Evening star., 1896-12-07

bodies of men are se,h across thousands
of miles Of ocean, ana an enormous debt
accumulated that the costly possession of
the gem of the Antilles may still hold Its
place in the Spanish crown. And yet
neither the government nor the people OF
the United States have shut their eyes to
the course of events m Cuha, or nave
failed to realize the existence of conceded
grievances, which have led to the present
revolt from the authority Of Spain
grievances recogr lied by the queen re-
gent and by the cortes, voiced by the most
patriotic and erl ahtened Of Spanish states
men, without regard 10 party, and demon
stra.ed by reforms proposed by the exec
utive and approved by the legislative
irarch Of the Spanish government. 1t is
in the assumed temper and disposition of
Tie Spanish government to remedy these
grievances fortified bys indications of in
fiuential public opinion In Spain, that this
government has hoped to discover the most
promising and effective means of COM
posing the present strife, with honor and
advantage to Spain and with the achieve
ment of all the reasonable objects of the
insurrection.
Home Rule Proposed.
1t would seem that If Spain should offer
to Cuba genuine autonomy-a measure of
home rule which, while preserving the
sovereignty of Spain, would satisfy all ra-
tional requirements of her Spanish sub
jects--there should be no just reason why
the pacification Of the island might not be
effected on that basis. Such result would
appear to be in the true interest of all con-
cerned. 1t would at oEce stop the conflict
which is row consuming the resources of
t!.s island and making it worthless for
whichever party may ultimately prevail.
1t would keep intact the possessions of
Spain without touching her honor, which
will be consulted rather than impugned
by the adequate redress of admitted griev
ances. 1t would put the prosperity of the
island and the fortunes of it's inhabitants
within their own control, without severing
the natural and ancient ties which bind
them to the mother country, and would
yet enable them to test their capacity for
self government under the most favorable
condititrs. 1t has been objected on the
one side that Spain should not promise
autonomy until her nsurgent subjects lay
down their arms; on the other side, that
promised autonomy, however liberal IS
insufficient, betau without assurance of
the promise being fulfilled.
But the reasonableness of q requirement
by Spain of unconditional surrender on the
part of the insurgent Gubans before their
autonomy is conceded ID not altogether ap-
parent. 1t ignores important features of
the situation-the stability two years dura-
ton has given to the insurrecton; the feas-
ibillty Of its indefinite prolongation in the
nature Of things, and as shown by past
experience, the utter and imminent ruin OF
the island, unless the present strife is
speedily composed; above all, the rank
abuses which all parties in Spain, all
branches of her government, and all her
leading public men concede to exist and
profess desire to remove.
Facing such circumstances, to withhold
the proffer of needed reforms until the
parties demanding them put themselves at
mercy by throwing down their arms, has
the appearance Of neglecting the gravest
Of perils and inviting suspicion as to the
sincerity Of any professed willingness to
gram reforms. The objcctic on behalf of
the insurgents-that promised reforms can
Lot be relied upon-must of course be con-
sidered, though We have no right to assume,
and no reason for assuming that anything
Spain undertakes to- do for the relief OF
Cuba " i'll not be done aoeording to both the
spirit and the letter OF the undertaking.
What Our GOvernnent Has Done.
Nevertheless, realizing that suspicious and
precautions on the part of the weaker of
two combatants are always natural. and
not always unjustifable-being sincerely
desirous in the interest of both as well as
on its own account that the Cuban problem