The herald., 1896-05-16
shelter for them as far as pos
THE REAL SITUATION.

THE REAL SITUATION.
LONDON, May 15.-The Times pub
fishes a ee-column letter this morn
ing from correspondent in Havana,
under date of May z. In the course of
the letter this correspondent says
1T is quite useless to hide the real sit
uation. The whole island is in revolt,
and the Spanish troops are merely act
ing on the defensive. 1t Is impossible
that they can prevent the landing of
supplies and war materials for the
rebels. Even the position of Maceo's
forces confined in Pinar del Rio is not
of as desperate a nature as the Span
iardS make believe.
only few Isolated rebels have taken
advantage of Captain General Weyler's
offer OF amnesty. Spain has lost the
power to protect life and property in
Cuba.
widespread inquiries fail to justify
the charges of cruelty against General
Weyler, but the rebels destruction of
property cannot be justified. The wan
ton burning of some 91 100000 worth of
property belonging to inoffensive peo-
pie is not war"
The letter proceeds to dilate upon the
economic ruin wrought by the break
down of the sugar crop which has rem
dered thousands destitute, while the to-
baccO trade is in a still worse condition.
The cigar factories of Havana. the
correspondent continues. only have ma
terial for few weeks, and the closing
of their doors means the throwing out
of employment of 10000 persons The
total exports from Cuba are estimated
at $4,000, 900, compared with Els, 900 900
for 1895. But for the trading involved by
the war, every merchant would be COM
PEELED to suspend business.
One OF the most prominent merchants
here says that Cuba has received it's
deathblow. but in my opinion an imme-
diate peace would still leave chance
for the return of prosperity.
Commenting editorially, the Times
says:
A more melancholy picture would be
impossible to imagine than our Havana
correspondent draws, but it is doubtful
whether any demonstration of the des-
perate nature of the case will induce the
Spaniards to acquiesce in an arrange
ment so calling to their national pride as
that which our correspondent suggests,
namely, autonomy guaranteed by the
United States.
Taking the dismal picture as 1t Is pre-
sented, we see but one hope for the
maintenance of the Spanish connection,
namely, speedy and thorough recon
Guest followed by redress of grievances,
the abolition of corruption and an hon
est government OF Cuba for the Cubans
instead of for the official classes in Spain.
Inc Times Havana letter continues
by saying: "Senor Dupuy de LONE, the
spanish minister at Washington. re-
Gently informed me that the reforms
granted by the Abarzuzga law adopted
bv the cortes in 1895 would be shortly ap-
Piled, and that the Cubans are not ad-
Yanced enough to receive autonomy.
Perhaps Senior de LONE Is right, but
it is absolutely certain that the rebels
Will come to terms on no other condi-
imam lIlfnnnrl1U a v1d
time may be past for compromise
There are only three possible endings
of the rebellion.
"First-A continuance Of the present
policy Of the ruin of Cuba
Second = That the Cubans should
gain their independence by fighting un-
til Cuba is bankrupt. with the result
that the island would be given to an
archy and war between the whites and
blacks. Cuba as an independent repub-
ic'wculd be a hell on earth, compared
with which Hayti Is paradise.
''Third-That Spain should offer au-
tonomy on the Canadian model, under
the guarantee of the United States
All Of the bete r class OF Cubans would
accept such guarantee. peace could be
concluded Immediately, and Spain
would retain fertile country under her
own flag to emigrate to-
The letter concludes by complaining
amounting to q complete gag.
PROPOSED REFORMS
WASHINGTON, May 15.-The Span
ish minister here has acquainted Secre-
tary Olney with the tenor of the reforms
which his government proposes to make
in the administration of affairs in Cuba,
and the subject has been earnestly dis
cussed between them. The minister
states that liberal as were the measures
of reform held out to the Cubans in the
act of the cortes in March, 1895, which
were prevented from going into opera
ton, as he contends, simply by reason
of the action of the Separatists, they are
surpassed in generosity by the terms of
the new act to which the queen regent
alluded in her speech at the recent OPEN
ing of the cortes. In the Spanish view,
Cuba, under the terms of this act would
enjoy a measure of autonomy compara-
BILE to that enjoyed by Canada. The prin-
cipal obstacle to the immediate applica-
tion of these reforms In the island lies
In the indisposition of the Spanish gov
ernment to be placed in the position of
being obliged by fear of the rebels to
make these concessions, but there is
reason to believe this point may be
yielded and the measure applied shortly
If 1t can be shown, perhaps through the
good offices of the United States. that
the Spanish government may do this
without the least reflection upon the
honor of the nation,
SPANS ALLIES
NEW YORK, May 15-A dispatch to
the Herald from st. Petersburg says:
The Viedomosti says that Spain can
count on England and France in the
event of war with the United States.
since by interfering with Cuba the
United States enter their colonial