Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-09
WILL NOT GRANT HOME RULE
Spanish Reforms for the West Indies Are
Much Restricted.
SELF-G0vERNMENT NEVER INTENDED
Idea that Porto Rico and Cuba Were
to He Placed ON Same Basis
ms Canada liz Entirely
Erroneous.

Copyright. 1897 by Pross Publishing Company
MADRID, Spain Cvia Bayonne. France),
Jan. S.-(New York World Cablegram-Spe-
cial Telegram )-The decisive stage Is rap
idly approaching for ascertaining the real
drift In the relations between Spain and the
West Indian colonies and between Spain and
the United States. The issue now rests
entirely with the Madrid government, as
all the aspects and eventualitles of the
question have been considerably, fully and
frankly laid before the duke OF Tetuan and
Premier Canovas very lately.
II Is no secret in political and diplo-
matte circles in Madrid that the American
government cannot accept the reforms de-
creed for Porto Rico but the United States
executive might induce congress and the
people of the United States to take them as
a definite formula of what Spain intends
to place on record as her final concessions
for the settlement of the Cuban question.
People outside of Spain jumped at the er-
roneous conclusion that the Madrid govern
ment was on the high road TO granting
to the West Indian colonies self-govern-
ment, similar to that of Canada and Aus
tralia. Nothing of the kind was ever in
tended, either by the present government
or by any Spanish political party. Premier
Canovas only expressed the statement of
the majority of the Spaniards when he said
recently that Spain could never go so far
In her reforms as to establish a Canadian
regime.
Autonomy in the English sense OF the
word was not contemplated by Senior Sc
gasta as premier and Senior Abarzuzua as
colonial minister when they requested and
obtained the assent of all the Spanish par
ties in January, 1895, to the famous bill
which Premier Canovas and his minister for
the colonies made use Of in Issuing on New
Years day in 1897 DEGREES reorganizing and
increasing the powers of the governor and
granting only administrative municipal and
provincial reforms to Porto Rico.
ALL SUBJECT TO SPANISH VETO.
In fact under these DEGREES the munich
pal and provincial councils there will be
organized on much the same lines as the
Spanish provincial councils and municipal
tiles. with about the same control over
purely local matters and over that part
OF the revenues from taxation destined
for public works, education and strictly
local administration, subject. however to
the supervision and veto of the superior
authorities and the governor appointed by
Spain. The majority OF the insullr council
is to be composed of nominees of the crown.
The minority is to be elective. This council
is not intended to be in any way legisla-
tive body, but an assembly which will be
consulted in well defined cases and may
express wishes or opinions not at all bind
ing on the government. The insular coun-
ell is not a parliament, but a consulting
assembly, with limited control over the acts
OF the provincial and municipal councils.
Porto Rico will continue TO be represented
in the Spanish Cortes by two senator's and
twelve deputies elected in the island by a
very restricted franchise.
The imperial parliament will continue
to discuss and vote legislation, budgets and
tariffs for the West Indies, drawn up and
presented by the minister OF the colonies.
All branches OF the civil service, courts OF
Justice and customs service will continue to
be recruited in the mother country. The
army. navy and police will remain in the
hands OF the imperial government, and the
governor will have full control of the local
militia and the volunteers. The imperial
parliament, above all, will retain power to
regulate the trade and tariffs of the col
onies, whose treaties of commerce will be ne
gotiated by the Madrid executive.
NOT A LIBERAL MEASURE.
Senior Alb irzuzua's bill never aimed at
more than administrative reforms, though
he and senor Sagasta think Premier Canovas
might have carried out the spirit of the bill
In less restrictive manner.
Senior AbarzuZua's bill was much less lib
eral than the original project presented to
the Cortes In 1894 by Senior Maurar, which
contemplated the creating of a wholly elect
I've insular council, with far more authority
over the affairs Of the coloney. But public
opinion and the opposition, especially the
conservatives. forced Senior Sagasta, when
premier, to withdraw that bill and dismiss
Senior Maurar from his cabinet, who was re-
placed by Senior Abarzuzua, the author of the
more restricted measure, which ultimately
passed in the shape of elastic authorization,
which, to use Senior Abarzuzua's own words
to me, never implied autonomy like that OF
the British colonies.
Both the Cuban and Porto Rican autono-
mists consulted here deem this last meas
ure OF reform insufficient and unlikely TO
satisfy the majority of the West indiana.
They side with the Spanish liberals and re-
publicans in finding fault with the govern
ment for not having at least attempted to
reform the Cuban and Porto Rcan tariffs
which Senor Sagasta had induced the Cortes
to authorize as far back as 1894, with a
view to satisfying the commercial wishes of
the West Indies, and to improving their
trade with the United States. Tariff re-
form, therefore, might have been under |
taken apart from home rule had the Madrid
government not feared the opposition of the |
the Bilbacans and other protec- |
tOnsts In Spain.
ARTHUR Z. IoUGHTON.