New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-12
cpA1N WILL NOT GIVE UP.
,rv REGENTS SPEECH BREATHES
~ vNcoMPRoMlsING WAR.

.sr DECLARES THAT THE 'NSON'i'S' ''O' ''''
s'' ur INTERVENTION CT A GREAT Ma
.,r DEIIsIvE AND COMMENDs
PRESIDENT CLEvELAND's ATTITUDE
AMER CAS- LOYAL FRIEND
s,up"-POIICY OF THE GOV
rRNMzNT AS TO THE RE-
FORM PROGRAMME.
,-,s Nav 1.-THE new Cortes met to-day
interest was manifested IN the speeon
V'e" ,,e throne opening the session. Which II was
h'~ would deal at length With the situa'ioN
iAV"n ".ho The speech was read in person Dy '"e
% ~. Regent. representing the youthful hihs'
Her Majesty sa'u
ss'.,ors and Deputies. -, od-
Senators ~nrs.occupations lay on my mind on ad-
HeaV1 P nu in this day Of the opening or the
dresine the Cortes All of you nave win me
ssssV"n "nre-occupations - l am sure the! are
hose nv the Nation. You cannot nave lot
shareu ,Sose DAYS. rich in hopes, of February
gotten tnTs ~ last year, when the legislative
ana "aannr,yed the law 10 reconstruct the du-
b'ass b'asa,-siion of Cuba and Porto kico.
pInS.tsa,r enforcement the representatives OF lhe
~, ~ nsrties Of Cuba and Porto Rico pleusgu
pyA yr"as and those who share the power III
taslser,nsula but those good intenuons Were
ms spisrarted on the 2lst of February when the
eeln's,,n mad not yet begun In the senate Dy the
elseassrr hv the GOvernor-Geaeral or Cuoa Oh
olsCoor olsor,s OF rebellion. and three DAYS Iater IL
Gmpossssarv 10 proclaim martial law.
was " ~ ~ da plain thet the announcement OF
Ns' annlauded unanimously by the Liberal
IelOln far from restraining the secesslohlsts'
gavs them impulse 10 resort 70 al IiS w. ns
clear intention u -
,Nsral reforms s., -,
lysr lTrar tbe first moment that was understood by
fig in..rious General TO whom the pacifcation
81 ha anna - "a
o.. 2. y. vss made 10 his Government by the com
wv u,si agent of the United States, who SAID that
". rsvolutionsts, seeing in the reforms great
ssyontage 10 their country, quickened the move
.n, in order 10 prevent their aspiration OF
sa.r~ msa; an independent State from becoming i'm
paired.
FOREIGNERS AND NEGROES.
Tho rebel chiefs, principally foreigners and ne
~ross aid not wait long TO say that they did not
s,vs any Importance to political. economical or
sam,nistratve reforms. no matter how liberal
.r., ,bs most extended form Of local home rule.
=, ,hsv had 10 submit to the sovereignty of
Gain and the good and the prosperity OF the
c,bans was nothing to them. on the contrary.
.sa, class OF revolutlonists showed themselves
encouragers Of the groups OF oanolts tha' loill.u
sss nucleus OF their forces, destroying private
nronertv burning towns without defence ana
making public that they would destroy the ISL
and II they were unable to conquer the Govern
ment and that they would thereafter ulsPu'e
With arms In hand eternaly
Wbat the consequence would be OF the substitu-
tlon OF another sovereignty for that OF spain over
races nearly balanced and with irrecohcliaOIe
Characters, there is no statesman VINO VIII 'ot
.oresee The final result would be that Cuoa
would make a step backward in civilization.
II would be an error to imagine that the IN
test of the country and commerce IN ana out
Of the island of Cuba could in such CONDITIONS
vcsyer or continue in existence.
Ne Spanish nation. in the mean time, Is hol
eohs 10 be Indifferent 10 the future OF those
dHsons misguided by improvident ponticai
ambitions She will not abandon the mission
dcnization that she has imposed upon her-
xE which she has to this moment accom-
Alsbed and which her history ana her h~onoI ~
impose upon her. and much less Will sne oens
The rights and advantages demandel WIN re
pn TO those inhabitants of the Antilles who'
sorming in different political parties. nave IN
,Hnantly condemned the insurrecton from the
lrst moment, giving moral and material sup
ort TO the Government and shedding the"
Hood for il
There are also many who only by fear have
oined the rebels. and who are beginning TO pront
" the facilities afforded them by the state OF
Generalization among the insurgents 70 come
,nder the nations flag, and there will not before
ong be many who, convinced Of the aDsolute
impotence Of their efforts TO suppress the SOW
sreignty of Spain. but will return with peacelul
spirit 10 their homes to become good cltiZehs
open arms after her dignity and authority are
safe for the maintenance Of which she has made
and will repeat when necessary sacrifices which
have not been equaled BY any other nation In
America
NO LACK OF LOVE FOR REFORM
In the mean time. it is not just to suppose that
the present Government has not enforced the re-
forms for a lack Of love for them. The King has
had for their enactment as great desire as for
other measures approved by the Cortes
In the first instance il is 10 be found that 1t
was not possible 10 enforce the reforms without
profound study and preparation because they
completely changed all the organization and the
laws in force. On the other hand. the rapid
spread oc the insurrection, long In preparation;
In spite OF Spain having restored and increased
In marvellous way in Cuba the production de-
stroyed by the past very soon broke the
unanimlty Of sentiment with which the law OF
March 10. 1885. had been approved. That was
nrst demonstrated by the more advanced or the
Cuban political parties which had given It's
votes In the Cortes. and which presented hrst
70 the Governor-General and afterward 70 the
1overnment at Madrid a plan OF conslderapiy
modifying said reforms. AS IL their spirit OF ac-
uch mad changed since the beginning or the
war.
Inc same course was pursued by the political
sUsp ssu. which calls itself Reformist. which pre-
sAsso osso 70 IN. Government in Madrid project
chs
~ s VI said group declared that the application
~ ps reforms voted was incompatible with
'S Te seate Of the rebellion.
d,snosy the worthy General who governs Cuba,
obsr ~ as his predecessor had always been, 10
cany an the orders Of the Governn ent. Is also
tta ttsseo, nnso, as the Cuban Conservatives are, that
bear e.os-ement OF the reform laws which have
nesn. promulgated, far from serving to bring
E. VIII make IL more difficult.
annisoii aii this 1t is deduced that the Immediate
sbia aaon OF these reforms. even II 1t were pos
q 60 so enforce them completely. will not obtain
Fvs, Jesuit result With a deficient application Of them.
fhsv .neir forced essay in Porto Rico being. as
sho,, ., al destined TO great modification in
M, vie' se' VIII not probably bring benefit.
nar 80 ,,r ror mat has the Government abandoned
Iev,s,..lt ~, u abandon the general study Of future
ss,a. ss,.aaon for the Antilles; for the moment
nor,rhew new Intervention by the Cortes. the OPP
n,,.,uh arrives reforms will have TO be def
IA ~ established Fortunately. the insurrection
au,Sseseas,ssasing in the opinion OF the superior
e,vnues OF the island. II II has not yet de-
n.s, completely. It is due principally to the
d.. ana frequent helps received fIom abroad
yNS yNSsd ss as those who favor the revolution are
ns.ase !ase descriptions Of the political and ad
Nsta,lve situation Of Cuba. which make
des%s. DeIeve that the conduct OF the rebels ir