The Portland daily press., 1897-11-30
AUTONOHT FOR CUBA.
Details Of Plan About 10 De
Applied,
POWER GRANTED
GREATER THAN CANADA ENJOYS.

Provisions for Both Branches of Legisla-
| ture Are Along General Lines OF
Regulations in Canada-Island has
| Tariff LawMaking in Its Own Hands.
Washington, November 29.-Senor
DeLone, the Spanish minister, has re-
celved long dispatches from Madrid show
ing in detail the, plan of autonomy which
spain is about to apply to Cuba. While
these do not give the text of the new
law, they explain ell important points
ana clear up doubts which have arisen
from the unofficial reports which have
come from Madrid. Speaking Of the
new laws, the minister said today:
l regret that much apprehension has
arisen over the new law owing to the
very meagrs reports heretofore received
concerning it. must admit also, that
nave been astonished at the disposition
IN some quarters to criticize small teoh-
meal features without looking at the
broad, general :. character of. the new re-
form law. 1t is measure which will
stand the closest scrutiny and l am very
deslrous that the American people should
look into 1t with, care, studying it and
comparing 1T with sother constitutional
methods of governing colonies. Such
study, am sure, will fully vindicate
| the law and commend it to the people
of this country outside of those irrecon-
ciliables who are always to be met with.
One of the recent criticisms is that this
plan of autonomy is the same as the
old plan with some changes in detail.
AS a matter. of fact the new plan is a
complete realization OF the policy and
platforms OF the autonomist party during
| the last 70 years. The old plan of auto
nomy gave to Cuba an advisory board.
1t did not have final authority in making
laws but merely advised as to these laws.
| Now, however, the new law proposes to
give Cuba parliamentary body OF full
law making power. The completeness of
| this legislative power is as great If not
greater than that enjoyed by Canada
or by any of the United States. This is
readily demonstrated by comparing the
plan of the new law that Of the British
North American act OF 1867, which es-
tab1ishes the present parliamentary sys-
TEN of Canada.
According to the Canadian law, the
Canadian parliament consists of two
bodies. The upper house is made up Of
Crown, each member holding q life ten
ure with a qualification that no member
| Is eligible unless he has an income of
$4,000. The provision for the new Cuban
upper house is along the same general
line, but is fur less stringent. Instead of
the Crown appointing all Of the upper
| house as In the case OF Canada, the Span
ish Crown is to appoint only one half the
members of the upper house of Cuba.
The other half are TO be elected by the
people of Cuba every five years. There
is $4,000 property qualification for menu
bership of the upper house Of Cuba. which
| is the same as in Canada. The same
posed lower house in Cuba and the lower
house in Canada. There is 50, 500 proper
| ty qualification for mem bership of the
lower house in Canada and also quail
fication as to those who may vote for
such members. But in the new plan of
Cuba, there is no property qualification
| as to the electors. 1t is one man, one
vote; tho same be he black or white.
If the new home rule law is, compared
| with the systems prevailing in the sew
eral states of the United States 1t will be
found that Cuba is to have far greater
measure of control of her own affairs
than do the several states in this country.
|
| postal affairs, of her banking and cur
| rency and her customs. This last feat
ure is most important and according to
dispatches [ have received from Madrid
| it is as follows;
"The insuiar government will form
its own tariff, fixing both export and
import duties. The home government
together with the insular government
| Will make schedule of such peninsular
and insular products as by common
agreement shall enjoy preferential duty
over similar foreign products which in
no case shall exceed 35 per cent. In
case of disagreement in the preparation
in said schedule, the point in dispute
shall be submitted to a committee of
members of the Cortez, consisting of an
equal number of peninsular members
and Cubans.
cit will be observed that this gives
to the Cuban parliament entire control
of the tariff with the condition that there
shall be preferential duties for Spain
not exceeding 35 per cent. Tt should be
understood that this preferential duty
is not an ususual feature. Even under
the last reciprocity treaty between the
United States and Cuba which is conced-
ed to have been the most satisfactory re-
clproelty treaty made by the United
States there was preferential duty OF
% per cent to Spain. Under the new
law this is cut down to 35 per cent. More
over the preferential duties do not COW
or the tariff schedules as they did when
the United States had q reciprocity treaty,
but cover only limited number of arti'
cles. These articles doubtless will be SC
chosen as not to affect the trade between
the United States and Cuba so that
while Spain enjoys the preference from
her colony it will not be preference Of
against the United States.''
. When it was suggested to the minister
that among certain classes no plan OF
autonomy was acceptable, he said
Certainly, there are irreconciliables on
hOth ci3nc-GOanich and II RIt