The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-27
AUTONOMY GRANTED
Royal Decree Explains the
Future Government of
Cuba and Porto Rico.
IESULAR PARLIAHENTS DECLARED
GOvernor-General 10 Exercise
Supreme Control = Discomfort
in Catalonia.
IESULAR PARLIAHENTS DECLARED

[By Cable to The Associated Press.1
MADRID, Nov. 27, 1S97.-The "oficial
Gazette this morning. publishes the
royal DEGREES granting autonomy to Cuba
and Porto Rico
Article explains the principles Of the
future government of two islands.
Article DEGREES that the government
of each island shall be composed Of an
Insular Parliament, divided into two
Chambers, while a Governor General,
representing the Home Government, viii
exercise in its name the supreme author
ity.
Article 8 declares that the faculty Of
making laws on colonial affairs rests
with the Insular Chambers and the Gov
ernor General.
Article directs that the Insular Rep
resentation shall be composed of two cor
porations, with equal powers:-A Cham
Der of Representatives and a Council of
Administration.
Article 5 provides that the Council of
Administration shall consist Of thirty-five
members, of whom eighteen shall be
elected and seventeen nominated by the
Home Government.
Article provides that the members
of the Council of Administration must be
Spaniards, thirty-f1ve years of age, who
were born in the island or who have
resided there continuously for four years.
1t specifies numerous officials. such as
Senators, Presidents of Courts and of
Chambers of Commerce and other bodies
as eligible to election to the Council
Articles to IA, inclusive, deal with
nominations and the conditions of cleo
ton to Councils.
Article 10 empowers the Throne, or the
Governor General, to convoke suspend
or dissolve the Chambers, with an obn-
cation to reassemble them within three
months.
Article Is and the following articles deal
with the procedure of the Chambers and
grant immunity to members.
Article 20 empowers the Insular Parlia-
ment to receive the Governors oath and
make effective the responsibility of the
secretaries forming the Governors coun-
ell. When the Secretaries are impeached
by the Chambers 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
Article SO confers upon Parliament the
imposing of customs duties.
Article 10 deals with the commercial re-
lations of the islands with the Peninsula
and provides that no import or export tax
may differentiate to the prejudice of the
productions of either island or the PENN
sula. A list will be formed of articles
coming from Spain direct. which will be
granted favorable treatment in regard TO
Similar articles coming from abroad, and
the same will be done for productions Of
the islands entering Spain, the differential
duty in no case to exceed 35 per cent
The remainder of the decree explains the
Governor-GeneraPs powers. He will eX-
ercise supreme command, be responsible
for the preservation of ORDER have free
power to nominate officials and his secre-
taries; he will publish and execute the
laws and DEGREES, international treaties
an conventions. etc, and will have the
power of pardoning suspending constitu-
tional guarantees and ordering state OF
siege, should circumstance require T.