The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-29
PROPOSAL
Amnesty For Insurgents If
They Accept the Offer.
Secretary OIney and Minister De
LONE Agree On Cuba.
United States Asked to Propose Conditions ia
the RebeIious Subjects.

Washington, Dec. 29-Secretary Olney
and Senor Dupuy De Lone. the Spanish
minister have practically terminated
the negotiations on the Cuban question
which are to be submitted to congress
when 1t convenes on Jan. s. The terms
of the agreement are based ON the re-
cent communication from Premier Cano-
vas, addressed TO the secretary of state
The premier states clearly the terms
which Spain will accord to the insur-
gents and practically asks the United
States to propose these conditions to
the rebellious subjects. In return for
our good offices Spain assures this gov
crnment that she sincerely deplores the
great commercial loss which we have
sustained on account of the Cuban dis
turbances. She assures us that she is
even now considering a reciprocity
treaty, which will deal mainly with
Cuban products. and which will be
framed in such advantageous terms
toward this government that our losses
both in commerce and in the destruc-
tion of American property In Cuba will
be most generously compensated.
Premier Canovas says that Spain can
not, of course, as a self-respecting and
respectful nation. stand before the world
as having been coerced into measures
by the United States. She has freely
granted all that she now offers, and that
in the face Of a rebellion. But she ac-
cepts the good offices of the United
States to act as mediator and to guar
antee to insurgents amnesty and the
enforcement OF the new reform law,
which she is about to proclaim in Cuba.
The form of government offered is. the
Spanish statesman declared, the limit
Of independence which can be granted
to a province by any nation without
absolutely severing the bonds of union
with the mother country. Autonomy.
as enjoyed by the Canadians, can never
be granted in Cuba.
What Spain is willing to grant the i'm
surgents if they lay down their arms.
and what she asks the United States to
guarantee, is an act which provides for
a council of administration, which shall
control all matters pertaining to the
commerce of the Indies and all estimates
upon the general taxation and expendi-
lures Of the island, as well as it's general
home government. iAD ..- Ill
A dispatch from Madrid last night
says t.,rf4,.,'ti,,, ,l..ns9 t.is5sy sgl
An evidently inspired editorial In The
Epoca yesterday foreahadowing the pos
ability Of IN understandin between TIM
Spanish government and President
Cleveland has caused q profound SEN
sAtion in Spain. a
The EpOca. the principal organ OF the
CO nservative party, now in power. says:
American Intervention In Cuba is per-
fectly logical on the grounds Of material
interests and national sentiment. 1t
might become an inevitable necessity
Of American home politics and 1t is
eminently to the interest of our own
country to avoid conflict while we can
do so with honor, maintaining our
dignity and sovereignty
The present active efforts of Spanish
diplomacy are all aimed, ii is asserted,
in diplomatic and political quarters here.
at convincing the American state de-
partment that exigencies of domestic
politics make 1t impossible for Spain to
enter into any formal agreement or con-
vention with the United States for the
settlement of the Cuban question.
Strenuous efforts are being made by
the Spanish and other European gov
ernments to prevail upon President
Cleveland to be content il Spain con-
sents tacitly only to his interference
and satisfies American opinion for the
time being for the voluntary and prompt
instituting I'm Cuba and Porto Rico of
the reforms voted by the cortes. This
is on the understanding, however, that
Premier Canovas will ask the cortes
this year to authorize complete colonial
autonomy and a reduction of the colonial
tariffs to prepare the way for reci-
procity treaty with the United States.
The Spanish generals agree that ii is
possible to reduce the insurrection in
Cuba to the three eastern provinces in a
few months With the forces now on the
island. But they share the opinion OF
General Weyler that complete pacifi-
cation Of the rest of the island would
require a much longer time unless the
rebels should be convinced that outside
assistance is sure to diminish i'm conse-
quence of the Spanish government com
ing to an understanding even unofficial.
with the United States to settle the Gu
ban question. F
Accident Companies viii Investigate.
Bradford. VT. Dec. .9.-The body of
David Blakely, who died in New York