The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-01
A PLAN OF AUTONOMY
1t Is Agreed On at a Council Of
81 Ministry.
THE CONN Re SAILED FOR CUBA
Consul Pre- : ID and Mas Ordered
Not !, Sign Papers.
GENERAL gE, RIVERA KILLED
story Ncviv, at Mncco II Alive
but Was Severely Woundcd-Thc
Great Need of Cuba Is Money.

Washington. December a The form OF
autonomy which Spain Is willing to grant |
to Cuba was decided upon today in Mad |
rid at council OF the ministry presided |
over by the queen regent The decree still |
lacks the official Endorsement of the cortes,
but this. It is believed viii be easily OBJ
tanned when conditions have reached such
a point that Spanish authorities believe
the reforms can be introduced In Cuba
without disturbance and turmoil from any
disseminated factions. This Information
reaches the Spanish legation tonight aud
Minister dc LONE WAS authorized TO mako
public the conditions agreed upon
These reforms are to 20 into effect I'm
mt dately in Porto Rico. These same meas
urcs of relief, II In said, will he announce
ed in Cuba so soon as the pacficaiiun can
be brought about without revolt as would
now be caused by the insurgents. 1t Is
claimed that should the rohclliouH por-
| tions Of the island indicate their willng-
/ ness to accept the system OF home rule
suggested 10y Spain aud end the in
/ surrectlon, the reforms would immediato-
| ly 40 into erect. Though the reforms ans
nounced tonight are intended al present
! for Porto Rico alone when theyA.lre Of
fectcd In cuba they viii be on an on
larged scale, and Porto Rico also win lie
| favored with the larger rights allowed
| Cuba
Friends of the Spanish legation here state
! that these reforms were not brought about
| iy the INTERPRETATION OF ihe United states.
Senior de LONE said tonight. The reform
| law WAS voted by the cortes in February
| 1873. II WAS accepted then 10y the Rutouo-
| mist party and received Il unanimous vote
| in the cortes. Among the voters were such
horRa. Labra. Fernando and Gonzales. all
Cubans. The leaders of the autouOmigt
party Of Porto Rico have been In Madrid
this winter and the royal decree meets with
their approval
" hat has been printed as n plan of lo-
form is nothing but tho law of 500, pub
lishcd by the Spanish legation In May last
in tho pamphlet entitled Spanish Rights
in Cuba" The restrictions in the APP
polntmrnts OF councillors arc not against,
the president but II restriction of the pow
err OF the government Nearly AT the
councillors appointed by the crown are To
lie taken from the rcople that have re-
ccived votes from the electors or have been
prominent In the business community. or
oven among the principal taxpayers. En- 20
riquc Varona, the member Of the Nov
York juuta. aud even people now In the
field. could be lpointed councillors by the
crown and Of course elected,
Porto Rico. IS 10 transfer TO the council Of
administration Of each island power which
has hitherto been attributed to the govern
ment officials and exercised IN Madrd.
The reforms. as announced, state mat 'hia
council of administration Is to be com
posed in the cnsc OF Porto Rico OF six pro
yincial assembly men Of the region IN
which the next BIZ ennial election shall take
l place and six councillors appointed by the
? supreme government. The councillors OPP
pointed by the government must be quail
: fled as follows.
TO have been president of o chambei
u OF commerce. of the economic society OF
friends of tho county or of the association
: OF agricultursts; to have been director oil
. the Institute of san Juan or dean OF the
u CORPORATIONS OF lawyers OF San Juan lie
' Puerto Rico; to have been four years pre-
:, viously one OF the nth principal tax pay
u era of the island, to have hecn Il senator
5 or representative 10 the courts IN two oi
moro LEGISLATURES TO have been elected tWt
or more times president OF the ProVincia
!. | Assembly or two years mayor OF san Juan
a., de Puerto RICO. "a,
! Tho council is to deliberate upon tho
I general estimates of expenditures ana rev
o. enues Of The island on the general accounts
which the finance department OF the isian'
y show For the revenues, It's appropriations
!, shall consist. first Of the proceeds OF th'
u lands and that rents that are the property
. Of the province or OF the lnhtitn'ions W"os'
p management pertains to the provincial as
II, sembly; second Of the surcharges whief
u the law may authorize on the taxes OF th'
n state which are collected by the hnane'
= department Of the island, and, third, oil I'M
contributions /, may demand from the mu
X INEQUALITIES. the contributions being appor
lo toned among the municipalities in proper
ton to their revenues.
" II shall be the duty Of governor genera
as supreme of the authorities OF me isla' i,
The budget for the island, however, mus
, be freely voted by the Spanish government