The herald., 1897-02-04
+ THE CUBANS NEED ARMS
Gen. SickIes Is Ready to Dis
patch Them
HE DOES NOT DEFY THE LAW
But Knows Such Action to Be Perfectly
Legal
The Spanish Cabinet Considers Cuban
Reforms, With a Proviso of ALL
Rights Reserved
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated FTeSS special wire
NEW YORK, Feb BIN an address
on the Cuban question delivered last
night before the Brooklyn Democratic
club, in Historical hall, General Daniel
e. Sickles made the announcement that
he was ready personally to take charge
of a consignment of arms for the Cuban
insurgents. Il will personally dispatch
them," he said, "and will consign them
to General Gomez. 1 will defy all inter-
ference. I would be ready to accept all
the consequences of my action. 1 make
this statement not in defiance of law and
the authorities, but because I know
such act to be perfectly lawful and in
line with the uniform decision of our
courts"
During the course of his address Gem
eral Sickles declared that because of
our traditional position of not allowing
any foreign power to interfere with the
Spanish rule of Cuba, this country has
assumed the responsibility for whatever
relief shall be given to Gu
ba from the oppression under which
1t Is now suffering. He insisted that
the United States owes 1t to civilization
to interfere. He was in favor of recog-
ulAiI6 Delll6SISICy VI tie Insurgents
and ridiculed the idea that a war with
Spain might result therefrom.
REFORM TALK
MADRID, Feb. 3.-The cabinet at a
meeting held this afternoon considered
the question of reforms for Cuba. The
terms Of the scheme proposed are not
fully known, but they are based on the
bill previously passed by the cortes,
though more liberal concessions will be
adopted.
Spain, however, reserves the right of
making commercial treaties with for
eign countries in behalf Of Cuba, the ad-
ministration of which will not be so in
dependent as has been stated in the
United States.
The cabinet has finally agreed upon a
scheme for Cuban reforms which will
be submitted to the queen regent for sig
nature tomorrow. The text will proba-
bly, be gazetted Saturday The council
of state will examine the program for
reforms after publication. The date
upon which the reforms will be carried
into effect will depend upon the prog
ress of the military operations in Cuba.
PROMISES IN PLENTft
LONDON, Feb "a dispatch to the
Times from Madrid says that the scheme
for reforms on the island of Cuba, which
will be submitted to the queen regent
of elaborate DEGREES and will ocupy sew
eral pages Of the gazette.
The correspondent of the Times at
Madrid announces that he has been un-
able to secure copy of the proposed
program of reforms, but it is said the
most important changes consist in the
creation of an assembly to be called the
council of administration. This council
will be composed of thirty-five men,
bers. Twenty-one of these members will
be elected by the people of Cuba; six
Will be elected by the different corpora
tions and the remainder will be selected,
one magistrate, one a university pro-
fessor. one an archbishop and five FORM
er senators or deputies. This council
of administration will be empowered
firstly to prepare the budget; secondly,
to examine the fitness Of officials ap-
pointed; thirdly, to make tariff subject
to the condition that Spanish imports
are to have an advantage over imports
from other countries.
The governor-generaI will represent
the Spanish government and. will have
the right to nominate officers, which
shall be Cubans or Spaniards who have
resided two years in Cuba. Neverthe-
less, the man filling the office of gsvern-
or-general may exercise a wise dlescre-
ton in the nomination Of high function
aries, such as magistrates, projects, etc.
Olner QecreeS concern the OrganiZa-
tion of the provincial municipalities,
which are to be literally representative
of the municipal council. They will
be generally empowered to elect their
presidents and will have exclusive con-
troll of the matter of publication.
According to the decree, the govern
ment reserves to itself extraordinary
powers in event of any disturbance of
the public order in Cuba. Cuba will
continue to elect senators and deputies
to the Spanish cortes as at the. present
time,
Taken as a whole, the new scheme of |
Cuban reforms is along lines of much
broader tion than were |
found in the plan Of reforms granted to
Porto Rico.
The powers of the governor-general /
are much more extended and while the |
council will, it is said, be- fairly repre-
senta tive of all parties and all interests, |
the Spanish government will continue |
to vote budgets and treaties for colo
MES.
dispatch to the Times from Madrid !
announces the death Of the wife of Senor |
Sagasta, formerly premier of Spain.
LADY INSURGENTS.
KEY WEST, Fla, Feb. 3.-Five Cuban |
ladies arrived from Havana tonight on |
the steamer Olivette having been ban |
ished from the island by order of the !,
captain general. All were accused of |
against Spain.