Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-12-11
6LANoo ON AUTONOMY.

The Captain General Declares That Cuba's
Offer From Spain Is n Measure OF Au-
tonomy Greater than Is Implied by the
Autonomy OF Canada-It Is, However,
Only on Paper Thus Far.
NEW YORK, Dec Capt. Gen. Blan-
co of Cuba has handed the CORE
spondent of the World statement
giving his views on Cuban autonomy,
The statement, signed by Blanco
governor general and captain general
of Cuba, follows:
The autonomy which Spain freely offers III
Cuba Is genuine and complete 1t is more than
Is implied by the autonomy OF Canafa" The
crown merely reserves tbs functions OF foreign
relations. the supreme court and the navy and
war departments. All powers which have
colonies ret lin these, the natural attributes OF
"a mother country.
The Cubans have home rule They may enact
their own laws, interpret them and execute
them.
For u sufficient time to allow the manufacture
Ing interests of Spain to adjust themselves to
the new foreign competition there will BE- main
talned diiferential duty in their favor, But
ultimately the ~dispositien.ef Its tarin rcgula-
lations will be wholly in the power Of Cuba.
Peace will follow the establishment OF thenew
regime. God willing. hope to finish the i'm
plantation within one month expect shortly
| TO reduce this destructive war to the condition
| OF mere brigandage. One-half OF the insur-
gents have died from tireless pursuit, hunger
and disease, Ninety per cent of them were
| whites. To-day the so-callel Army Of Lib
| erty'' Is mostly collection Of mulattoas and
blacks under leaders OF every color and coun-
try. Such men do not fight for principle
| think that when these men find that there
Is food as well as peace beneath our flag, they
| will flock to 1t.
shall attack the insurgents upon their own
ground and in their own way. With my regular
troops and native assistance | expect shortly 70
| break the backbone of the insurrecton. Your
| Indian fighter. Gen. Crook adopted the Sa me
| tactics, and the English employ them in India
The RECOMMENDATION is in greatly bettered
condition, 1t has lost its most poignant as
poets. have given 100000 already and in
tend to add soon another gift OF equal amount
l expect TO save three-quarters of the recon-
centrados now alive. BY activity in implaat-
ing autonomy and in harassing the rebels | ex-
pect to shortly reduce the insurgents to unor
ganized brigands.
| The topography. the climate and the fe tilitl
of Cuba insure the continued existence Of wide
l
are supplied with rifles, cartridges and clothes
In short, the duration Of the war is simply
matter for you, the American people, to decide
II you continue to allow stering eXpedl
tions to leave your shores against the efforts o
your government, you will enable the insur
gents to at least in part keep up the war agains
Spain, against their own interests, against th'
interests OF Cuba and against the interests o
American citizens
Spain is the historic friend and real mother
country of the United States of America th
greatest Of the republics OF the continent
You, their people, are fair minded an'
Intelligent, and | believe-l mus
btlieve--that when you know tn
full scope OF the autonomy nov given u
Cuba, when you come to realize fully 1t is hes
for Spain, for Cuba and for the United States
you viii cease to support the men who aion
can prevent it, BLANCo,
Governor-General and CAPITA ain-General o
/. |