Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-10-07
AUTONOMY FOR CUBA.
The Spanish Cabinet Decides Upon
That Important Step,
BUT WILL PROSECUTE THE WAR.

Havana Newspapers Generally speak
Eneouragingiy of the New Premier
aud His PolIey-An American Be-
Iieves Peace Would Not be Lasting.
Madrid, Oct. TAT cabinet council
last night the government decided to
grant autonomy to Cuba under the
suzerainty OF Spain, and to continue
the campaign as long as may be neces-
sary. Senior Gallon, minister Of foreign
affairs, explained to the cabinet the
position OF the diplomatic negotiations
with the United States.
Premier Sagasta has received
cable message from Captain General
Weyier, who offers his services to the
government, and says: Il shall not re-
sign
Meantime the dispatches and news
paper opinions from Havana are eager
| ly discussed In this city. The Eel Diario
de la Marina, the organ OF the reform
| party of Cuba, commenting on the new
| Spanish cabinet, in Its leading editorial
says:
"The fall of the headIess and discon-
certed Conservative party means q
transition from a dark night to a
sunny day; 1t means radical trans
| formation of method. Public opinion
has received the tidings with great sat
isfaction as indicating the re-estab-
| lishment of peace. The list of the min
listers is a clear indication that the
| platform of the new cabinet Is pure and
logical autonomy for Cuba. We have
absolute confidence in a prompt re-
establishment of peace. The rise In
| Spanish securities in Europe shows
that the public in Spain and abroad has
great confidence in Senior Sagasta's
cabinet"
The Union Constitutional, the organ
of the Conservative party, says:
1.-THE change in the Spanish cabinet
| is of minor Importance, as all true
! Spaniards must have the same patriot
| ism in defending the high ideals of the
nation"
Ell Pals, the organ of the Autonomist
| party, says it sympathizes with the
new cabinet for having declared in
favor of autonomy, and hopes Senior
| Sagasta will make good in power the
| promises he gave while in the oppo-
sition.
La Lucia says: This is the last
chance in game of the gravest i'm
portance for the future and for the
history of Spain and her colonies"
The Conservatives generally express
themselves as satisfied by the exclusion
of former Ministers Gamazo and Maura
from the new cabinet, as after the
threats of Ell Diario de la Marina, that
| if they refused to humbly bow to the
new cabinet it would be necessary to
| point the cannons of MORO Castle on
| the city of Havana, they had feared
| that, with Seniors Gamazo and Mauro
| in power, the abuses of the days of
| General Calleja would be repeated in
| consequence of the imprudent utter
ances of Ell Diario.
! Friends of the insurgent cause, while
| not disguised with the new cabinet,
say they are not satisfied with an
autonomy which arrives after the ISL
and has been ruined and the insur-
gents have sacrificed many lives.
| A well known American, who has long
resided in the island, expresses the
| opinion that real differences exist
among the resident Spaniards as to the
desirability of autonomy He believes
1t will not prove satisfactory to the rad
ical element among the Spaniards in
Cuba After autonomy has been grant
| ed and peace proclaimed he believes
the radical element will probably try
to promote another insurrection. In
| that event the conservative element
and the producing body of the Spanish
population would at once demand an
nexation to the United States. This
| view is shared by many resident Span
| iards 9f prominence.
The rumor that Marshal Martinez
| Campos would probably be reappointed
to command in Cuba gave great salts
faction to the native islanders, but
the Spaniards openly expressed their
disapproval, as they consider that his
weakness was the original cause of the
revolt. They hold Campos responsible
for the extension of the insurrection'
| into western Cuba.