The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-19
Not Enough to FIJI Offices Under
Proposed Autonomy.
ANNEXATION SENTIMENT
BUSINESS MEN OF CUBA EX-
CHANGING VIEWS.
Not Believed That General Amnesty
Is Masses of Resident
Spaniards Opposed to Autonomy
Belief That Spanish Government
Is Unable to End War.

MatanZas, Cuba, via Key West. Fla,
Oct. 12.-Tha business element here in
Havana and elsewhere. seems to have
arrived at the conclusion that the Mad
rid government cannot end the war on
the basis Of autonomy to Cuba, and
there are not enough loyal men among
the autonomists 10 hold office. In add
ton, the latter express the belief that
the autonomists, even if they were
placed in power, would not be able TO
preserve peace and protect life and
property from the lawless elements.
HOLDING SECRET MEETINGS.
In view of this condition OF affairs, a
number of important merchants and
sugar planters OF Spanish origin, in
conjunction with several Cuban Off
GERS, have been holding secret meetings
and corresponding With people in Yari
Gus parts of the islands, with the view
OF ascertaining the political and plant
ing situation in Pinar del Rio, Havana,
Matanzas and Santa Clara, provinces,
as 10 the future Of Cuba, most likely
to further their intentions and those
of the Islands IN general 1t is eX-
pected that the majority OF the replies
Viii be favorable to annexation of
Cuba to the United States, dis the
Washington government alone, appar-
emily, is able to guarantee peace to
Cuba and the protection of life and
property. As soon Us it is ascertained
that The sentiment of the persons ap-
pealed to is in favor of annexation, a
committee will be sent to the United
States with instructions to lay the case
of Cuba clearly before che business men
OF prominence in the United States and
ask the latter to unite with the bust
ness men Of Cuba in a petition to the
Washington government asking the
United states, in view of the failure
Of the conservatives to suppress the in
surrection by force of arms and point
ing out the impossibility OF the liberals
ending the war by establishing an au-
tonomous form of government, to bring
about the annexation of Cuba to the
United States.
AUTONOMY NOT SATISFACTORY.
The plan Of Senior Sagasta, the new
Spanish premier, to give autonomy to
Cuba, far from giving satisfaction here,
has greatly increased the feeling OF
discomfort The autonomist PARTY, it is
pointed out, exists only in name, the
actual majority of the autonomists be
ing in the insurgent ranks, and, with
the exception possibly of Senior Mon
tero and a few other autonomists, the
majority of that party are in sympathy
with the Insurgents. Consequently it
Will be seen the Spanish government is
finding great difficulty in obtaining
even the suggestion of names of au-
tOnontsts to fill the offices under the
autonomiSt form of government 1t
would be imprudent, it is said, 20 give
such Offices to the party known as the
reforTnists, as the more influential
SpaniardS hate them, and the adoption
Of such policy would possibly make
ri0ting and even worse. Besides the
masses Of the resident SpaniardS are
strongly anti-autonomists, and there is
little or no prospect of making them
change their minds. Recognizing the
difficulty of the task before Senior Sa-
gasta, it is lot astonishing that the
business community of Cuba is
EXCHANGING VIEWS
on the subject of annexation to the
United States, especially as an uprising
of the Spanish element is feared If the
Spanish government persists in pushing
its autonondst policy, because business
men, believing that autonomy is only
the first step toward independence in
Cuba. The commercial element believe
also that annexation to the United
States, with the consequent safeguards
TO life and property, is far preferable
20 the establishment Of a new republic
in Cuba.
The city of Bayamo, one of the most
important in the province of Santiago
de Cuba, has been quietly abandoned
recently, its inhabitants moving as a
rule to Vegigutas, fearing a repetition
at Bayamo Of the insurgent raid upon
Victoria de Las Tuns.