New-York tribune., 1897-12-19
THE NEW ORDER IN CUBA.
STRIVING FOR POLITICAL SYSTEM
UNDER AUTONOMY.
y,,sroN OF THE REFoRMIsTAs AND AUroNo-
MsrAs-ATTITUDE OF THE coNsERvA-
T1vEs-wEYLFR's HIDEoUs WORK
or uyr1-pNrNATION
OF DIFFERENTIATION.

OF DIFFERENTIATION.
lrRoN A SPECIAL COMMANDMENT OF THE T"'h' W.,
Havana Dec l5-"Time and myself are 'wo'
said Philip II Of Spain Time is one in the re-
generation of Cuba to-day, but what makes
twoo Not the boy King. or the queen hese"''
or Spnin's v,ceroy. who already staSsers u''ue'
the responsibilities Of civil government ana h''"-
tary chaos which he inherited. Inc H''S"er
comes from a number Of talented men VINO nave
been identified with the political aspirations oi
the island and the movement for co!ohai NOME
rule They have arranged among themselves
the basis Of complete fusion between the Au-
tonoristas and the Reformistas. These leaders
Of public opinion have formed the new party OF
the Government Time and ourselves are two,
they say with complacency. To their mihds
nothing is lacking 70 the success Of the regimen
Of autonomy They await with tranquility the
formation OF the Conservatives into the party OF
the Opposition. not opposition 10 the established
fac; If autonomy but to measures OF future
legislation. Having. as they believe adopted
bodily the British colonial system. they look for-
ward to a permanent condition under when
there Will be His Majesty Alfonso NILS Gov
ernment and His Majesty's opposition. In the
initial stages the places of power. the adih'hs-
trative places. Will he given 10 them ana 10 ther
friends The case is in some respects paralleI
N what followed the Peace Of Zanjon In lSiS,
when the Liberal ard Conservative parties
we're formed. as though the creation Of politi-
cal entity was a matter of resolution and agree
ment The Cuban Liberals. even when SaEasta
was IN power in Spain were able 10 leave little
impress home affairs.
The Autonomist agitation began 1t had
definite programme. whose realization has been
reached to-day so far as decree and proclama-
.bar lizot ti,Y1O Of rDli
aspirations The Liberals disinteerated: the
Conservatives eaw danger to Spain's sovereignty
and the perquistes Of spain's official classes in
the movement When. during the period OF
Autonomist vigor and freedom. they heard
themselves called birds Of passage" their
alarm was intense. After that they could see
under the cloak Of autonomy no other figure
than the skeleton Of independence Thenceforth
there were only two parties They themselves
we're the Integrstas. who would save SPAN
colony. The advocates Of reforms, Of conces-
sions. Of measures of home rule, were the Sepa-
ratistas, who would tear a precious gem from
the Crown. The Spanish Intransigente tn Cuba
to-day is firmly Of the opinion that the Autono-
mist agitation was the seed of the insurrection.
while the present condition of commercial pa
raysis the misery Of the people and the military
impotency are the dead fruits.
ORIGIN OF THE REFORM GROUP.
In time the reaction came. Conservatives
were found who saw the need Of reforming the
abuses of Spain's Government and giving the
colony share in the administration OF
It's own affairs Some Liberals there were also
who were fearful of autonomy. and wanted
something short Of IT, Out Of these classes the
Refornista group arose. 1t iee always been
more Of a group than a political party. The
men who composed II were influential within
certain lines They would have accepted the
reforms Of Maura- While supporting the war
as carried on by Weyler they urged the imme-
date application OF the reforms proposed by
Canovas year ago. and insisted that abuses
in administration should be corrected without
waiting for the complete pacifcation Of the
island While the majority OF the Autonomist
leaders were Cubans the Reformistas were
mostly Spanish. In the recent crisis they had
their delegates Ia Madrid. and on those dele
gates both Sagasta and Moret have leaned
heavily.
In the basis OF fusion which has been ar
ranged it is the Autonomsts who make the
sacrifices. They have heretofore shown their
devotion to principle. They have yielded this
time out Of Difference to Madrid. Marques dc
Montaro, Gavez. Gberga and the others Will
assuredly have recognition when the occasion
comes, but 1t assumed that both the his
torc Autonomists and their radical associates
would have more to with the actual work
,ngs of the new colonial system However. the
Reformistas have been stubborn. In the gen
eraI plan Of organizing the united forces the
Reformistas have an influence out of proportion
to their numbers. New places created for
them Marques DE- Rabell. their reader. man
ages to get the chief position. In the United
he haf no AntOnOmiStS
have the honors while the Reformistas have
control OF the party machinery. The arrange
ment has elements Of weakness. One drawback
is that II Will make useless further effort tow
ard coaxing the Autonomists who are in the
field with the insurgents to come back and help
establish colonial self government But 1t may
strengthen Sagasta and Moret in Spain, and
that il a consideration Of the highest mpor-
tance.
The Conservatives or the Union Constitu-
tionals as they call themselves, have watched
the proceedings with contempt. They do not
believe in fusion. They say political parties rep
resent ideas and principles. Their own ldea rs
SPANS sovereignty in Cuba. Now that the
opposite idea has prevailed they profess sorrow
for their old opponents, the Autonomisas. who.
IT. the hour Of victory. are forced to yl"ld its
fruits to the Reformistas.
WINNING OVER TIE CONSERVATIVES.
While this is their talk the signs are tE1t
the Palace has made progress toward gaining
the acquescence Of a portion OF the Conserva-
tive party In autonomy. 1t will be an acpues-
cCnce II anything comes, not positive sup
port; possibly hardly prop. But TO place the
Conservatives in IA position Of accepting an es-
tablishcd condition viii be in Itself gain. Mar
ques dc Apeztegua, as president II the party.
is working resOurcefully and skiliully. He viii
be- charged with betraying the organization for
the promise Of peace in the Cuba Cabinet. but
II he carries his point he can Ignore the charge
If he fails. the Intransigentes hope the effect
will be 10 overturn tn" Sagasta Cabinet. The