River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-12-02
THE AUTONOMY SCHEME.
summary of Spanish Decree. Relat.
ing to Cuha and parto Rfca

Madrid, Nov. 29.-The Official Ca
zette publishes the royal decree grant
ing autonomy for Cuba and Porto Rico.
An outline follows:
Article ! explains the principles OF the
futCre government OF the two islands
Article DEGREES rlat the government OF
each island shall be composed of an insulat
parliament. divided into two chambers.
While governor general, representing the
home government, viii exercise In its
name the supreme authority
Article declares that the faculty OF max
ing laws on colonial affairs rests with the
insular chambers and the governor-gen-
eraL
Article 4 directs that the insular repre-
sentation shall be composed Of two cor
! poraiions, with equal powers. viz. cha m
Der OF representative and a council Of ad-
ministration.
Article provides that the council OF adj
ministration shall consist of 30 members.
of whom Is shall be elected and II be nom
mated by the home government.
Article . provides that the members OF
the council Of administration must be
Spaniards, at least So years Of age, who
were born In the island or who have re-
sided there continuously for four years.
II specifies numerous officials such as sem
ators presidents of courts and of cham
bers of commerce and other bodies as
eligible TO election to the council
Articles to IA inclusive deal with NOM
nations and the conditions of election to
councils.
Article Is empowers the throne. or the
goveNor-general, to convoke, suspend or
dissolve the chambers, with an obligation
| TO reassemble them within three months.
Articles l6 to IS deal with the procedure
OF the chambers and grant immunity TO
members.
Article q empowers the insular parlia-
ment TO receive the governors oath and
make effective the responsibility of the
secretaries forming the governors council
| Secretaries may be impeached by the
chambers, in which case they are to be
judged by the council of administration.
Negotiations for treaties of commerce
are to be made by the home government,
with the assistance of the secretaries Of
the island.
Article 80 confers upon parliament the
imposing of customs duties.
Article 40 deals with the commercial rela-
tons of the islands with the peninsula and
provides that no import or export tax may
differ 10 the prejudice of the productions
of either island or the peninsula. A list
will be formed of articles coming from
Spain direct, which will be granted favor
| able treatment in regard to similar articles
1 coming from abroad, and the same Will be
done for productions of the islands en-
| tering Spain, the differential duty In no case
Tie remainder of the decree explains the
| governor-generars powers. He will exer-
else supreme command, be responsible for
| the preservation of order, have free power
| to nominate officials. and his secretaries;
| he viii publish and execute the laws and
| DEGREES, international treaties and con-
| yentions. etc. and will have the power of
| pardoning. suspending constitutional guar
| antees and ordering a state Of siege, should
| circumstances require il.
Washington, Nov. 29.-Spain's latest
scheme for autonomy for Cuba is not
well received in Washington. The pub
| LEGATION made in the Official Gazette of
Madrid containing summary of the
royal DEGREES, has produced a most I'M
! favorable impression here. Careful ex-
animation of the scheme discloses that
a string is attached to every pretended
concession to Cuba, and leads inevitably
Ia the conclusion that the Spanish
statesmen are at their old tricks of
throwing dust into the eyes of the
world in general. and Of the people of
the United States in particular. 1t is
already apparent that Spain is not able
to deceive anyone with these DEGREES.
The CubanS say they will have none of
! such autonomy, which is at best a mere
sham, leaving everything of impor-
lance subject to the control of Spains