Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-04
Amnesty to Americans.


The progress made in the formation Of a
sagasta cabinet in Spain is directing the
attention Of officials 10 several far-reaching
results likely to follow q change Of policy
and the recall Of Gen. Weyler. One of
these, it is belieyed.s will be the granting
Of amnesty to most, II not all. of those
American prisoners held in Cuba as we'll
as the pardon of many Cubans condemned
to Imprisonment in the Island of Ceuta
Fending the completion of the Sagasta
cabinet there has been no official intima-
tion that such action will be taken but it
is said to be q natural and necessary part
of the reversal of policy Involving the
withdrawal of Gen. Weyler and the adop-
tion OF more conciliatory plans. For this
status of the Competitor; prisoners now
held in Cuba say that these cases have
assumed new phase with the change Of
cabinet and policy. and that Ona Melton
ana the other Competitor prisoners are
likely to secure the benefits of amnesty
soon after the Sagasta cabinet is inau-
gurated. The same result, 1t is thought,
may be brought abolt in the case of Mi :
Cisneros. whose case has attracted uni
versal attention.
Concerning pending claims, such as that
In the case of DR.. Ruiz. 1t is said that a
commission will probably be proposed to
zeal with all claims arising during the
rebellion, and there are intimations that
steps toward the creation of such a com
mission are now under way.
Cuban Autonomy.
The statements attributed to the new
premier that he would favor the largest
measure Of autonomy. framed on the
wishes of the Cuban autonomists, has
again directed attention to the past efforts
toward autonomy. Those offered by the
conservative cabinet, and made known to
tie United States through the Spanish
minister, Dupuy de Lone, contemplated a
council OF administration. elected in part
Dy Inc Cubans, which was to have an ad-
vtsory power in shaping the affairs of the
island This plan has taken the form of a
long decree, which has been already gazet-
TED, although 1t has never been put into
enect In Cuba, owing to the disturbed con-
dit0nss The objection found to this plan
was that while 1t was in name autonomy,
1t did not give real home rule, as the Cuban
council was not made q legislative body
WIN -nnaI powers of making laws. but
merely an advisory council. In contrast
with this. it Ia said that the liberal plan
Of autonomy, as desired by the autonomist
party of Cuba, contemplates a coEonial
parliament, or legislature, with final pow-
ers Of law-making, save the usual power
of veto preserved in all forms of constf-
tut1onal government. Thu would be on the
lines Of the plan of home, rule operating In
australia and Canada, and Sthose eoun-
autonomy by the Spanish statesman. Cas-
tellar. when complete Astronomy was first
suggested for the island& Such a measure
OF autonomy. 1t Is said,s would command
much support In Cuba among the substan-
tlaI elements there, including the au-
tonomist party.
In this connection it ID. understood that
the newlx chosen president OF the insur-
gents, Mende0 Capote, b q man of con-
servative tendepcies. and one aikely to re-
ceive with favorea liberal plan of auton-
omy: othwithstandins thes opposition
United States. This was made evident
during a visit Of Capote ito washington
some months ago. when his views favor
able to close Of hostilitles on some fair
basis OF compromise. and resumption Of
work throughout the island were made
known to the. few who met him during his
visit here. His presence, III Washington
was not generally known at the time, and
he did not consult officials here