Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-29
No Interest Felt in the Progress Of
Autonomy.
SIGNS OF INTERMITTENT INTEREST
Many Conflicting Stories as to
Colonel Ruiz's Death.
o + + 1 c A l. REPO ORTS
Copyright, 1897, by Chas. NJ Pepper)
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star

HAVANA. SuDa, december -. 1897.
Progress can be reported on the part OF
the authorities in preparing for autonomy.
The 'junta del censo." or electoral board,
has been constituted The government
proper, the real administrative body, is to
pe in working order January I. So far as
appointments and other details of execu-
tive power can be said to carry out the
DEGREES, this is being done. Before long Il
may be possible to announce that Cuba is
under autonomy, paper autonomy, perhaps
yet the system in operation. as far as any
practical system can be in operation when
the bayonet must open the way for its ac-
ceptance by tn. people for whom IT is in,
tended. The autonomsts who were in
Europe and the United States, IL is said,
are coming back to lend their aid and sup
port. They are not coming in focks or
droVes, because not enough of them went
abroad to form 2 flock. Bat, though not
numerous they may be able to give the gov
ernment encouragement for the future II
they could wave a magic wand and bring
the insurgent autonomists back from tie
hills and the forests the return of these
leaders from abroad would be an event of
Importance. When they come bearing a
withered olive branch their return is not
significant.
StupOr of the People.
The step taken toward putting autonomy
into effect again draws attention TO the
deadened state of the public mind. Ii is a
political phenomenon, the like of which /
have never heard. The subject may be-
come tiresome and monotonous as the
starvation of the country people, yet it
cannot be ignored in seeking to give an
intelligent understanding of this new epoch
in Spain's history colonial power. One
might attribute IT to stupor caused by
the completeness of the change, but a
stupor wears off whea the shock is over
An ordinary drowsiness yields to a brish
and healtbful breeze. Something more than
either drowsiness or stupor is here. The
condition is recognized. though contrary
opinions are given as to the cause and the
prospect of an awakening that will send
the blood leaping through the veins and
bring fresh political life TO Cuba. The sup
po,ters of the government make the Christ
mas season the text. They talk. in the
style of devotional spirits of sadness and
hope and the promise of the future. FrieEd
or foe of Spuin cr of the insurrection may
wish that Cuba and Span's soldiers in
Cuba may never know another Christmas
season such as this one. The exhortations
to awaken to a hopeful future not uni
versal. The torpor forbids such effort. But
there IL another view. Spain in Cuba is
asleep" says powerful journal, and then.
with almost sinister emphasis. the question
is asked, rs it the sleep OF death?"
Signs of intermittent Life.
Probably the sleep has not reached that
stage. Signs Of intermittent life are some
times shown. The discussion which fol-
lowed the convention of the conservative
party had animation enough 10 last for
several days, especially as General Weylers
intention to demand personal explanation
from President Mckinley followed on its
heels. Possibly the violence with which the
orators ia that convention resented what
they called the .'calumnies and falsehoods''
of the President may have had something
to do with Weylers demand for satisfac-
ton. But inasmuch the intransigentes
were not ready to go 10 war with the Unit
ed States right away their beligerency
could not keep the Havana public from
falling back into slumber. 1t might be
supposed that the death of Col. Ruiz would
inflame the loyal portion of the inhabitants
to the point where they would not cool.
This has not happened 1t created a sem
sation at first because Col Ruiz was so
well known and enjoyed so large a degree
of personal popularity. If the impression
is less lasting and less productive of re-
suits in Cuba than elsewhere it may be be-
cause the circumstances are better under
stood. The volunteers and the ''bombecos,"
or armed firemen, with which organizations
Col. Ruiz was identified, blaZed out with
fury for a moment and called for ven
geance. But they did not demand to be en-
listed in the regular troops and go out to
fight. Their resentment against General
Blanco was almost as strong their re-
sentiment against the insurgents.
Conflicting Stories Of Ruis's Death.
shall not give a personal opinion on
Ruiz's death without stating the facts on
which that opinion would be based, and the
purpose of this letter is not TO state pri-
vate views, but to record the influence of
current events on autonomy and the insur-
rection. Whether Colonel Ruiz deserved
better fate than that which was meted
out to Major Andre in the revolutionary
war may not be SO difficult of determina-
ton. Two sources of information are
available. One is from the insurgent ac-
counts; the other is from Consul General
Lee, whose opportunity of learning the
facts was good as outside agency could
be. The Spanish military authorities were
for several days absolutely without means
of learning. Their knowledge of Ruizs
death was received from the American
consulate. On two different nights two
widely different versions were made up and
given to the newspaper correspondents.
the story OF a presentado who claims to
have been raising vegetables inside the in
surgent lines has finally been adopted as
the official vei son- Reason exists to be-
lieve that he docs know something of the
case. Reason is equally strong for the be-
lief that the story he tells is not the true
one. So the people of Havana discredit
him and seek their news from the Ameri-
can consulate and from the -insurgent re-
ports. These circumstances help to ex-
plain the torpidity into which the public
SO quickly falls.
This relapse into torpor has not been
without effort on the part OF the authori-
ties to prevent 1t. The autonomista COM
mittees In the various provinces have con-
demned the killing Of Ruis with every
Of sincere horror. Various
individuals have done the same. But the
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