organiZati ton; in the congress
l saw nationals and republicans who aided
me in my work, and also nationals and re-
publcans whose conduct different
There is not today, in my opinion, and
ciplined party on which / could lean and
only those men who agree with my plan
of moderation, defending the sovereignty
and liberty of Cuba from all dangers are
close to my government"
In regard to the lottery President Palma
said:
Il will undoubtedly veto the lottery bill
II congress approves it. l have the convic-
ton that 1 would be obeying my con-
science. I must maintain here the
creedS that made a revolutionary.
When we raised our flag against Spain
in 1865 of the things that made
me hate the government the lottery
and the lottery here has continued repug-
nant to me the same as everywhere. The
lottery is a source of revenue to the state,
it is true. but the money collected thereby
is almost a holdup. The lottery reduces
the moral level of people; it seems to
have been invented for indolent people
who do not love work. The lottery would
be return to the past which would hurt
me very much; l will have to unequivocally
oppose it,"
The treaties with the United States were
referred to by the executive of Cuba in
the following terms:
The coaling station treaty has been
agreed upon and sometime ago l sent it
to the senate The American government
wanted four naval stations, but in the end
we convinced 1t that two were sufficient
one at each end of the island. We had
to wage battle on this point. / am now
at work on another most important treaty,
that fixing the conditions of the coaing
stations, to wit: the radius of land the
time of lease, the price and other affairs
referring to the entrance of ships into those
coaling stations, etc. This work is adj
vanced and no difficulties appear | will
terminate it when Mr. Zaldo returns from
the United States. | will also take up
shortly the Island of Pines treaty, in which
the sovereignty of Cuba over that territory
is recognized. The Americans who pur-
chased land in the Island of Pines have
done all that is possible to have the United
States hold that piece of land; but as the
sovereignty of the Isle of Pines did not
depend on the personal interests of any
one, the American government has recog-
nized our unquestionable rights"