Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-09-29
BY RoRERTus LOVE.

J" WENTY-NINE years ago a man
II who during the past few weeks
has doomed measurably large in
the public eye was taken To
Spain prisoner. The official inferno
gator. after taking his name and his
place of residence. asked:
What l. your OccupaJiOn:"
Il am president OF the republic OF Gu
ba." replied the prisoner.
The interrOGatJr shrugged his shout
derS. The reply WIS not satisfactory.
He regarded it fiippant. Again he
asked the prisoner what was his occu-
patton and again received the same re-
ply The Spanish inquisitor WAS furi-
Gus This time Il snort was added to
the shrug. and ne said sternly:
1t il for tile prison records. What
do you do? What is your regular bust
ness"
Il am president Of the republic OF
Cuba calmly responded the prisoner.
and be- would give no other answer.
The man was Tomas Estrada Palma.
now the actual president of the real re-
public of Cuba. He was then. in 1877.
provisional president of the insurgent
republic. which carried its capital OH
horseback through the forests and over
the hills of Cuba. He had been elect
ell president i'm the woods toward the
close of the ten years war while fight
ing valiantly for the liberation of his
native island from the ancient yoke OF
Spain. For nearly nine years since the
outbreak of the rebellion in 1865. he
had had no other occupation than that
Of soldier i'll arms against the mon
arch Of Spain. and during the last few
months preceding his capture he had
been the official head of the revolution
In the light of subsequent history
the reiterated reply of Palma To his
prison interrogation possesses Il strong
dramatic interest. As a matter of fact.
the whole career OF Tomas Estrada
Palma is rich in dramatic situations.
The climax was reached when five
years ago he was unanimously elected
10 the presidency of the new republic :
or Cuba.- though at the time, he was
living i'll the United States. Il natural /
IZed American citizen, and for Il quar-
ter Of Il century had not set foot upon
his native island.
President Palma's personality is dis
tinctiveIy unlike that of the average
I.atin-American. His temperament is
gentle rather than bOiSterouS. and his
taste i for pence instead of war. He
cares not Il whit for the gorgeous dis
play of power nor for the glitter of
personal ado-nment as ruling official.
After his election To the Cuban preSi-
deucy he received ut his humble home
in the village of Central Valley. y. Y.
many letters and kilograms of con
graduation and one communication !
from military and court cOstumer in
New York city who requested an inter
view. stating that he had created uni O.
forms and insignia for various South
American presidents and generals.
President Elect Palma opened this /
letter-and laughed.
Not a Play President.
At his palace in Havana until tile !
outbreak Of the recent rebellion one |
lone soldier stood guard outside the
door. acting rather as Il guide than aS
81 guard. and the president went his
way without Il military escort or body
guard. usually riding from his summer
home to the city on Il trolley car like
au ordinary business man. Whatever
his opponents may find to say against
him. they cannot call him play presl