The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-31

saEasta's Empty Proposals. and an AutonomIst's
Autiounted Plan.

oaheStSs hhapty tropOshtN ana an AutOnOmtnt'n
Autiaunted Plan.
MADRID. July 19.-Under pressure Of criti.
oism Sehor Sagasta has been forced to define
his views Of colonial autonomy. In CONVERSE
ton with an editor of Ell Inpa cial, Sagasta
said:
THE Liberal party will give Cuba an autono.
nous regime such as the Cuban Autonomists
have advocated. 1t will be nothing like Cana
dian or Australian homo rule or like the autono-
my OF any other colony. The autonomy which
we arc going to give to Cuba will be thoroughly
Spanish, one In perfect harmony with our ira
ditions and the sentiment of our race.
II hope that, in view Of our acceptance of
their programme and our pledge to execute 1t,
the Cuban Autonomists will rally resolutely
to our aid and do their best to attract the dis.
~trustful and convince the incredulous. This I
expect not only from the Autonomists in Cuba,
but also from those who, for reasons now diff
cult to point out. have gone abroad. All, 1
hope, will give US their powerful aid, even to
the extent of provoking, II necessary, a counter
revolution In order to obtain peace. | am SO
confident OF success that l do not hesitate to
make these declarations, az an addition to what
l said recently lii our manifesto, SO that no doubt
NAV be entertained ky any as to the sincerity
Of our intentions. SehoI Moret will be more
explicit whe- he speaks in Saragossa within a
few days"
In a letter to La correspondence de Espann
Sehcr Manuel Ortiz de Pinedo, a Spaniard by
birth and former Senator for the Autonomist
party explains the aspirations Of the Cuban homo
three principles the sovereignty Of the mother
country, unGuestionnb.e permanent. and fun
damentali local %eiectiye representation; respon-
sibiilty OF the colonial Government, as u guar
antee Of an honest administration and respect
the colony" he continues, .by a Governor.G Gen.
eral, appointed by The central power. He is not
the of the army and navy.
and represents the coioay in its relations with
foreign .S eoSntfies md He has the right e con:
sembiy; to approve or ve,o the resolutions of
said sssid Assembly. and to appoint and discharge
GU. he is also the superior chief OF he islands
civil administration Tho Assembly is made up
local matters. including the budget. .arif, and
thermal revenue come within its jurisdiction.
Cortes to Hx the amount which the colony viii
contribute to the national expenses. The power
to e, make and modify treaties of and
The Government Council administers tho
island under the authority of the Governor
him or nefore the Assembly, '"''
Reforming to Ortiz dc Pinedo's letter, n Cuban
the Au,onomists in the Spanish Cortes. said
yesterday:
reality: The programme Of the aSt eS%sn st
party was merely the draft OF a CON ~ervative
compromise between Cuba and Spain. 1t was
good enough for all parties concerned IL
through it war could be averted. AS it hap
pencd otherwise, the programme no longer re,
fleets. 1t matters not that a dc: en- members
Of the Executive Committee still uphold it un.
der the pressure. OF Wcyier's bayonets. Don
Manuel ought to know that of the thirty mem
bers OF the committee only fourteen now take
an active part in public affairs. The other
members have gone abroad or contne them
selves to their houses. II FL Pals. the Of
fetal organ Of tho organization, is still pub
lished, it !. owing to a subsidy from Gen. Wcy'
lers secret fund; The popular classes of the
have added that tho old Autonomists and the
present insurgents arc all one. In fact, there
Is nothing left of the once numerous Autono-
mist party"