The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-06-29
WEAK SPOTS OF AUTONOMY.
Why the Cuhaps Refuse TO Accept
Spaip's Offer of Reforms.

SpaIp's Offer of Reforms.
President Mckinley is reported TO have
said that he wants Cubans TO have in
| dependence, aud he has plan which Will
secure it to them This plan is said to
Toe practically TO advise Cubans to accept
the reforms, which Spain declares she Is
prepared To give the island To carry out
this policy of simply sanctioning what the
Spanish government proposes, the Presi-
dent has appointed Gen. stewart L Wood
ford minister TO Spain, with full and COM
plete inst ructions as to this policy, andGen.
woodford has said for publication that ne
will follow the Instructions that have been
or will he given him.
There has been SO much said of late about
these reforms proposed 10y Spain, which
the President appears to toe a believer in,
that a statement OF them may not be amiss
They promise:
For matters pertaining TO home legis'a
tion council of administration is created,
composed of thirty five members, OF W hon.
twenty-One shall Toe elected by popular
vote among tie different provinces, the
others being designated in the decree from
among men who are representative by
virtue of their office, position or standing.
Such are the rector of the University of
Havana, the presidents of the Chanlbe.
OF Commerce, Sugar Planters Association
and the tobacco Manufacturers Union.
who shall be councillors eN officio: also
the five eX-Senators or eX-deputies who
have Been elected to the Cortes the
greatest number of times, Finally, the
chapters of the cathedrals OF Havana and
Santiago de Cuba shall elect one Of the
coUnC ilOrs, the trades or guilds Of Ha-
vana another, and two more councillors
shall he elected by and from among the
two hundred largest taxpayers in the
province of Havana"
Antonio Cuyas, who has prepared for
the Spanish government a review of these
so-called constitutional reforms, a copy
OF which has been presented President
Mckinley aud Secretary Sherman, says,
regarding the quoted provision:
The composition Of such a council, to
which all matters relating TO taxation,
budget OF expenses, tariff, banking AMI
education are ntrCsted, will insure q bet
ter and fuller representation OF all the
various interests in the island than would
bc the case # tie governor general were
to appoint the councillors, as in Canada.
Of II the election Of the whole council Were
left TO The influences and intTigues of cleo
toral wiIe-pulling."
There are many people who Go not ac-ce
with Senior Cuyas. These people say that
the condition Of Canada and Cuta ale rot
alike, and :ever have been. Canada always
aims to cnactla WIS which the mother country
can and VII sustain, for no one d0uiI.s The
loyalty OF the Canadians TO Queen Victoria.
on the other hand, in matters Of public
policy, England never saws that Canada
must do so and So, or pIuv de so nGch
money for certain matters. She adopts The
rlilder course and asks Canada for what
she wants, and always gets IL.
CUba would differ from Canada under the
proposed autonomy in this. that Cuhans are
not and will not he loyal TO Spain. They
would be certain To enact laws which tie
mother country would not want, and would
not permit, and these laws would be We
toed by the Queen Regent, and this action
would AZ once prove to lie true that which |
all Cuhans claim. that the proposed au-
tonomy would tie autonomy only when IL |
pleased Spain.
Cuhans claim that Spain knows her only |
chance 70 retain possession OF Cuba is 90 |
inve!cie the island into q consent to adopt |
the so-'alled reforms and thereby end the |
war. 1t is for this reason that the pa
tuOts look with genuine suspicion or the |
acts OF the President, and insist on having |
Congress declare Cuba's belhgerency, to |
the end that the Cuhans NAV have an in |
dependence that would toe real and sui,- !
stantial, and not an autonomy which |
would he autonomy in name only at the |
viii OF the Queen Regent