The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-30
PLAN OF AUTONOMY PRAISED.
SENIOR DUPUY DE LONE EXPLAINS
THE NEW SCHEME.

Than Are Enjoyed by the Individ-
unI States of the United States-He
Says 1t Is a Complete Revolution
of the Old Plan of Autonomy.
washington, Nov. 29.-Senor Dupuy de
Lone the Spanish ambassador, ~has re-
ceived long dispatches from Madrid show
ing in detail the plan of autonomy 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 to-
day said: II regret that much apprehen-
sion has arisen over the new law owing
to the very meager reports heretofore re-
ceived concerning it. 1 must admit also
that l have been astonished at the dispo-
sition in some quarters to crticise small
technical features without looking at the
broad, general character of the new re-
form law. 1t is a measure which will
stand the closest scrutiny, and 1 am very
desirous that the American people should
look into it with care, studying it, and
comparing it with other constitutional
methods of governing colonies. Such
study, I am sure, will fully vindicate the
law and commend it 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 detail. AS a
matter of fact, the new plan is a COM
pete revolution of the policy and plat
forms of the autonomist party during the
last twenty years The old plan of auton-
omy 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 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
British North American act of 1861, which
establishes the present parliamentary sys-
tenn of Canada. According to the Cana
dian law, the Canadian parliament consists
of two bodies. The upper house is made
up of members appointed by the crown,
each member holding a life tenure with
qualification that no member is eligible
unless he has an income OF $1,000. The
provision for the new Cuban upper house
is along the same general line, but is far
less stringent. Instead of the crown ap-
pointing all of the upper house, as in the
case of Canada, the Spanish crown is to
appoint only one-haif the member 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 upper
house of Cuba, which is the same as that
in Canada. The same comparison holds
good between the proposed lower house an
Cuba and the lower house in Canada.
There is a $25 500 property qualification for
members of the lower house in Canada
and also a qualification as to those who
may vote for such members. But in the
new plan for Cuba there is no property
qualification as to the electors. 1t is one
man, one vote, the same be he black or
white.
III the new home rule law is compared
with the systems prevailing in the several
states of the United States it will be
found that Cuba is to have a greater
measure of control of her own affairs than
do the several states in this country. For
instance. she is given control of her pos
tai affairs, control of her banking and cur
rency, control of her customs This last
feature is the most important and accord
ing to dispatches / have received from
Madrid, ii is as follows: THE insular par
lament will form its own tariff, fixing both
import and export duties. The home gov
ernment, together with the insular govern
ment, will make schedule of such penin-
sular and insular products as by common
agreement shall enjoy a preferential duty
over similar foreign products, which, in
no case, shall exceed 80 per cent. In case
of disagreement, in the preparation of said
schedule the point in dispute shall be sub
mitted to a committee of members of
the cortes consisting Of an equal number
of peninsulars and Cubans.'
1T will be observed that this gives to
the Cuban parliament entire control of the
tariff with the provision that there shall
be preferential duties for Spain not ex-
ceeding 80 per cent 1t should be under
stood 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 reciproc-
lty treaty made by the United States, there
was "a preferential duty of 50 per cent
made to Spain. Under the new law this
Is cut down to 35 per cent. Moreover it
should be understood the preferential du-
ties do not cover all the tariff schedules,
as they did when the United States and
Canada had reciprocity treaty, but cover
only a limited number of articles. These
articles doubtless will be so chosen as not
to affect the trade between the United
States and Cuba, so that while Spain en-
Joys the preference from her colony it will
not be a preference as against the United
States"
When II was suggested TO the minister
that among certain classes no plan Of au-
tonomy was acceptable, he said Ger
tainly; there are irreconcilables on both
sides-Spanish irreconcilables and Cuban
hreconcilables. But they are not the ones
to be considered. 1t Is the people at large
and the material interests of Cuba that
are to be considered. The Cuban ire
concable says he will not accept this new
'aW. He does not point out its defects or
suggest remedies. He simply declines to
accept it, Such men are out of court.
They are not open to argument or reason.
There is another feature which should
ne noted. 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
tne oortes, but 1t is to be on basis sat
l'Iactory to both parties"
recurring 10 the legislative powers
which Cuba would enjoy the minister was
asked if this was not qualified to some
extent by the right OF approval reserved