New-York tribune., 1872-10-14
By-and-by we shall have Reform movement
which shall mean something; as yet the people
are not in dead earnest, and Reform waits.
THE END OF REFORMS IN THE ANTILLES.

THE END or REFOhHS IN IHH ANfiAHH''
We have several times had occasion to refer
TO Senor Ruiz-Zorrilla as a statesman OF FRANK
ness and sincerity quite unusual in Spain. On
Saturday last he once more vindicated his
right to such commendation. During debate
in the Cortes in regard to the coming elections
in Porto Rico, it was proposed to extend the
electoral privilege to the neighboring island OF
Cuba. The Prime Minister refused to consider
any such proposition, and with one contemp-
tuous phrase swept away the elaborate vail
of cobwebs and sophistries and false pretenses
which our Government and the Spanish have
woven about this question during the last four
years. He declared that "no reforms could DO
introduced in Cuba while q single man re-
"mained in arms against the Government"
Even toward Porto Rico His Exceency spoke
with some reserve. He said the Government
would keep the promises of the Revolution
but would do nothing which might place the
preservation of the colonies in jeopardy
This is final, and puts an end to several i'm
portant questions. The whole scheme OF CO.
lonial reform falls to the ground. The rights
of the colonies are not for moment consid-
cred. The new Constitution of the Kingdom
declared them not colonies, but provinces OF
Spain, equal in rights and in duties to any
other provinces. But the leader of the Lib
eral Cabinet now considers it the simplest
thing possible to say what the Kings Govern
ment are going to do with Cuba and with
Porto Rico; how they are going to accom-
plish this, and to postpone or reconsider that,
and to refuse something else, not because 1t is
legal or constitutional, or the contrary, but be-
cause it may affect favoraby OF otherwise the
Peninsular party in Cuba. He is the first Min
ister since the Revolution who has made this
announcement boldly and frankly. His prede-
cessors have Invariably lodged and shufiied
about it. They have avoided the direct issue
whether the colonies should or should not re-
ceive with the rest of Spain tho privilege OF
constitutional government guaranteed to them
by the fundamental law of the country. They
have indulged in some sounding patitudes
about the benevolent intentions of the
Ministry, but not one of them, nei-
ther the Democrats Moret or Becerra,
nor the partisans of the reaction
who have filed the same place, have ever
dared to say that there would be no reforms
in Cuba as long as rebel remained, and that
as for Porto Rico the Ministry would do what
they thought best about it. But all this time
this was their intention; and now that an
honest and truthful Minister is interrOgated
about It, he tells the truth without any con-
cealments OF affectations. There need be no
more time wasted in the Cortes preparing
plans for emancipation and q reform of the
government of the Antilles. 1t has been
authoritatively stated that while Rebel re-
mains in arms there will be no reforms. And
there will be rebels in arms longer than there
will be Savoyards in the Palace del Oriente.
We sincerely hope that this explicit declara-
ton will put an end to the ridiculous attitude
of our Government in relation to the prom
ised reforms in the West Indies. AT regular
intervals ever since the battle of Alcolea, the
Spanish Government has solemnly assured
ours that it was about to enter upon path
of sweeping reforms, in which they desired
our sympathy and cooperation. In several
tight places these protestations have been of
serious value to Spain. We have often re-
Trained from insisting upon just reclamations,
simply because Spain was promising these
large reforms, which would be embarrassed If
we made difficulties for her. For while
there was possibly some sincerity in this rep
| resentaton. There can be no doubt that
Marshal Prim deeply deplOred and resented
the CALLING tyranny of the Havana Volunteers,
and during the first two years after the RevO-
luton fully intended and sought opportunities
to concilate the public sentiment in Cuba by
a liberal and progressive policy there.
But before his death he recognized the impos-
sibility of doing anything for Cuba in the face
of the savage despotsm of the Volunteers, and
this was deep humiliation to him. Those
who have succeeded him have apparently had
no feeling in the matter, and have TRANQUILITY
sacrificed the truth by loquacious promises
whenever the subject came forward. But
Ruiz Zorrilla, while he has not courage
enough to brave counter insurrectiOn in
Cuba by doing his duty and carrying out the
promised reforms, has at least too much sense
of honor and of national dignity to carry on
the wretched comedy Of talking of reforms he
has no thought of accomplishing. There is
nothing more to be effected by our legation
or the English, in the way of promoting these
reforms Let us have no more of the farce of
pretending that we hope to do anything for
Cuba.
INDIANA