The San Francisco call., 1896-05-04
Believed That Lee Will Go
to Havana in a Dual
Capacity.
THE QUEEN OF SPANS SPEECH
1t Is Expected to Definitely Outline
the Governments Policy Toward
the Island.

WASd1NGION, II. u, May 3.-Slnce
the passage by both houses of Congress on
April last of the Senate concurrent reso-
lutions declaring that state of war existed
in Cuba and that, in the opinion of Con-
gress, the President should recognize the
e belligerency of the Cubans and tender his
good offices to Spain to bring about recog-
milton of the independence of the Cuban
republic; no overt action has been taken Dy
the United States, so far as is known, uu-
less the appointment of so prominent a
parsonage as Ex-Governor Fitzhugh Lee as
, Censul-General to Havana can be so re-
garded.
: There Is a widely prevailing impression
that General Lee will go to his post of
=. duty in the double capacity of Consul
General and special commissioner, en-
powered to report directly to the President
as to. the exact condition of affairs in
Cuba. This impression has been deep
ened by the protracted conferences which
General Lee held with Secretary Olney
and Mr.. Cleveland yesterday. Meanwhile
considerable interest is felt as to the prob
able outcome of the matter.
The Queen of Spains speech, to be de-
livered at the opening of the Spanish
Cortes on Monday, May II, is expected to
outline definitely the Cuban policy of the
Government. 1t is awaited with consid-
cradle interest here, especially as informal
assurances are believed TO have been given
to the administration that Cuba is to be
rendered almost as great a degree of au-
tonomy in purely domestic affairs as the
Dominion of Canada now enjoys in its re-
lations with Great Britain.
=. The reform measures for the civil gov
ernnent of Cuba promulgated by the
royal decree of March 15, 1895, which were
not promptly put into operation because,
as 1t is claimed, the present revolution
prevented the necessary local elections be-
ing held to provide the officials named in
the decree. are expected to be enforced
without much further delay, now that
elections for the Cortes have ostensiDIy
been held throughout Cubs during the
past month";. Supplementary to these laws
liberal legislation by the new Cortes is
also anticipated by those well informed as
to the Spanish programme.
In this connection the statutory progress
of Cuba toward liberal government since
the close OF the 1o-years' war is to be
shown by an official compilation of the
colonial laws which is now In course of
publication. This compilation discloses
the fact thatin the treaty of Ell Zaniohn,
which terminated that war in 1878, the in
surgents stipulated only for the freedom
of those slaves who had served in their
ranks.
The law Of February Ii, 1880, put an end
to slavery in the island, declaring all with
out distinction to be free-minors, how
ever, to remain under patronage" until
1888, when even that feature was to be
abolished. Two years before that time ex-
pired the negroes were set at liberty by the
decree of October z. 1886, and the last
vestige of slavery was obllterated.
The Spanish constitution of 1876 was
promulgated in the island April Z, 1881.
All public liberties and the rights of citi-
.zenship then enjoyed in Spain were thereby
granted to Cuba, involving the radical
change in its political regime that laws
were thenceforth enacted for it by the
representatives of the nation, whereas the
island had previously been governed by
direct orders from the crown. Since that
time Cuba mas been represented in the Ma
tional Cortes by its Senators and Repre-
sentatives.
Provision for the enforcement in Cuba
of the penal code of the peninsula was
made by royal decree on MAY %, 1879; of
of the law concerning civil prosecution, by
decree of September 25, 1885; and by de-
cree of October 19, 1888, the law of crimi-
nal prosecution was amended so as to re-
quire prosecutions to be conducted orally
and in public instead of by written exami-
nations in private-an important measure
of reform which had only just been estab-
lished in Spain herself.
ha Gna ch n0da Of
tended to Cuba January 2S 1886 and in
addition to numerous laws of minor i'm
portance extended to the island the special
banking law was made operative August
16, 1878, and that of landed property Nav
16, 1879, and as amended July ID, 1888
Most important, probably, has been the
development of the principal political laws
following upon increased liberty guaran-
teed by the constitution of 1876.
The law of June 10, 1880, regulating the
right OF meeting as proclaimed in article
.13 OF the constitution was made TO en-
brace the island of Cuba By the royal de-
cree of November 1, 1881. This authorized
peaceful meetings to be held exactly as in
Spain, and provided that twenty four
hours notice be given to the Governor of
the province concerning the place, pur.
pose and time OF meeting. Inis provision
differs little from the laws and regulations
prevailing in the United States, where
license and permits have to be taken out
from municipal authorities for many pub
lie gatherings.
The Spanish law of June 80, 1887, con-
corning liberty to form partnerships was
made applicable to Cuba by decree of
June IL, 1885, and that of January 7, 1879,
for the freedom of the press, was extended
to the island April Z, 1881 When that
law was amended on more liberal lines in
Spain, June 26. 1883, its additional liber-
ties were given to Cuba Nevem Der IL, 1885,
This statute main tanned that the pro-
visions OF the comEo on law were sufficient
to punish offenses OF the press and gave
the ordinary courts full Jurisdiction.
The laws of civil marriages, providing
for the religious federation guaranteed by
the eleventh article of the constitution. was
proclaimed November 13. 1886. The