The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-05
A snnnish senator Astonished.

4 Spanish Senator AstOnished.
In our dispatches yesterday from Madrid
it was stated that Senator Salvanl had
written a letter to the newspapers of that
city in which he expressed astonishment
that Mr. Hannis Taylor. minister to Spain
under Mr. Cleveland's administration,
should have written for an important
American magazine an article critlcising
Spanish rule in Cuba. In his letter Sena-
tor Salvani relates portions of two CONVEX
sations with Mr.. Taylor In which the lat
ter is made to appear as being extremely
friendly to Spain.
There Is nothing in what Senator Salvan
states which is inconsistent with the views
which Mr.. Taylor expresses in his article
in the North American Review. What
Mr. Taylor says in his article Is this: He
points out the causes of the insurrection
in Cuba, declares that If home rule were
granted Cuba by Spain 1t would be only
in theory, and not in fact, and that con-
gress, when it meets in December, should
take steps at once to bring the war in
Cuba to an end.
The insurrectIon in Cuba, says Mr.. Tay-
lor, had it's origin in economic questions.
The chief products of the islands are sugar
and tobacco, and the sugar and tobacco
planters were injured by the high tariffs
of the countries in which they had TO sell
their crops and were robbed by Spain,
who insisted that Cuba should purchase
supplies from her out of this condi-
ton of affairs grew the dissatisfaction
which finally took the shape of an insuT-
rection. The planters, unable to carry on
their planting operations, except at loss,
ceased to plant, and their laborers, having
nothing to do, joined the insurgent fol ces.
The beginning of the war therefore was
for commercial rather than political indie
pendence.
Mr.. Taylor's reasons for thinking that
Spain has no intention of granting homo
rule to Cuba is that the ruling class in
Spain has no clear conception of what
home rule Is. In Spain, the cortes has no
real power. The power is lodged in the
throne and the cortes does nothing more
than give its approval to the policies de-
cided upon by the throne That being the
case, If home rule were granted to Cuba
the national assembly which would be
created in Cuba, would have practically
nothing to do with the ruling of Cuba. 1t
would only sanction the policies decided
upon by the Spanish government. Home
rule of that sort would be no more salts
| factory to the Cubans than the rule which
they are now resisting.
The reasons which Mr.. Taylor gives for
! Interference in Cuban affairs are strong
ones. He says the Cuban war greatly dis
turbs the peace of and does vast damage
to this country. Besides this duty to our
selves he contends it is our duty to hui
mainly to put an end to the dreadful con-
| flct.
Mr.. Taylor's article will have a good
deal of weight with congress. 1t will in
| 1uence it greatly in the direction Of action
having for it's object a prompt settlement
| of the Cuban difficulty. There is not as
much outspoken sympathy for the Cubans
! as there was few months ago, but the
| sympathy exists and is as great, If not
| greater, than ever. That this is true
will become apparent when congress
meets. The Spanish government might as
well begin to prepare to meet new condi-
tons, because it is about certain there will
be such conditions within the next three
| months