The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-30
DETAILS OF THE CUBAN REFORM
PLAN RECEIVED BY THE
MINISTER.
IT is REAL AUTONOMY.
MEASURE OF LIBERTY GRANTED
GREATER THAN is ENJOYED
BY CANADA.
TEXT OF THE TARIFF CLAUSE
Preferential Rate for Spain Not So
Great as That Fixed by the
Last Treaty.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-Senor Du-
puy de LONE, the Spanish minister has
received long dispatches from Madrid
showing in detail the plan of auton-
omy which Spain is about to apply to
Cuba. While these do not give the text
of the new law, they explain all the
important features and clear up doubts
which had arisen from the unofficial
reports which have come from Madrid
Speaking of the new law, the minister
said today: II regret that much mis-
apprehension has arisen over the new
law, owing to the very meager reports
heretofore received concerning 1t. 1
must admit also that I have been
astonished at the disposition in some
quarters to criticise small technical
features without looking at the broad
general character Of the new reform
law. 1t Is a measure which will stand
the closest scrutiny, and 1 am very
DESTROYS that the American people
should look into 1t with care, studying
it and comparing it with other consti-
tutional methods of governing colonies.
Such study, I am sure, will fully vim
dictate the law and commend 1t to the
people of this country, outside of those
irreconcilables who are always to be
met with. One of the recent criticisms
is that this plan of autonomy is the
same as the old plan. with some change
of details. AS a matter of fact, the new
plan is a complete realization of the
policy and platforms of the Autono-
mist party during the last twenty
years The old plan of autonomy gave
to Cuba an advisory body. 1t did not
have final authority in making laws,
but merely advised as to those laws.
Now, however, the new law proposes
to give Cuba a parliamentary body of
full law-making power. The complete
ness of this legislative power is as
great, If not greater, than that enjoy
ed by Canada or by any state Of the
United States.
This is readily demonstrated by COM
pairing the plan of the new law with
that Of the British North American act
of 1867, which established the present
parliamentary system Of Canada. Ac-
cording to the Canadian law the Ca
madam parliament consists Of two
bodies. The upper house is made up of
members appointed by the crown, each
member holding life tenure, with
BILE unless he has an income Of $4,000.
The provision for the new Cuban up
per house is along the same general
line but is far less stringent. Instead
of the crown appointing all of the up
per house, as in the case Of Canada,
the Spanish crown Is to appoint only
one-half Of the members Of the upper
house of Cuba. The, other half are to
be elected by the people of Cuba every
five years. There is a $4,000 property
qualification for membership Of the up
per house of Cuba, which is the same
as that in Canada,
ONE MAN, ONE VOTE.
1.-THE same comparison holds good be-
tween the proposed lower house in
Cuba and the lower house in Canada
There is a $1,000 property qualification
for members of the lower house in Can
ada, and also a qualification as to
those who may vote for such members
But in the new plan for Cuba there are
no property qualifications as to the
electors It Is one man, one vote, the
same be he black or white.
IF the new home rule law Is COM
pared with the systems prevailing in
the several states of the United States,
it will be found that Cuba is to have
a far greaer measure Of control of her
own affairs than do the several states
in this country. For instance, she is
given control of her postal affairs, con-
troll Of her banking and currency, con-
troll of her customs This last feature
is most important, and according to
dispatches 1 have received from
Madrid, it is as follows:
1.-The insular parliament will form its own
tariff, fixing both import and export duties
The home government together with nbed the
of such peninsular and insular products as
by common agreement shall ENJOY pref
erential duty over similar foreign prooucts'
which in no case shall exceed 35 per cent.
In case of disagreement, in the preparation
of said schedule, the point in dispute shall
be submitted to a committee of members
of the cortes consisting OF an equal number
Of peninsulars and Cubans.
at will be observed that this gives
the Cuban parliament entire control OF
the tariff with the condition that there
shall be preferential duties for Spain,
not exceeding 80 per cent. 1t should be
understood that these preferential
duties are not an unusual feature.
Even under the last reciprocity treaty
between the United States and Cuba,
which is conceded to have been the
most satisfactory reciprocity treaty
made by the United States, there was
preferential duty Of so per cent to
Spain. Under the new law this Is cut
down to 35 per cent. Moreover, 1t
should be understood, the preferential
duties do not cover all the tariff sched-
ules as they did when the United
States and Cuba had a reciprocity
treaty, but cover only limited num-
Der of articles. These articles doubt
less will be so chosen as not to affect
the trade between the United States
and Cuba so that while Spain enjoys
the preference from her colony it will
not be a preference as against the
United States"
OUT OF COURT.
When it was suggested to the. min
lister that among certain classes no
plan of autonomy was acceptable, he
said: Certainly; there are irreconcil-
ables on both sides-Spanish irrecon-
cilables and Cuban irreconcilables. But
they are not thesoneS to be considered.