New-York tribune., 1906-09-26
uR. TAFT INDIGNANT.
Bad Faith of. Moderates-CongreSs
to Meet on Friday.

American intervention. The Moderate party
which six weeks ago in absolute control OF
every office in the island-national, provincial
and municipal-is to-oight determined to abdi-
cate everything and compel the United states
to intervene In fact. every government official
from President Palma down is sincerely anxious
10 force such intervention rather than yield TO
anv one Of the terms offered by the Liberal party
and those in arms against the government
The Liberal leaders characterize the conduct
Of the government as treason to the republic
while Secretary Taft regards II as an unWar-
rauted and dishonorable attempt 10 force the
United States into intervention. This is pre-
cisalv what the Roosevelt administration has
been most anxious to avoid. II is still pare
lv possible that President Roosevelt through
Secretary Taft and the Acting Secretary or state
Mr. Bacon may yet arrange to estaohsh 'he
liberals in control Of the Cuban government
but this is regarded only the remotest sort
Of possibility With either party installed In
mower there would still remain condition OF
denlorable dissatisfaction and unrest and to-
night there appears nothing to promise rellet
sava full control by the United States
The Acting Secretary Of the Interior, senior
,,ontalvo said this evening that he would never
turn the army over 10 the Liberals uhder any
circumstances but all government ollio'"i7
unite in saving that If the rebels in the f1elo OF
any mart of them resist American control the
cuban army will cooperate with the Chi'eu
States in every way possible
The real feeling at the palace is one OF iei'e1
at the prospect that the adversaries OF the soN-
ornroen+ will nor win even though the govern
ment loses This feeling is combined with
considerable degree of cunning satisfaction that
the United States will be obliged TO take over
Cuba indefinitely. and possibly forever.
SESSIONS OF CONGRESS CALLED.
President Palma has called a special session
of Congress for Friday. when he will present the
reservations Of himself ard Vice President Men
dez Capote Tha Moderates. however. will not
attend that session of Congress- for in their hur-
riedlv called national assembly this afternoon
they decided unanimously simply 10 quit at
once They will not even attend the approach
ing session or have anything more TO do with the
government Of Cuba, alleging that they have
been unjustIy treated by President Roosevelts
commissioners.
This determination is taken by Messrs. Taft
and Bacon, however. another indication that
the Moderate leaders, since they can no longer
control the government themselves. deter
mined. at whatever cost. that the Liberals snail
not now or hereafter obtain control. At the con-
oIusion Of the Moderate Assembly this afternoon
Vice President Mendez Capote called on the
American commissioners and announced that
he had been instructed by the Moderate Ma
tional Assembly to draft a reply to Secretary
Taft's letter President Palma. in which peace
terms were suggested. After this interview
Sefor Mendez Capote said;
I have resigned irrevocably Vice-Prestdent
Of the Republic. I resigned because the resigna-
tion of President Palma was forced upon MIN oy
causes detrimental TO the dignity and decorum
of the office OF Chief Executive The President
will convene Congress in extraordinary session
/ on Friday TO consider his resignation and my
own
Mendez Capote saids further that the entire
body of Moderates in both houses, we'll as the
entire Liberal National Nuhez party, would
refrain from attending the extraordinary ses-
sion. AS the Moderates and Nationalsts com
/ prise more than two-thirds of each house there
will be no quorum. This will block action and
prove that the structure of constitutional gov
/ ernment longer exists.
Mendez Capote emphatically condemned the
alleged partialty of the American commission
I ers. and said that he expressed the opinion of
many of the members of his party when he de
clared that Secretaries Taft and Bacon had
placed themselves unreservedly the side Of
the Liberals and against the existing recognized
government. He said that had they ac-
cepted the basis of peace first presented by the
mediators he did not think that the island
would have remained at peace for thirty days
4 Mendez Capote has called another meeting of
the Moderates for Thursday to determine the
attitude of the party toward the approaching ex-
traordinary session Of Congress.
While the developments recorded to-day are
profoundly serious, the outward appearance of
things distinctly peaceful 1t was a quiet
day at the American Legation. where the COM
missioners have been holding their hearings.
/ There were comparatively few callers but there
was constant interchange Of cable messages
with Oyster Bay a direct wire from the le-
cation to the cable office. These communica-
tons were result of the notification from Pres
ident Palma that he and his associates had de-
/ termined to resign rather than submit TO the
terms suggested and the fact that they declined
10 offer any notifications 10 these terms.
THE REJECTION OF THE TERMS.
The formal draft Of the terms sent 10 the palace
early this morning rejected at noon. This
I action was not expected by Secretary Taft, al
7 though it had been threatened by certain gov
ernnent officials. and It caused him practically
20 abandon his efforts toward a settlement
! Although intervention appears 10 be certain.
| both Messrs. Taft and Bacon said tonight that
such a course would not be taken so long as a
government remains with which they could treat
but in face OF the personal communication from
| President Palma that he is about TO throw over
the whole matter. Secretary Taft had no great
expectation that the present government would
! last long.
| Secretary Taft feels that President Palma $
course is uncaed for. as the letter setting forth
the terms Of peace invited the government to
suggest changes in the conditions unsatisfactory
/ 70 them, and. in fact, 10 offer anv other plen
which ;hey believed would be acceptable to all
concerned. Secretary Taft feels keenly that
/ President Palma has been insincere in the
negotiations with the American commissioners.