San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-08
DE. LONE TALKS.
THE CUBAN REFORMS ARE LAUD-
ED HIGHLY.
Spain, he Says, Has Been Very Magnani-
nous and all Now Depends Upon
The Insurgents.


Washington, Feb. S,-"No colony in
the world with the exception of Cana
da and New South Wales will have as
large measure of liberty as. Cuba will
have when the new reform scheme ii
fully developed" said Senior Du-
puy De LONE, the Spanish minister
last night. The minister had before
him the full project for the reformation
of the system of government for Cuba
as gazetted in Madrid yesterday, and
had made an analysts of the document
with the result thatihe arrived at the
conclusions indicated above.
Senior Dupuy TIE LONE, also gave
out the preamble to the proposed
scheme of Cuban reforms.
1t records the political history of the
insurgents which from it's history, it
says, had a secessionist character. One
of the causes of the instruction has
been the false idea of Spain's weak
ness, which the insurgents thought
would prevent her subduing it, and an
other was distrust of being able to
achieve administrative autonomy by
peaceful means.
The preamble says that the war with
all its errors has been rich in severe
lessons, showing that in the end peace
full and constant progress is preferable
to violent triumph by whom-so-ever
obtained.
1t says that in several paragraphs
that although Spain has been obliged
to delay the application of ample re-
forms in the administrative regime, she
has never abandoned the idea of es-
tablishing the reforms voted by the
Cortes, nor has she failed to under
stand the necessity of charging them
in a form that will suit both Spanish
and Cubans, giving to the island an
administrative and economical person.
ality of a local character, which will
make explicit the total counterrment to
govern it's own affairs, although main
tanning in the act the right of sover-
eighty and the indispensable condi-
lions for it's maintenance. Spain has
wished to satisfy the need of Cuba in
experimenting with what the Eng
lish call self government, which in
Spain is termed large decentraliZa-
ton" and which will give to the coun-
try the greater part of the administra-
ton of it's own affairs and will lay up
on it the responsibility of its doings.
This document also recalls the prom
Use made in the speech of the throne
by the president in the council in the
House of Deputies, and at the same
time. il assures the loyal fulfillment
of those reforms by all the govern
ments that can rule Spain, and as a
warrant, also of the loyalty of the &C
tual government. 1t cites the history
of its president, who was the first 10
take measures for the suppression OF
the slave trade, and who thirty years
ago called to Madrid an assembly or
delegates to the Spanish West Indies
to modify in those islands the admins
trative regime and to suppress slavery
and who introduced in Cuba soon after
the capitulation of Zanjon, the political
rights of the constitution and who on
March 10. 1895, aided the voting by the
Cortes reform laws.
The preamble continues saying that
with the present decree, the govern
ment will have completed what Spain
has to do tc hasten the termination
of the present misfortune in Cuba.
The material application of these re-
forms only depends on the insurgents
II convinced of the futility OF tnelr az.
tempt they should grieve over the ! rulr
and desolation of their native iaIu anu, nc 20
81 is time for their mother SPAN ~
~. her. generosity, disposed as she
I-,.- 10 n omen her arms to thenl'
=, further says that if the insurgents
-y,,a,,i5 not duly appreciate these Con-
cassions to the island OF CUBA liLo 20
t,,aI government will not ceaSe
l -oL";r,S,Gr the war in defense OF the SOY
aIatn,,t., of Spain with the same en-
o,.or,S as II has done up to the preSe' ~
ri government, it says, takes lll'
responsibility of ASSUMING nv "a an
tions of the executive power CT Co..
nounces that it will ask the Cor'es iO
a bill of indemnity. 1t also says tnal
the only point reserved for the turtner
retention of parliament will be the de-
termination OF the Imperial expenses
the organization, the judiciary and the
electoral reforms.
This important document ends with
the following paragraph:
THE government has been alone apie
to Judge of the time before the appl-
cation of reforms in Cuba and Porto
Rico. and it will be short or long ac-
cording as the news is satisfactory and
the forecast of the incoming peace
general Whatever the condition may
be the government thinks that it must
be prepared to apply them without the
slightest delay when the, opportunity
shall arrive, and for that the advice of
the council of the state will be urgent
ly sought for Notwithstanding that
the government will not apply tho de-
Crees until Indispensable conditions
favorable for the peace that Spain de-
sires and will never cease to desire and
what the civilized world hopes for shall
arrive.