Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1896-05-07
The OTHER SIDE.
\ Resume OF Spain's Oricial Policy
Towards Cuba,
kr~@s1xat-d At Intervals since the CIo.s
- fhe Ten Year War. According 10
which the Island Ought to
Be q Paradise

aprh last. OF the senate concurrent
resolutions, declaring that 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 q recognition
OF the Independence of the Cuban re-
public. no overt action has been
taken by the United States. so far as
- known. unless the appointment OF
- prominent a parsonage as ex-Gov.
fitxhugh Lee as seousul-general to Ha-
vanA can be 50 regarded There is a
widely prevailing impression that Gen
Lee will 60 to his post of duty in the
double capacity of eonsul-general and
apssisi commissioner, empowered to
report directly to the president as to
the exact condition of affairs in Cuba.
This oppression has been deepened by
the protracted conferences which Gen.
Lee has held with Secretary olney and
Mr. Cleveland.
Meanwhile considerable interest is
felt ~ TO the probable outcome of the
matter
The queen of Spain's speech TO be
delivered at the opening of the Span
iah eorfes at Madrid on Monday. May
IL u expected to outline definitely the
Cuban policy OF the government IL
10 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 = degree Of au
tcnomy in purely domestic affairs as
the Dominion of Canada now en- JOYS In
its relations with Great Britain
The reform measures for the civil
government Of Cuba promulgated by
the royal decree of March Is. 1925.
which were not promptly put into
operation because. as IL Is claimed, the
present revolution prevented the nee
esaary local elections being held 10
provide the officials named in the de-
cree. are expected to be enforced with
out much further delay. now that
elections for the eort=s have O<tenxi-
bly, been held throughout Cuba in the
past month
Supplementary TO these laws. liberal
Legislation hy the new eortes is also
anticipated by those we'll informed
- - the spanish programme
In this connection the statutory pro-
gv~8 Of Cuba towards liberal govern
ment since the close of the ten--ears
var. = 10 be shown hy an official com
p<lntiou of the colonial laws which is
now In course Of publication This
compilation diseloses the fact that in
the treaty of r. san Joan which terni-
- -
stipulated only for the freedom OF
those slaves who had served In their
unkR The law of February II, Isso.
put IN end to slavery in the island, de-
claring all, without distinction, to be
free. minors, however, TO remain under
patronage" until lsss. when even that
feature was To be abolished Two
years before that time expired the ne
groes were set at aiberty by the de-
cree Of October :, 1855, and the last
vessige Of slavery was obliterated-
The Spanish constitution of 1876 was
promulgated in the island April :,
lssi- All public liberties and the
rights of citizenship then enjoyed in
Spain were thereby granted to Cuba.
involving the radical change in its po-
liticnl 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 tina Cuba has been represented
IN the rational cortes by its senators
and rsprezentatives.
ProvfGfon for the enforcement in
cuba of the penal code of the penin-
suls wna made BY royal decree on Nav
%. IsTps Of the civil code by decree of
July ~, 1889; of the law concerning
civil prusecutiou by decree of Septem-
her IS, 1ee5; and by decree of October
70. fsss. the law of criminal prosecu-
ton waa 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-
Hshed In Spain herself
The Spanish code of commerce was
exteuded TO Cuba, January 2s, 1856,
miner Importance extended to the is
lsnd. The special banking law was made
operative August 16, 1878. and that of
landed property May i6, 1879, and IS
amended, July IA, 1898.
Most inportant, probably, has been
the Development of the principal po-
liticsl laws following upon increased
liberty guaranteed by the constitution
of 1g7d The law of June Is. 1850, reg
ulnfine the right of meeting as pro-
elnimoA IN article 10 of the constitu-
l. q IL
Of Cuha by the royal decree of No
vsmber /, 1851. This authorized
peaceful meetings to be held exactly
q in Spnin, and provided that -
hours nc&ice be given to the governor
Of the province concerning the place,
purpose and time of meeting. This
provixion differs little from the laws
and regulations prevailing in the
United States. where license and per
mits have to be taken out from mu-
nicipal authorities tor many public
gathsringR
Tha Spanish law of June 30, 1857,
eonesrnine liberty to form partner
ships wna made applicable to Cuba by
dscroo a. June II, 1883. and that Of
Jnnunxy !, 1879, for the freedom OF the
urun wns extended TO the ialznd
April Z, 1881 When that law
was ansnded ON more liberal
lines IN Spain. June %, 1854.
il additional liberties were given TO
Cuhe Eoverber II. 1855. This statute
naintainsd that the provisions Of the
comunon law were sufficient to punish
ofRenses Of the press and gave the or
binary courts full Jurisdiction The
law of eivil marriages. providing for
the religious federation guaranteed
by the eieventh article of the eonsti
tuition vss proclaimed November 10
fse6 The provincial and municipal
orxnninn<fons of the colonies were
made - conform with those cf the
peuinsuIn June 81. 1s7s.
RGforms In the right of suffrage
havs beon difacult of accomplishment
whoruxer the negro race Is in the
ma}orI<y- but the law concerning vo-
49, - ~1ections for Cuban represen-