l times encouraged the
investment of foreign capital, and to the prosperity of his four years
as President. He deplored what he regarded as a lack of patriotism on
the part of the leaders of the insurrection, and cited a number of
instances to prove that they were actuated by motives of greed and
desire for office. His demeanor was dignified and earnest, and what he
said made a deep impression.

The Americans then went to the home of the American Minister at
Marianao, a suburb of Havana, where the insurgents had outposts just
across the bridge, about 1,000 yards from the minister's house. There
they conferred, as President Palma had suggested, with Senors Capote and
Zayas, with the Secretary of Government, General Rafael Montalvo, who
had charge of mobilizing the forces of the government; with General
Rodriguez, and with the American Consul General, Mr. Steinhart, who had
been eight years in the island, understood its conditions, and spoke its
language.

It was explained to Mr. Taft that some of the leaders of the revolution
had been apprehended, and at present were incarcerated in the
penitentiary, but that they could be summoned to the home of the
American Minister, if he so desired. He did desire it, and the Liberal
leaders were brought from their prison. They included Jose Miguel Gomez,
Gualberto Gomez, Carlos Garcia, and others of the group. Senator Alfredo
Zayas remained present, and when Mr. Taft asked for a statement from the
prisoners regarding the causes of the revolution and their purposes and
demands, he acted as counsel and spokesman. Dr. Zayas stated that the
election of the President and his government had been absolutely
fraudulent; that armed soldiers had prevented the approach of the
Liberals to the polls; that they had absolute proof that the votes would
never be counted but that the whole proceeding would be a farce, and
that, as a protest against such frauds and miscarriage of justice, they
had deliberately refrained from going to the polls after ten o'clock in
the morning; that the results of the election had been absurd and
ridiculous; that the Liberals were greatly in the majority in the
island, "as every one knew," and that the government, as constituted,
was an imposition on the people, weak, inefficient and corrupt. He added
that he and his compatriots wanted nothing more than that which they
were in a position to enforce, and which they would have enforced had it
not been for the suspension