The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-10
OPPOSITION Ix SPAIN.
Publication of the Reforms Causes u
Sensation.

New York. February a dispatch to
the World from Madrid says: An unprece-
denied sensation has been caused In spain
by the publication OF the reform DEGREES,
The adroit declarations of Premier Can
ovas' preamblcs have awakened the great
majority of the Spanish people to the gray
ity OF the situation and the necessity Of
fulfilling the promises contained In the
royal speech, the ministerial statements
and the reform law of 1895. as we'll as the
expediency of settling the contest IN har-
mony with public sentiment in America and
In Europe as well.
The preamble also shows the impossible
ity OF pacifying the West Indies without
home rule, though IN indictments, and the
hopelossness of winning over all the insur-
gents even at that. as Sonar CaDovas nd-
mts that the present struggle is q war for
| independence,
| Critics of the governments policy pub
licly assert that they wopid l,nye preferred
oonlTlcte atrtonoug. Thtf .esprln policy is
| sure to bring on conflicts.
Though Senior Sagasta has counselled the
liberals to refrain from .lToying obstacles
| In the governments way,}tm party organs
severely criticisc the DEGREES insinuatng
| that the liberals would go further If called
TO office.
| MOSt oil me newspapers HuNhbiN NNt ilNl
aldo the Impartial. the Carlist and the re-
publican papers try 10 stir up the people
| against the now policy. They echo the
prevalent impression that the test Of its
| success will be the efiect on Cuba and the
United States Most Spanlards- are con
WINGED that the government is confident OF
obtaining the approval and support OF fresl'
dent Cleveland, Secretary OF state olhey
and the American public.
Mn &c frcunral too that the pol
| ley can not succeed unless General Weyler
is promptly recalled from Cuba
| Senior AbarzuZa, the author df the re-
form law of 1895. which Premier Canovas
| proposes to amalagainate with his own pro
| pramme. and who was consulted before The
DEGREES were published, said In an inter-
| View: "Senor Canovas has adopted many
| of nv ideas and also of Senior Maura s. but
| he has developed them in very radical
| manucr In the essential features OF his pro
gramme and in very conservative man
| ner In other points.
"My plan was to harmonize colonial am
billions with imperial interests, eniisting IN
the support of progressive reforms an WV
clements likely to work out colonial nome
| rt,Ie without plnying into the hands OF se-
| cession.
"undoubtedly Senior Canovas' scheme has
| oood features but everything depends upon
how the scheme is carried out ana by
| whom General Weyler teihoNdi "n-'', ~, ~
! he The first step That would prepare 'ho
wav for A fair trial of the new policy, when
tine state OF the colony would permit 1t.
Under these reforms i, Is easy 20 soc
that The constitutional nartv In CUBA wouin
| he master of the situation unless tne eieo-
toral law Is modified s.o,
III is hardly possible to guess the eIlec'
on Cuba of the publication OF tnc 1e,p. .',h
conpled with the postponemHnt 81 their SUP
| mission. Persons Of sound judgment do no.
believe the war viii end.
The autonomIsts' representatives warmly
STRANGELY enough the published reforms
wsrn unfavorably received by the majority
\, Tho conservative West Indian senators
and deputies. ,, J.,
They saw .hc colonial assembly would bt
| certain IN clash with the mother country
over tariffs. treaties. commerce and taxa
ton. besides the capital questions OF th'
settlement of Cuban debts nor even lDu, ~,
ed In the programme but reserved for the
| eorteg.