The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-04-30
SPAIN IS MINED.
Divided as to Her Cuban Policy Between
Pride and Visible Necessity.

New York, April pa dispatch to
the World from Madrid, says: The re-
port that an understanding is about to
be reached between Spain and the United
States in regard to Cuba is fayorably re-
ceived in financial and commercial cir
cles, without stopping to inquire whether
the welcome news is true or not. Ac-
cording to the current story, the Spanish
government is to grant to Cuba home
rule. on a much broader Scale than the
bills which have so far passed the cortes,
and this concession is to be supplanted
by tariff reforms and treaty of reclproc-
ity to develop trade between the United
States and the Spanish West Indies.
The FL Liberal says: 1.-The Spanish
mothers. whose 100000 sons are about
to be exposed to the deadly climate of
Cuba during the rainy season, the Span
ish taxpayers. who apprehend the conse-
quences of the heavy cost of prolonged
civil war. and, indeed. the whole nation,
at heart, will gladly welcome the pacif-
cation of Cuba by an early and sincere
concession of reforms now admitted by
all Spanish politicians to be urgent and
inevitable"
1t is obviously the prevalent impress
sion in many classes that the best course
for Spain to pursue is to bow to the pres
sure and circumstances ere it is too late,
and do with a good grace what possibly
may yet avert Cuban independence, as
procrastination and misguided postpone
ment of tardy concessions may lead to a
conflict with America.
On the other hand, directly the lingo
papers perceived the drift of public opin-
ion they again started an anti-American
campaign.
The Herald opened fire by lamenting
the decay of pride, patriotism and popu-
lar enthusiasm, predicting the success
sive loss to Spain of her colonies all over
the world through foreign influence.
Ell Impartial follows suit, declaring
that the nation will never allow its gov
eminent to bow to American interfer-
ence in favor of West Indian home-rule.
Ii upbraids Senior Morett for admitting
the possibility of negotiating with Pres
ident Cleveland. whose advance ought
to be met with clear, decisive refusal"
Other lingo organs initiated the I'm
parcial, menacing the monarchy and its
government with dire consequences If
President Cleveland is not told to mind
his own business.
This gasconading originated in the
combined efforts of the Cuban reaction
airy party and the military men, who
want to utilize the patriotic agitation
famed by the lingo press. to put pressure
upon Premier Canovas on the eve of the
meeting of parliament just when every
body knows that American diplomacy
will very soon have to elicit from the
Spanish cabinet some precise and definite
statement of it's intentions. Marked
hesitation is again visible in official cir
cles and the ministerial press seems to
have instructions to say that the utmost
that can be done is to carry out in part
the administrative and economical re-
forms in Cuba and Porto Rico. but not
political reforms until the insurgents sub
nit Internationally. Singularly enough,
the Madrid papers publish minute de-
tails concerning an important autonomist
and separatist agitation, fast spreading
among the nations of the Philippine is
lands in the east. Free Masons and for
eigners are accused of encouraging this
movement whose prominent promoters
demand recognition in the cortes, legisla-
tive assimilation with the mother coun-
try and the expulsion of the religious or
ders, because friars and Jesuits, more
than the Spanish authorities, rule those
colonies.