[1] The Party was one of two political groupings (the other one being the Cuban National League) that emerged from the Junta Patriótica in Havana in March 1899.
[2] The Party was founded on March 24, 1899, at a meeting in Havana of presidents of patriotic clubs and neighbourhood committees as well as former members of the Junta Patriótica.
The Commission consisted of Carlos de la Torre, Enrique Messioner, Francisco Alonso, Alfredo Zayas, Nicasio Estrada Mora, Gabriel Casuso, J. R. O'Farrill, Miguel Verna, Evelio R. Lendián, Cándido Hoyos, José F. Torralbas, Benito Lagueruela, Eduardo González, Pedro Rodríguez, Ernesto Fernández, Antonio González Pérez, Medina Arango, Luis Febles and Ambrosio Borges.
The party had members from the small bourgeoisie of the province, working class elements and people of color.
Estrada Palma won the election, as his contender Bartolomé Masó withdrew in protest of fraudulent functioning of the electoral machinery.