The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-19
CUBANS FAVOR ANNEXATION.
SENTIMENT IN HAVANA THAT SPAIN
CAN NOT END THE WAR,

The Establishment of Autonomy Im-
possible Because of the Scarcity
of AutOnomIsts-CnnVn of the
Larger Provinces of the Island 10
Procure the Sentiment Of the PeO-
pie Regarding the Future of Cuba.
Expected That the Majority WIN
Favor Annexing the Island to the
United StateS-Plnn of Autonomy
Suggested Breeds Discontent.
Matanzas. Cuba, via Key West, oct. 49,
The business element in Havana and else-
where seem to have arrived at the con-
clusion that the Madrid government cam
not end the war on a basis of autonomy
to Cuba, as there are not enough loyalists
among the autonomists to hold public Of
fee.
In view of this condition Of affairs, a
number of important merchants and sugar
planters of Spanish origin, in conjunction
with several Cubans of prominence have
been holding secret meetings and oorre-
spending with the people in various parts
of the island, with the object of ascer-
tanning the views Of commercial and
planting communities in Plnar del Rio,
Havana, Matanzas and Santa Clara prov
inces as to the future for Cuba most like
ly to further their interests and those of
the island in general.
1t is expected that the majority of the
replies will be favorable to the annexation
of Cuban to the United States, as the
Washington government alone, apparent
ly, is able to guarantee peace in Cuba and
the protection of life and property. AS
soon as it is ascertained that the senti-
ment of the persons appealed to are in
favor of annexation a committee will be
sent to the United States with instruc-
tons to lay the case of Cuba clearly be-
fore busneiss men of prominence in the
United States and ask the latter to unite
with the business men of Cuba in q petit
ton to the Washington government, re-
questing the United States, in view OF the
failure of the conservatives to suppress
the insurrecton by force of arms and
pointing out the impossbility of the lib
erals ending the war by establishing an
autonomous form of government, to bring
about the annexation of Cuba TO the
United States.
The plan of Senor sagasta, the new
Spanish premier, to give autonomy to
Cuba. far from giving satisfaction here,
has greatly increased the feeling of discon-
tent The autonomist party, it is pointed
out, exists only in name, the actual ma
jority of the autonomists being in the in
surgent ranks and, with the exception,
possibly, of Senior Montoro and few other
prominent autonomists, the masses of that
party are in sympathy with the insur-
gents.
Consequently, 1t will be seen, the Span
ish government which has consulted
Senor Montoro on the subject, is finding
great difficulty in obtaining even the sug-
gestion of names of autonomist form OF
government 1t would be imprudent, II
Is added, to give such Offices to the party
known as the reformlsts, as the more in
fluenual Spaniards hate them, and the
adoption of such a policy would possibly
mean rioting and even worse. Beside, the
masses of the resident Spanards are
strongly anti-autonomlsts, and there Is
little or no prospects OF making them
change their minds.
Recognizing the difficulty of the task
before Senior Sagasta, 1t is not astonish-
ing that the business community is ex
changing views on the subject of annexa-
ton to the United States, especially as
general uprising of the Spanish elements
is feared if the Spanish government per-
slsts in pushing It's autonomst policy,
business men believing that autonomy is
only the first step towards independence
in Cuba and the feeling of the CONNER
cial classes being that annexation to the
United States and the consequent safe
guards to life and property Is far prefera-
BILE to the establishment of q new republic
in Cuba.
Among the newspapers here there Is
still considerable difference of opinion as
to the policy which should be adopted by
Spain towards Cuba.
The Diara de la Marno, In an editorial,
sustained the policy of autonomy and
credited Senior Sagasta with inaugural
ing it, while advocating the reformist
party to adopt Il.
El Pals, organ Of the autonomist party,
in reply, held that the autonomist party
favored by Senor Sagasta was what the
autonomisits in Cuba had been advocat-
ing for the last nineteen years, and there
fore, the premier could not be credited
with having inaugurated it. At the same
time lei Pals intimated that Senor Sagasta
was only following the policy adopted by
the late premier, Canovas del Castillo. and
that the Cubans, therefore, were indebted
to Castillo, rather than Sagasta, In this
matter.
La Lucha, in an editorial headed. "Au-
tonomy for the Autonomists" claimed
that no party had more right to inaugu-
rate autonomy than the autonomists them
selves who had advocated and defended
the policy of autonomy for the past nine
teen years, and who had remained firm
to their convictions in spite of everything,
preferring complete disappearance to sup
porting the insurgents If the latter trl-
umphed. At the same time, La Lucha
protested against the reformists being al
lowed to take a hand IN the autonomist
government of Cuba, insisting that the
loyal autonomists and conservatives
should alone have this honor, adding:
'In Cuba there exist in reality onfy two
PARTIES the autonomists and the
conservatives. The latter, who represent
the wealth Of the country more than they
represent political party, and who also
represent the sovereignty of Spain, will
assist the Spanish government In every
way to pacify the island, and are desirous
of enabling the government at Madrid to
proclaim to the world that the sovereign
ty Of Spain in Cuba does not depend on
bayonets alone but upon the 5000 Span
ish residents Of Cuba, who represent the
wealth of that island. They are also de-
srous of being able to point to the fact
that the autonomists are able TO govern