Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-20
President Palma Says He Will
Resign If Another Elect
ion Is Held
INSURGENTS DEMAND ANOTHER
Secretary Taft Finds Himself Abreast
Unforeseen Obstacles in Dealing as
Intermediary With Cuban Govern
ment and Rebels - Situation is
Strained.

l LlS1N StLtt, kOGpt. SV.--I iCSiNSiIl esA'iA,
and his colleagues have placed STUN
| bling block in the road to peace at thu
very outset of Secretary Tafts negoti
ations.
| The demands of the liberals and the
rebels for new election for member.
of congress and for governors OF the
provinces is refused peremptorily III
advance.
President Palma officially declared te
Secretary Taft that under no circum,
stances would the government consent
to new election. He declared if the
United States insisted on a new cleo.
ton he would resign the presidency.
UP to the present time the liberals
and the rebels have insisted that undo,
no circumstances would they treat fol
peace without new election.
If both sides persist in holding to
their view, Secretary Taft will have
encountered a deadlock at the outse,
of his negotiations.
Both the government and the liber-
ais will submit written memoranda to
Secretary Taft today, in which each
will state the terms they will concede
and accept in settlement of the dis
pute.
Taft Loses No Time.
Secretary Taft and Assistant Secre-
tary of State Bacon lost no time on
their arrival here yesterday in taking
up the work cut out for them Before
nightfall they had held separate con-
ferences with President Palma and the
liberal leaders. Today they will know
the maximum and minimum demands
and concessions Of both sides.
Secretary Taft said last night that
the unexpected complications which
had developed would make his task
more difficult than he had believed 1t
would be. When he left Washington
he believed he could finish in week.
Last night he said he could not get
away for at least ten days.
Palma Threatens to Resign.
Secretary Taft asked Palma if any
revolutionary demands had been d.
rectly affected by the negotiations.
President Palma said in reply that
the program Of the revolutionists in
cluded the absolute annulment of the
last elections, and that if by compro-
misses it should be agreed to hold par
TALLY new elections he (Palma) would
no longer continue an executive, be-
cause his prestige would suffer, and to
do so would be a drawback to. con-
stitutional form of government.
Referring to the efforts being made
to bring about peace, President Pal
ma said he had left that matter to the
political parties. On receipt of Pres
ident Roosevelt's letter the government
had limited itself to suspension of hos
tilities. The president added that in
hts Judgment congress should pass an
electoral law which would amply guar
antee both parties; also municipal
election law under which elections
would be held next January, the gov
eminent to preserve strict impartial
ity. n
In reply to questions by Messrs Taft
and Bacon President Palma reviewed
the various aspects of the electoral
problem in Cuba. Asked whether the
government had taken steps to effect
a compromise the president replied in
the negative. saying that the govern
ment had limited itself to assisting the
efforts of the veterans without taking
~ q ri 81, tho