The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-18
PEACE IN cuBA, OR BIANoo QUITS.
ne says he vii Resi9n ir Autonomy Faiis-
Is Very Likely e Fail.

HAVANA Dec. IL, via Key West.-Gcn.
Blanco has declared that II within q reasonable
time after tho establishment Of autonomy In
Cubs 1t is clearly eeen that 1t has no practical
effect in the restoration Of peace, ho will tender
his resignation TO the central Government and
return to Spain. The Captain-G General and the
leaders Of tho Autonomist and Reformist
parties arc very busy just now over the decree
Of autonomy which has just arrived from Spain.
1t IL believed that simultaneously with the pub
location Of the decree, tho Captain-General will
issue q proclamation inviting the insurgents to
surrender In view Of the concessions made by
Spain to the island.
How little confidence may be had in this new
autonomy Is clear from the following para
graphs Of the Introduction to the decree, signed
by the Prime Minister. Senor Ssgasta. and now
at the office Of the Captain.General:
The Government frankly confess that for
the most successful result Of Its plans 1t would
be better to have this decree previously dis
cussed in Parliament and Judged by public
opinion and the press; but 1t is not Its fault, as
1t was not the fault Of tho precedent Govern
ment, II tho pressure Of the hard circumstances
now existing compels 1t to do without such q
valuable guarantee. But II the party which Is
now in power did not hesitate when in the oppo-
sition to support the Conservative party anG
vote In favor Of its decisions, now that circum.
stances are more hard still and overburden us,
we have q right to hope that public opinion will
back us and that the Parliament will approve
our conduct"
There Is no possible misunderstanding these
words. The autonomy now granted to Cuba Is
merely an act Of the Liberal party-of Senior
Sagasta-not q law OF the Spanish nation.
Parliament has still q right TO annul 1t, and
that the sagasta party is afraid of the action of
thn r,panrratipaa In cha Tnrfoa To ,,rnval hv
the language Of the Prime Minister in endeav-
oring to obligate the Conservatives by recall
ing that the Liberals supported them in the de-
crees issued by Canovas without previous
Parliamentary consent.
Senior Santos GuZman. q well-known leader
of the Conservatives in Havana, is of the opin
ion that the step taken by the Sagasta Gov
ernment in passing over the Cortes to modify 80
radically the Constitution of Cuba, is too reck-
less to-have any enduring character. Tho
same views are entertained by all sensible per-
sons here, and the autonomy decree. with that
stamp Of feebleness set in Its very introduction
by Senior Sagasta, has not aroused much enthu.
siasm.
Trouble is erred in Havana from the Con-
servatives. Many efforts have been made by
partisans of the new regime to obtain an un-
derstanding between the Conservatives and
the Government and persuade the former to
issue a manifesto in their Assembly of Dec. 20
accepting autonomy. 1t is said that the Mar
quis of Apezteguia is ready to advise the issu.
ing of the manifesto. but the attitude Of the
large majority Of his party is uncompromising
against the decree. 1t all depends on what the
attitude Of the Conservatives in Spain shall
be. and 1t is well known that, until now, they
have been very much influenced by the views
of Romero Robledo and Weyler.