The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-24
CUBA's NEW contribution.
q GOOD Deal or Government from Madrid ana
net Much Homo Ruie.

Net Much Home Ruie.
New Constitu ton Establishing Self W
ment In the Islands of Cuba and Porto Rico" 10
the official title of the royal decree Of the Queen
of Spain issued on Nov. 25. an authorized
translation" Of which, together with the pre-
amble by the Prime Minister. Senior Sagasta,
was circulated yesterday in newspaper offices
ana news agencies.
The preamble. over three columns long. is
addressed to the Queen and contains merely the
Prime Minister'S avowal of the good faith and
patriotic intentions Of the Government. Sehor
Sagasta believes his work to be practical and in
telligible. The Government acknowledges that
for the success of its work public discussion in
Parliament and the criticism of public opinion
in the press, on the platform and in books
would have been better. But the inability to
secure this preliminary discussion 10 q misfor.
tune for which the Government is not RESPONSE.
BILE. The stress of circumstances has COM
PEELED the Government to dispense with SO
precious q guarantee" According to Senior
Sagasta. circumstances press still more
heavily" than in the time OF Senior Canovas.
After the long preamble the decree says in
its first article that the islauds of Cuba and
Porto Rico shall each be governed by an in.
Sular Parliament, consisting Of two chambers,
and by the Governor-General representing the
mother country. who shall exercise supreme
authority The two chambers, according to
the following articles. will be . Chamber of
Hepresentatiyes and a Council Of Administra.
composed of eighteen elective members and
seventeen appointed by the Goyernor-General.
pointed or elected Councillor ali q large part Of
the decree; In short, the Councillors must be
or having held previously offices under the Span:
ish Administration. Tho Councillors appointed
Syoa Sns a 9GxfIFP Soid cisss ioI II lis. sh' G one i. # E, the
number OF elective Councillors shall DO elected
"The Chamber of Representatives shall DO
composed Of ono member for each 90. 600 in.
hAbitants and the members shall be elected
The Chambers shall meet every year. The
King. the Governor.General acting In his name,
and d~ir1olve tine Chamber and Council. either
separately or simultaneously, under the obliga-
ton to call them together again or renew them
To the Governor General. through his Score
taries. as well as to either Of the two Chambers
coISnikai s ta9 PS%"efM 10 ia.rsa of the Sn COUNCIL RrSPO oe
the Chamber shall have immunity for any speech
s sSpls 70 a z eo the ifiHissF or Ko ]ssss,Sn: sRsll w mot
article. book. pamphlet or printed matter where.
In military sedition is melted or invoked. or the
national sovereienity is assailed."
The local chambers have power to pass on
pa latter Of Justice. the Interior. tho Treasury,
Article SO says: THE GoVernor.Genera
shall communicate to the home Government be-
fore presenting to the insular Parliament any
bill originating in the Executive Government OF
the island, whenever In his Judgment said bill
may affect national interests. Should any such
bill originate in the insular Parliament, the
Government OF the island shall ask for a post
ment shall have given it's opinion"
THE supreme authority OF the colony shall
30 vested" says Article Al, lin a Governor
9enerai appointed by The King on the nomina-
thority in the island shall be subordinate 10 his.
and he shall DO responsible for tho preservation
OF order and the safety Of the colony"
exercise his absolute powers the Governor
tion." They shall DO the Secretaries OF Justice,
ucation; Public Works. Post Ofices, and Telo-
merce. The President OF this Cabinet shall be
appointed by the Governor.G General from among
the Secretaries.
The municipalities legally constituted shall
have power TO frame their laws with regard to
education, highways by land. river, and sea;
public health and finances. Each province shall
have also It's local Assembly. Whenever a
citizen shall consider that HIS rights have been
violated or his interests injured by tho action OF
shall have the right to apply to the Courts OF
Justice for redress" II any question, without
in any way impairing the powers vested in the
Goyernor-General," arise between him and tho
Parliament. u will be decided by tho Supreme
AS a transitory provision the decree SAWS;
"The manner of meeting the expenditures oc
cAslOned by the debt now weighing upon the
Spanish and the Cuban reasuries, and the debt
that may DO contracted until the termination OF
the var. shall be determined by a law fixing the
share that shall DO borne by each Treasury and
the special ways and means for the payment OF
~ interest and the sinking fund. and for re-