The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-12-24
4 NEW TREATY NEEDED.
Between the United States and
; the Spanish Government.
HOME RULE FOR THE OUBAHs.
The Madrid Government, It II Believed,
Would Willingly Make Concessions, but
Insurgents Would Only Consent to Such
Arrsns sment After Decisive Defeats.


Would Willingly Make Concessions, but
Insurgents Would Only Consent to Such
Arrans sment After Decisive Defeats.
WASHINGTON, Dec M.-Whatever course
congress may finally take with respect to
the Cameron resolution, the insistent eff
forts of the present administration at
least will continue to be exerted in behalf
of an autonomous government for the Gu
bans. During the correspondence be-
tween this country and Spain the Cana
dian system has repeatedly been referred
to as model which Spain might do well
to follow in granting home rule to her Gu.
ban colonists. The objection, however,
has been made, and with some reason, it
is admitted, that q system which would
work admirably with her majesty's sub
jects in Canada might utterly fail If ap-
piled to the Cubans
That Spain has intimated that under
certain conditions she would not be averss
to granting u reasonable measure Of home
rule to the Cubans is beyond question.
She however insists that nothing less than
a disastrous defeat in battle will cause the
insurgents to heed such propositions and
1t is regarded in Madrid as useless to at
tempt any of the reforms suggested until
Weyler strikes decisive blow. This gov
eminent, however. does not fully agree with
that view Of the case, and ubtedly 1t
Is making some progress in Its contention
for peace on n basis alike reasonable and
honorable to the Cubans as well as to
Spain
OF the principal motives which has
actuated this government in the course it
has taken in this matter is the protection
of the persons and property Of citizens Of
the United States now engaged as tobacco
and sugar planters in Cuba. Although
the planters generally are said to sympa-
thize with the Cubans, information has
reached this government that they enter
tain serious doubts of the ability of the
native Cubans, If wholly successful, to
maintain stable and satisfactory govern
ment. What the planters most desire is
annexation to the United States, but as
the administration, as plainly made EVIL
dent, regards this as out Of the question,
the planters next favor an autonomous
government under the executive super
vision of Spain.
The United States, as stated by Mr..
Olney in his report to congress, would
consent to become responsible to Spain
for the faithful observance Of the treaty
between the two countries. The idea of
this government Is that this agreement
could be made part OF a new treaty be-
tween the United States and SPAIN the
governments. The Spanish authorities
share the feeling strongly entertained by
the United States that the present treaty
has long outlived its usefulness.
So far as Spain is concerned there is roa-
son to believe she will welcome IL new
treaty as % means of securing changes
which the present war has shown to be
vital, but will insist on delaying such
treaty revision until Cuba is pacitied in II
large measure at least.
The two main features which Spain
feels the need of rearranging by treaty are
the naturalization Of Spaniards Including
Cubans) after brief residence in the United
States, and commercial relations respect
ing the rate Of duty and methods of eX-
change on the sugar and tobacco of Cuba
and Porto Rico and on the manufactured
products of the United States going to the
Spanish colonies.
Tho change as to naturalization is re-
garded us Of chief Importance by SPAIN
which asserts that the protection Of Amcri-
can citizenship is inftequently invoked by
genuine American citizens but is used
very frequently by persons who become
nominal American citizens for the sake of
the protection it affords and then return
to Cuba where they then hencoforth con-
tinue to reside.