New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-23
CUBAN AUTONOMY ON PAPER
THE WORK OF MAKING THE DEGREES
EFFECTIVE YET TO BE DONE.


aUTLY-THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN
HAVANA NOT DEEPLY INTERESTED
IN THE NEW ORDER OF THINGS.
tFhoM SPECIAL COMMENCEMENT OF THE Tribunal
Havana. Dec. 1S.-Autonomy's prologue 10
spoken by those who have the right to speak
It, The historic leaders. bearing in their hands
I, the parchment decree. have apostrophlzed the
success OF the cause to which their life-work
has been dedicated That the prologue must
be spoken in the bloody staging OF domestic
war Is not their fault Their apostrophe is a
plea for peace and forgetfulness of the past
They summon their countrymen Cuban born
and Spanish born. 20 the role Of patriots in the
stately drama Of colonial history that is to
unfold. In this moment of exultation a back.
ground Of national tragedy is not for them to
see. The epilogue may voice the unspoken
thoughts and fears Of the present. But the
epilogue Is not for to-day.
These Autonomst leaders and thinkers are
fond OF parallels They recall that General
Banco was Governor General and Captain
General OF the island when the movement for
colonial home rule had its beginnings eighteen
years ago. Then the rapid progress Of events
takes them through period of dozen years.
till that day in December, 1892 when Sagasta
succeeded Canovas at Madrid. Maura became
Minister Of the Colonies, and his comprehensive
reforms were projected Had they been carried
out perhaps autonomy would have become an
evolution instead Of revolution Perhaps, too
the evolution would have saved Spain the fear
full drain OF these last three years in blood
and money-in men already more than half
the losses Of the ten years war; In money full
half. and In the partial determination Of the
Cuban people a loss unparalleled In the crimson
~ oipa cnia0
But It not given to the reforms Of Maura
to be the germ from which should develop tho
system OF colonial government. Their failure
gave fresh life to the Autonomist agitation
which never lacked the boldness OF definite
aim. Manfestoes followed proclamations, the in.
surrection came, the revolutionary Autonomists
were deported by Martinez Campos. the cleo
tons of April, 1896. such they were. retired
both the Autonomist and the Reformlsta dele.
gates. Thenceforth, General Weyler was tho
politics Of Cuba.
THE DEGREES ON HAND.
Now the parchment DEGREES OF autonomy, Of
universal suffrage and Of the organic guaran-
tees OF the Spanish constitution are here In
making them effective there Is room for Mon
taro. De Castro. BruZon, Giberga. Gavez and
the other leaders who have imagined that In
the hour OF success the party ought to have
factions. Doubtless the Cabinet at Madrid has
in mind the value OF these names. In the i'm
perous necessity. as it seemed to the Ministry,
Of giving the Reformistas share in admins
traton dsproportonate to their numbers and
influence. there is yet room for all the Autono-
msts who may care to serve the State. Tho
concession to the Reformstas is one of inner
council and Of Office rather than Of public
recognition Of services.
The early disincnation OF Autonomist leaders
to take the responsibilities alike OF power and Of
policy are wearing away. Those at homo will
not refuse. Those abroad will return. I'VE
have autonomy" says Sehor Giberga. from
across the water; what more do we wantr'
and he arranges to return from Europe and ac-
cept the responsibilities Of place In the Cabi-
net. II that seems good to Sagasta and Moret
Giberga once declared that the Cubans were
naturally Separatists when outside of Cuba He
Is going to prove the exception to the rule in his
own case. His old opponents. the Conserva-
tves. bringing up radical speeches made by
Gberga to show that any Government in which he
has part must necessarily be hostile to Spains
sovereignty. because he denounced the banner
Of loyalty which they bore odd broken and
torn" But what Giberga may have said in the
past Is OF less Importance than the question Of
what he may be able to do in the present
PRACIlCAL hESOLlS.
The Reformistas have not concerned them
selves with the prologue Of autonomy. AS men
Of affairs. politicians they are seeking In prac-
teal ways to secure results which will justify
the recognition given them. Whether Amb!ard
or the Marquis de Rabell shall be in the Cabinet
is not Of consequence. Both will receive consd-
Grafton. BY this time Senior Amblard may have
reached New-York from France. His mission Is
INN Il
II was intrusted to Reformista rather than to
an Autonomist He is to gather together the
Autonomists in the United States who are there
either through self-banishment or enforced ex-
ie and bring them back to Cuba to share in the
new regime. It is not presumed that he will
have better success in opening diplomatic nego-
tiations with the members OF the Junta than
did ex-Mnster Canalejas. But he may per-
suade individual Autonomists to come back and
give the new conditions trial
Whether the return OF General Sanguily as an
advocate Of autonomy would help the cause
among Cubans is an open question. Sanguily
was once an Autonomlst The insurgent leaders
held that he was himself responsible for being
arrested and imprisoned because he wavered at
the critical time, instead OF taking the field.
When he was In prison Gomez and the other
insurgent generals gave him little sympathy.
friends have always held that he
was un1ustly treated by the men who began the
revolution and that their negligence caused his
arrest without a chance to take up arms What
ever the truth, the only fact OF consequence now
is that General Sanguy was never in the field
in the present revolution. His return to Cuba
as @ supporter Of autonomy would not have the
effect that would come from the adhesion OF an
,nsurgent chief who has commanded forces In
the feld
THE GREAT NEED OF THE AUToNoMIsTs
The great need Of the Autonomists now Is to
draw to themselves supporters from the ranks
OF the instruction. All their powers Of con-