Evening star., 1897-11-30
CUBA'S NEW GOVERNMENT
Minister de LONE Discusses Details of the
Plan.
Much MfsapprehensiOn. He Snys, Has
Arisen Over the New Law Owing to
the Meager Reports Received.

Senior Dupuy de LONE. the Spanish min
lister. has received long dispatches from
Madrid showing in detail the plan of au-
tonomy which Spain is about to apply to
Cuba Speaking of the new laws, the min
lister said:
II regret that much misapprehension has
arisen over the new law owing to the very
meaCer reports heretofore received con-
cerning it. 1 must admit also that I have
been astonished at the disposition in some
quarters to criticise small technical fea-
lures without looking at the broad, general
character of the new reform law. 1t is a
measure which will stand the closest scru-
tiny. and l am very desirous that the
American people should look into it with
care. studying IL and comparing 1t with
other constitutional methods of governing
colonies. Such study. am sure. will fully
viniicate the law and commend 1t to the
people of this country. outside of those ir
reconcilahles who are always to be met
with. One of the recent criticisms is that
this plan of autonomy is the same the
old plan. with some change of detail. AS
matter of fact the new plan is complete
realization of the policy ami platforms of
the autonomist party during the last twen-
ty years. The old plan of autonomy gave
to Cuba an advisory body. 1t did not have
advised as to those laws.
A Cuban Parliament.
Now. however. the new law proposes to
give Cuba a parliamentary body of full
lawmaking power The completeness of
this legislative power is as great. if not
greater. than that enjoyed by Canada or
by any state of the United States. This is
readily demonstrated by comparing the
plan of the new law with that of the Brit
ish North American act of 1861. which es
tahlishes the present parliamentary system
of Canada.
According to the Canadian law, the Cana
dian parliament consists of two bodies.
The upper house Is made up of MEM
berS appointed by the crown, each member
holding a life tenure. with qualification
that member rs eligible unless he has
an income of $1,000. The provision for the
new Cuban upper house is along the same
general lines, but is far less stringent.
Instead of the crown appointing all of the
upper house. as in the case of Canada the
Spanish crown is to appoint only one-half
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
$4,000 property qualification for member
ship of the upper house of Cuba. which is
the same as that in Canada. The same
comparison holds good between the pro-
posed lower house in Cuba and the lower
house in Canada. There is a $500 prop
erty qualification for members of the low
er house in Canada, and also qualification
as to those who may vote for such MEM
bers: but in the new plan for Cuba there
is no property qualification as 10 the elect
ors- 1t is one man, one vote, the same be
he black or white.
IF the new home-rule law is compared
with the system prevailing in the several
states of the United States, it will be found
that Cuba is to have far greater measure
of control of her own affairs than do the
several states in this country. For in
stance. she is given control of her postal
frnl pf har hon
rency and control of her customs. This
last feature is most important, and, accord
ing to dispatches l have received from
Madrid, it is as follows:
The Cuban Tariffs.
THE insular parliament will form its own
tariff. fixing both import and export duties
The home government. together with the
fnsu'ar government, will make a schedule
of such peninsular and insular products as
by common agreement shall enjoy prefer
entail duty over similar foreign products.
which in case shall exceed 81 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.
Il viii be observed that this gives to the
Cuban parliament entire control of the
tariff. with the condition that there shall
be preferential duties for Spain. not
understood that these preferential duties
not an unusual feature. Even under
the last reciprocity treaty between the
United States and Cuba. which is conceded
10 have been the most satisfactory reci-
rrocity treaty made by the United States,
there was preferential duty of fifty per
cent to SDdin- Under the new law this
is cut down TO thirty-fve per cent. More
over. it should be understood the prefer
ential duties do not cover all the tariff
schedules, as they did when the United
States ana Cuba had a reciprocity treaty.
but cover only a limited number of arti-
cles- The articles doubtless will be so
chosen as not to effect tie trade between
the United States and Cuba. that. while
Spain erjoys the preference from her col
ony. IT will not be preference as against
the United States"
When 1t was suggested to the minister
that among certain classes no plan of au-
toaony was acceptable. he said:
The IrreconciIabIes.
Certainly. there are irreconclables on
10th sides-Spanish irreconcilables and Gu
ban irIeconcilables. But they are not the
ones 20 be considered. 1t is the people at
large and the material interests of Cuba
that are to be considered. The Cuban ir-
reconcilable says he will not accept this
Few law He does not point out its de-
fects or suggest remedies. He simply de-
clines 10 accept it Such men are out of
court. Trey are Tot open to argument or
reason.
There IL another feature which should
be notef For the first time the govern
ment has said officially that Spain will
assume Part Of the debt of Cuba The
Payment of this debt is to be arranged by
ne cortes. but it is to be OF a basis salts
factory to both PARTIES"
Recurring to the legislative powers which
C2ba would enjoy, the minister was asloed
u TINS was rot qualified to some extent
by the right of approval reserved TO the
governor general IN certain cases
Governor Generals Rights.
1t VIII be found. on examing the new
law answered the minister, that the
governor general has this reserved right
only IN three specific cases. while the gen
eral rule is that the laws 60 into effec,
without reserve. Furthermore, these three
reservations are the same as those given
TO the governor general OF Canada. or to
any other colonial executive This will he
found to be the case by examining the
BRUSH American act of 1867 already re-
ferred TO- In short, there is nothing un-
usual IN these reservations in a few spe-
ciic cases OF national character but il
Is the universal principle in the constitu-
NVsa 1