The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1896-05-08
THE OTHER SIDE.
A Resume Of Spain's Official Policy
Towards Cuba,
Promulgated at Intervals Since the Close
of the Ten Year War, According 10
which the Island Ought to
DO Paradise

Il sage by both houses OF congress, on
April last, of the senate concurrent
resolutions, declaring that a state of
war existed in Cuba, and that, in the
opinion of congress the president
should recognize the belligerency of
the Cubans and tender his good Offices
70 Spain to bring about a recognition
| of the Independence of the Cuban re-
/ public, no overt action has been
taken by the United States, SO far as
Is known. unless the appointment of
so prominent a parsonage as ex-Gov.
/ Fitzhugh Lee as consul-general to Ha-
vana can be so regarded There is a
widely prevailing impression that Gen.
Lee viii go to his post of duty in the
double capacity Of consul-general and
| special commissioner, empowered 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 Gen.
Lee has held with Secretary Olney and
Mr.. Cleveland.
Meanwhile considerable interest is
felt as TO the probable outcome of the
matter.
The queen of Spain's speech to be
delivered at the opening of the Span
ish 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, especially as informal assurances
are believed to have been given To the
administration that Cuba is to be ten
dered almost as great a degree of au
tonomy in purely domestic affairs as
the Dominion of Canada now njOys in
its relations with Great Britain.
The reform measures for the civil
| government of Cuba promulgated by
/ the royal decree of March Is, 1895,
which were not promptly put into
operation because, as il is claimed, the
present revolution prevented the nee
essary local elections being held to
provide the officials named in the de-
cree, are expected to be enforced with
out much further delay, now that
elections for the cortes have ostensi-
bly, been held throughout Cuba in the
past month.
Supplementary 10 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 pro-
gress of Cuba towards liberal govern
ment since the close of the ten-years
war, is to be shown by an official com
pilation of the colonial laws which is
now in course of publication. This
compilation discloses the fact that in
the treaty of FL San Joan which termi-
mated that war in 1878, the insurgents
stipulated only for the freedom of
those slaves who had served in their
ranks. The law of February 10, 1880,
put an end to slavery in the island, de-
claring al, without distinction, to be
free, minors, however, to remain under
''patronagA" until 1888, when even that
feature waS to be abolished. Two
years before that time expired the ne
groes we're set at liberty by the de-
cree of October :, 1855, and the last
vestige of slavery was obliterated.
The Spanish constitution of 1876 was
promulgated in the island April Z,
1881. All public liberties and the
rights of citizenship then enjoyed in
Spain were thereby granted to Cuba,
involving the radical change in its po-
| litical regime that laws were thence
forth enacted for it by the representa-
tives of the nation, whereas the island
had previously been governed by di-
rect orders from the crown. Since
that time Cuba has been represented
in the national cortes by its senators
and representatives.
Provision for the enforcement I'm
Cuba of the penal code of the penin-
sula was made by royal decree on May
2S, 1879; of the civil code by decree of
July 81, 1885; of the law concerning
civil prosecution by decree Of Septem-
Der e5, 1885; and by decree of October
10, 1883, the law of criminal prosecu-
tiOn was amended so as to require
prosecutions to be conducted orally and
in public instead of by written exam
ination-an important measure of re-
form which had only just been estab-
lished in Spain herself.
The Spanish code of commerce was
extended to Cuba, January %, 1856,
and in addition TO numerous laws of
minor importance extended TO the is
land, the special banking law was made
operative August 16, 1873, and that of
landed property May 16, 1879, and as
amended, July IA, 1898.
Most important, probably, has been
the development of the principal po-
litical laws following upon increased
liberty guaranteed by the constitution
of 1876. The law of June Is, 1880, reg
ulating the right Of meeting as pro-
claimed in article Is of the constitu-
tion was made to embrace the island
of Cuba by the royal decree of No
vember /, 1881. This authorized
peaceful meetings to be held exactly
as in Spain, and provided that -
hours notice be given to the governor
of the province concerning the place,
purpose and time of meeting. This
provision differs little from the laws
and regulations prevailing in the
United States. where license and per-
mits have 70 be taken out from mu-
nicipal authorities for many public
gatherings.
The Spanish law of June 80, 1887,
concerning liberty 10 form partner
ships was made applicable to Cuba by
decree of June ~, 1855, and that of
January Z, 1879, for the freedom of the
press was extended TO the island
April 2, 1881. When that law
was amended on more liberal
lines in Spain. June 26, 1888,
its additional liberties were given to
Cuba November IL, 1856. This statute
maintained that the provisions Of The
common law were sufficient to punish
offenses Of the press and gave the or
dinary courts full jurisdiction. The
law Of civil marriages, providing for
he religious liberation guaranteed