The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-04-20
ONCE POPULAR IDOL is
NOW SCORNED BY PEOPLE
Pathetic Figure of ExP xPresident Palma Stands Out
Conspicuously in Cuban Situation.

One lonely pathetic figure conspicu-
ously stands out of the Cuban chaos
former President Tomas Estrada
Palma.
Four years ago the popular idol Of
his countrymen, he assumed the head
of the new Cuban republic in the
midst of general acclaim. Now he
withdraws a heartbroken old man,
hated by the revolutfonists, and
scorned even by many of his own
former partisans.
The publication of Palma's letters to
President Roosevelt, in which as early
AS Sept. he announced his intention
TO give up the struggle to preserve
peace on the island, and asked the
United States to take charge, es-
tr,,nged him from many of his closest
friends. Rightly or wrongly they ar
gued that the part Of true valor would
have been to keep up the effort little
while longer before preparing to sur
render that complete freedom for
which Cuba had battled during a cen
tury Of bloodshed and wrong.
But Palma was man of peace, and
could not stand the prospect OF war
and bloody conflicts, so he resigned,
and to-day, at seventy years of age,
the former head Of the republic stands
broken and alone, with small funds
ard a big family to. care for.
Fate has played Palma, the Cuban
patriot, many cruel pranks, but this
last is certainly the saddest.
That white haired old man who now
returns to private life, has been up
and down during all his life, and it
was the INTERVIEWING of his fortunes
with those of his beloved Cuba that
accounted for his vicissitudes.
Up in Central Valley, New York,
they speak of Palma as the school
MASTER" from the fact that he was
conducting in the quietude of that lit
tie town a school for Cuba boys, when
the call came that took him to the
highest office in the gift of his coun-
trymen.
Central Valley world; gladly vel
come him back, for Palma made many
friends during the years he: spent
there who are still loyal to him, Out
the house in which he lived has been
sold, his school scattered, and it is
not at all certain that at his advanced
stage Of life Palma would have energy
to gather pupils, and start once again
the wearying round Of the pedagogue's
life.
Central Valley never expected
Palma to come back. When he left
there to be Cuba's president, the coun-
try for miles around gave itself up to
s. grand demonstration in his honor.
The community suddenly awakened
to the discovery that for years it had
unwittingly had in it's midst great
man. It had often heard whispers that
the little schoolmaster was a big fac
tor in Cuban affairs, that he was at
the head of important secret move
ments having for their aim the free
dom of Cuba, that he saw big leaders
in Washington, that he raised funds
for pursuing war on the island, that
he purchased arms, and wrote hun
dreds of articles designed to present
the cause Of Cuba fibre to the Ameri-
can people.
Central Valley had only half believ-
eti, Tut now when it saw the gaze of
the whole world directed to itself, and
read that Palma was to be the first
chief magistrate of the Cuban nation,
it resolved that he should take his de-
parture in triumph,
Perhaps now in his sadness Palma
recalls that day, when nothing but
kind words were spoken, when prom
inent citizens referred to him in terms
OF lavish praise, when a parade mile
long, with fife and dru mcorps, baIds,
red-shirted fremen, hundreds OF
school children and companies of
grangers paid it's noisy tribute. !.
The little village was trimmed with
flags, those of Cuba and the United