Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-02-09
AW AKENINGIN SPAIN
The Publication Of The Reform De-
CrG0S Create a Sensation.
CONFLICTS SURE 10 FOLLOW.
Weyler Regarded as au Obs: acle 70
the Carrying Out OF lhs
Reforms.


An unprecedented sensation has
been caused In Spain by the publica.
ton OF tho reform DEGREES. Toe
Adr0it declares that tue declarations
Of Premier CanovR's "Pfoambls"
have awakened the great majority OF
spain's people to the gravity OF the
situation and the necessity OF the full
filmsnt OF the Promises conlained In
the royal speech, the ministers state.
ments and the reform law OF 1895 SIS
we'll as the expediency Of settling the
contest In Cuba in harmony with the
public sentiment In America and la
Europe SIS well. The preamble also
shows the impossibility OF psciiy lag
the West Indies without home rule
through installmen.s anu the hopeless.
meas OF winning over all the insur.
gents even at that, as Senior Canovss
admits that the present struggle is a
war for Independence.
Critics CT the governments policy
publicly assert that they would have
preferred complete autonomy. The
reform policy Is sure to bring OH con.
Hicts.
Though Senior SRgasta has coun.
selled the liberals to refrain from
throwing obsta cle3 in the govern
ment's way tho party organs severely
criticize the decreps, insinuating that
the liberals would further them II
called to office. Most OF the news
papers, notably the HeraldU, the I'm.
parciai, the Carlist and the Republic
an papers Try to stir up the people
against the new policy.
They echo the prevalent impression
that the test Of It's success will be tue
effects on Cuba and the United States.
Most Spaniards are convinced that the
government 10 confident OF obtaining
the approval and support OF President
Cleveland, Secretary OF State Olney
ana the American public.
The opinion is general, too, that the
policy cannot succeed unless General
Weyler is promptly recalled from
Cuba.
Senior ArbaZuzs, the author OF the
1895 program which Premier Cano-
vas proposes to amalgamate with his
own program and Who was conhulted
before tue DEGREES were publish ed said
in an interviews:
''5enor CanOvas has adopted many
OF my ideas and also those OF Senior
Maurasa, but hB has developed them
In a very radical manner Ia the esss u :
tial features OF hiB program and IN n
very conservative manner Ain other
poitit9.
"My PLAZA was to harmonize colonial
ambitions with Imperial Interests, en-.
letting III tue support OF progressive
reforms NIL the elements likely 10 work
out colonial nome rule without play
Ing into the hands OF secssslon.
Undoubtedly Senior Canovas's scheme
has good features, but everything de.
pends upon how the scheme Ia carried
out anu by whom.
"Gen. Weylet's removal ought to be
the tirst step. That would prepare the
way Tor = fair trial of the new policy,
when the state OF the colony would
permit II. Under thete reforms 1t ia
easy to see that the constitutional
party In Cuba would be master OF the
situation unless the electoral law is
modified.
ut ia hardly possible to guess the
Ell, ct on Cuba OF the publication OF
tue reforms, coupled with the post.
ponement OF their execution. Persons
most competent to Judge do not be-.
lieve the war will end soon"
The Cuban .auton0n.ist representa-
tives warmly denounce the decrece.
They are disappointed NJ Premier
Canovss' silencs on the electoral TO
form, Indispensable to make the new
policy acceptable, and OF the extra
ordinary elastic limitations upon the
action OF the insulsr assembly and the
oh ha oil
giving 10 the governor general, the
minister OF the colonies, the executive
anu the Corles the fiual decision OF the
AFFAIR.", treaties and all other really i'm.
portant legislation. They think the
graveet difficulty would arise over the
inevitable question OF allowing The
Spanish Cortes eventually to saddle
upon Cuba the debt contracted for war
expenses when probably the whole
revenus from the exact,on on thu
island for many years VIII not meet
the interest anu sinking fund alone.
The autonomists 90 not believe the
publication OF the reforms will cad
the war or even perform pncification,
unless Gen. Weyler 10 superseded soon
by Marshal de Campos.
Blsnco or Lopez Dominguez and tn Q
repression policy is reversed with q
View to Te,establishing confidence
healing the wounds OF war and allow
ing exiles to return, thereby persuad'
ing lhe insurgents anu their American
eympathizers that Spain Ia in earnest
at Iaaat.
Strangely enough, the published re.
forms were most unfavornbly received
by the many conservative West In.
dian senators and deputies. Yet they
knew that Premier Canovas mad con-
suited ana obtained the approval oil
RlmerO, Rlbledo ApOzleguis and
o,hors, and al their suggestion inserted
at the last hour restrictive olauses to
restrain the governor general, the
colonial minister, the cabinet and tue
Cortes In almost all impCrtant matters,
especially political, Commercial and
financial affairs.
Several OF tho most Influential find
fault with the excessive powers''
granted to the Council OF ndministfH.
lion emu prophecy that tho slightest
electoral reform would be sure 10 give
lhs aaton2mlsts and separatisls con
lrol OF the insulaT, provisional and
municipal councils.
They soy the colonial assembly will
be certain to clash with the mother
nountry over the tariff treaties, COM
,nerce and taxation, besides the CAPT.
iAl QuestlQn of the settIement of tnc