New-York tribune., 1896-05-04
LIBERAL LAWS FOR CUBA.
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED SINCE
THE CLOSE OF THE TEN YEARS WAR

THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE COMfl
LATIoN OF COLONIAL LAWS. SHOWING HOW
REFORMS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED
TO THE IsLAND-AwAITINd
THE QUEENS SPEECH.
Washington, May 3.-Snce the passage by
both houses of Congress April last or the
Senate concurrent resolutions declaring that
state of war existed in Cuba. and that. In the
opinion Of Congress, the President should recog-
nize the belligerency Of the Cubans and tender
his good offices to Spain to bring about recog-
milton Of the independence Of the Cuban Repuo-
lie. no overt action has been taken by the united
States, so far as Is admitted, unless the ap-
pointment of so prominent a parsonage as ex-
Governor Fitzhugh Lee as Consul-General 10
Havana can be so regarded There Is widely
prevailing impression that General Lee will go
to his post Of duty in the double capacity or
ul-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 deepened by the protracted
conferences which General Lee held with Secre-
tary Olney and Mr.. Cleveland yesterday.
Meanwhile considerable interest Is felt as to
the probable course of the Spanish authorities.
The Queen Of Spains speech. to be delivered at
the opening Of the Spanish Cortes at Madrid on
Monday, May II, is expected to outline definitely
the Cuban policy Of the Government. 1t Is
awaited with considerable interest here, espe-
cially as informal assurances are believed to
have been given to the Administration that to
Cuba is to be rendered almost great degree
OF autonomy in purely domestic affairs as the
Dominion Of Canada now enjoys in its relations
with Great Britain.
The reform measures for the civil government Of
Cuba promulgated by the royal decree Of March
Is. 1885, which were not promptly put into opera
ton because, as II is asserted. the present revo-
luton prevented the necessary local elections
being 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 ostcnsibly been held throughout Cuba.
Supplementary to these laws. liberal legislation
by the new Cortes is also expected by those we'll
Informed TO the Spanish programme.
At the same time the statutory progress Of
Cuba toward liberal government since the close
OF the Ten Years War is to be shown by an
official compilation Of the colonial laws. which
Is now In course Of publication. This compila-
tion discloses the fact that in the treaty Of FL
Zanjon. which terminated that war In 1s7S the
Insurgents stipulated only for the freedom of
those slaves who had served In their ranks. The
law Of February 1S, 1880. put an end to slavery in
the island, declaring ALL without distinction. 10
be free. minors. however. to remain under
patronage" until 1888. when even that feature
was to be abolished Two yeaw before that time
expired the negroes were set at liberty by the
decree of October Z, 1885, and the last vestige of
slavery was obliterated.
The Spanish constitution Of 1875 was promul-
gated In the island on April T. 1881 All public
liberties and the rights of citizenship then
joyed In Spain were thereby granted to Cuba,
involving the radical change in its political
autonomy that laws were thenceforth enacted
for 1t by the representatives of the nation,
whereas the island had previously been gov
erned by direct orders from the Crown Since
that time Cuba has been represented in the
National Cortes by its Senators and Repre-
sentatives
Provision for the enforcement in Cuba Of the
Penal Code OF the peninsula was ma, made by
by decree of July 81. 1889; Of the law concern
Ing civil prosecution. by decree Of September
25. 1885. and by decree Of October 49, 1888. the
law OF criminal prosecution was amended as
to require prosecutions to be conducted orally
and in public. instead of by written examina-
tions in private-an important measure Of re-
form which had only just been established In
Spain herself
The Spanish Code Of Commerce was extended
to Cuba on January %. 1885, and, In addition to
to the island. the Special Banking law was made
operative on August 16. 1878, and that Of landed
property on May 16. 1879. and as amended on
Most important probably. has been the devel-
opment of the principal political laws following
upon increased liberty guaranteed by the Con-
6titutiOn OF 1876 The law of June Is, 1880. regu-
lating the right of meeting as proclaimed in
Article 13 Of the constitution was made to en-
brace the island of Cuba by the royal decree Of
November /, 1881. This authorized peaceful
meetings to be held exactly as in Spain, and pro-
vided that twenty-four hours notice be given
to the Governor Of the province concerning the
ola ov1 80
vision differs little from the laws and regula-
tions prevailing In the United States, where
licenses or permits have to be taken out from
municipal authorities for many public gather
The Spanish law Of June 80, 1887 concerning
liberty to form partnerships, was made applica-
BILE to Cuba by decree Of June IL, 1888, and that
Of June 7, 1879, for the freedom Of the press,
extended TO. the Island on April I. 1881 When
that law was amended on more liberal lines in
span June 2s. 1883. it's additional liberties were
given to Cuba on November H. 1886. This
statute maintained that the provisions Of the
common law were sufficient to punish offences
Of the press, and gave the ordinary courts full
Jurisdiction. The law of civil marriages, pro-
vidng for the religious toleration guaranteed by
the Eleventh Article Of the Constitution, was
proclaimed on November l3, 1886. The provincial
and municipal organizations Of the colonies were
made to conform with those Of the Peninsula
June q. 1878.
Reforms in the right of suffrage have been
difficult Of accomplishment wherever the negro
race is in the majority, but the law concerning
in the Cortes. promulgated on December 27,
1892 provides that every citizen twenty-five
years cid who pays the sum Of IS to the State
shall have the right to vote, and this right is
enjoyed by negroes as well as white persons
In Cuba. In this law are likewise provisions
which secure the representation Of the minority.
The laws relative TO education are also Inn
portant AS long ago as 1880, autonomy was
granted TO the University OF Havana. and such
ample provisions We're given to II that only
one university In the peninsula chat of Madrid)
enjoys privileges equally great. High schools
throughout the island organized in 1888,
and finally. in 1887 freedom of education was
proclaimed to the same extent and manner as
In Spain.
The Cuban budget. 1t Is shown. has been re-
duced from SAC, 900 for the fiscal year 1873