Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-28
TAFT READY TO ACT
Provisional Government for Cuba Will
Probably Be Proclaimed Today,
MoDERkTEs RESUM EvASlVE TACTICS
Move Now on Foot to Refuse to Accept
Palmas Resignation,
PRESIDENT REFUSES 10 RECONSIDER
PRESIDENT REFUSES TO RECONSIDER
Americans Have Little Confidence in Sin
oerity of Politicians,
PREPARATIONS TO LAND MARINES
Twenty-Five Hundred Men Will Take
Possession OF Points of Vantage
General Funston Visits In
surgent Camp.


| HAVANA. Sept 1.-THE moderate party
tonight decided to make a final effort TO
perpetuate the authority of the Palma sd-
ministration by determining to reject the
resignation Of the president when pre-
sented to congress tomorrow When this
decision was reached Secretary of War
Taft and Assistant Secretary of state
Bacon, the American commissioners, had
already concluded to intervene. but they
agreed to await tomorrows developments.
as they are anxious to afford the Cubans
/ every opportunity TO work out their own
salvation.
! President Palma steadfastly refuses every
solicitation of his friends to withdraw his
/ resignation Typical of this was the cable
gram he sent TO President Roosevelt in re-
sponse to the final urgent message from the
I American president that he remain at his
/ helm. In this President Palma expressed
| his warmest appreciation of President
Roosevelt's efforts to secure peace for Cuba
and the friendship he has always shown
the Cuban people. He referred TO his own
previous sacrifices for Cuba. which he said
had not been made in vain. but in the
present situation and in view of all that
! had transpired he felt that further sacrifice
on his part would be useless and that it
was not consistent with his dignity and
prestige to remain In office Were 1t pos
sible to induce President Palma to with
draw his resignation the situation stiil
| would be most dficult and intervention
would continue to be the most probable
| outcome. If Palmas resignation were nc-
| cepted 1t would then become necessary Tor
congress to elect provisional president.
Such an election would be new SORT OF
Icontentiop not only between the opposing
La lNptrH
! opposing factions within these parties
Attitude of Americans.
| The American commissioners Will not
brook the establishment of provisional
government by the Cubans simply as
! means of gaining time. They hold that II
a provisional government Is created ID
must be by the United States. Secretaries
TAFT and Bacon would not be properly dis
charging their full duties If such govern
! ment were created In any other manner.
The American commissioners have little
confidence in the serious intentions of the
politicians. who have been vacilitating and
insincere throughout these nine days OF
futile negotis tons This being the situa-
ton nobody is inclined to doubt tonight
that within twenty-four hours Secretary
Taft, by authority of the president of the
United States. will proclaim himself pro-
visional governor of Cuba. Such govern
ment would be made Cuban, as far as 1t
were possible to do So by continuing the
various departments under the immediate
control of the present heads thereof.
Immediate developments in the situation
depend on the action taken by congress to-
morrow It is not likely that the liberals
win attend the session, but the moderates
and the liberal nationalsts combined ex-
pect to reach a quorum. The moderate
leaders tonight expect nothing except in
htervention tomorrow, It. being a matter of
common report among them that armed
American forces will flock ashore from the
'warships assembled here. even before the
meeting of congress- but this will not oc-
cur unless some violent change in the
situation makes It necessary. Even shc4 |
congress carry out its announced inteii-
ton OF not accepting President Palma $
resignation, Secretary Taft will hold that
a vacancy exists unless Palma himself
, concludes to remain in Office.
r Ready to Land Marines.
In the meanwhile preparations for the
] landing of marines and blue Jackets from
the American warships have been fully
completed and within a short time after
Secretary Taft gives the order all advan-
, tageous points which already have been
: selected by naval officers, would be occu-
! ! pied by a force of at least $500 men. Such
: an order would not be given until Secretary
Taft regards it as absolutely necessary
but 1t is certain that the present conditions
will not be allowed to continue for more
than one day longer. The nonacceptance
, of President Paima's resignation and its
! withdrawal viii be Cubas last card.
|, General Funston arrived here todeY. He
has gone over all the military plans, APP
/ proved them and familarized himself with
the military situation as presented by
Major Iadd, who has been here for a fort
night.
Among the places visited today by Gen
eral Funston was the rebel camp outside
of Havana Here the American genera
e | met Generals Guerra and Delcastillo and
t other commanders of the insurgents. SONS
" Of whom he knew during the last revolu
r. tion.
v The atmosphere at the palace tonight /.
J. decidedly gloomy. Everybody who emerged
e from President Palma's private ONCE wor'
s a long face. Members of the cabinet re
e iterated that Palma had not receded from
n his determination to resign In spite of thu
l. persuasive arguments OF his most init
mate friends. The president himself hai
succumbed somewhat TO nervous fatigu,
7 and everybody regards the windup OF th'
administration as imminent. Presiden
Palma viii retire as poor as when he as
sunied the office. but all his friends con
cede that he will have the satisfaction o
having conscientiously and industriousll
discharged his duties in face Of the almos
constant lack OF cooperation from con
| gress.
H. Normal Food for Soldiers.
II WASHINGTON, Sept. G.-subastenc
supplies OF a kind similar 10 those nov
used By the army in the Philippines and II
Ii Porto Rico viii be used by the army Il
| Cuba In the event OF Intervention by tn
| United states. The troops viii be given &
rations what they have been accustomed
to. and not what any one might sugges
they ought TO have. for service in tropics
| climate.
Some military observers marvel at tn
wonderful amount OF work accomplishe'