least as long as the policy of his government
could be justified. This mental attitude was not however indicated by
any word that came from his lips. With unmoved dignity he bowed in
uncomplaining acquiescence, and said that he entirely understood the
situation; that Mr. Taft would receive his resignation as President, by
word of mouth and in writing, as quickly as it could be dictated to his
secretary; and that he would retire at once from the Presidency of Cuba.
Against this action Mr. Taft protested, though he himself had obviously
made it necessary, and explained that arrangements had been made, at his
suggestion, in which Dr. Zayas as leader of the Liberals had acquiesced,
to the effect that Mr. Palma should remain as President of the Republic,
although the Liberals demanded the expulsion of all other members of
the administration. President Palma thanked Mr. Taft for his expression
of faith in him personally, but absolutely refused to consider the
withdrawal of his resignation, stating with impregnable logic, which Mr.
Taft could not refute, that if his cabinet, his Congress and his courts
were fraudulent, or held their positions illegally, he himself, having
been elected at the same time, and in the same manner, was not the real
President of Cuba. Therefore, he refused to remain longer in office. He
added with punctilious courtesy that he would take the liberty of eating
his supper in the palace with his family, since it was prepared, but he
would not remain within its walls another day.

When this attitude of the President was communicated to the members of
the Cuban Congress, a meeting was at once called, at which, after a
great deal of animated discussion, a joint committee was appointed,
consisting of twenty-four men, to wait upon and expostulate with
President Palma, but after several hours of pleading, they were
unsuccessful in persuading him to change his mind.

So came the fall of the Palma government, whereupon Secretary Taft
assumed complete charge and control of the affairs of the Cuban
Republic. The insurgent leaders signed a formal agreement to surrender,
in which they promised to restore to their owners the horses and other
property which they had seized, though as a matter of fact none of them
did so; since, for good measure, perhaps, Mr. Taft through military
decree gave to the rebels an absolute deed of ownership of the horses
they had stolen from the stables and fields of their rightful owners.