The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-11-30
THE PLAN OF AUTONOMY
MINISTER DE HOMIE RECEIVES LONG
 DISPATCHE ES CONCERNING IT.

These Do Not Give Text of New Law but
 Explain All Important Features-The
 Completeness of Legislative Power Pro-
 posed for Cuba is as Great as Enjoyed by Canada or Any of the United States. Washington, Nov. 29.-Senor De Lome, the Spanish minister, has re- ceived long dispatches from Madrid showing in detail the plan of autonomy which Spain is about to apply to Cuba. While these do not give the text of the new law they explain all important features and clear up doubts which have arisen from the unofficial reports which have come from Madrid. Speak ing of the new laws, the minister said to-day:
 T regret that much misapprehension has arisen over the new law owing to the very meagre reports heretofore re- ceived concerning it. I must admit also that have been astonished at the dis position in some quarters to criticise small technical features without look ing at the broad, general character of
 
 criticisms is that this plan of auton- omy is the same as the old plan, with some changes in detail As matter of fact, the new plan is a complete realiza- tion of the policy and platforms of the autonomist party during the last twen- ty years.
 "The old plan of autonomy gave to Cuba an advisory body. It did not have final authority in making laws, but merely advised as to those laws. Now, however, the new law proposes | to give Cuba a parliamentary body of | full law making power. The complete ness of this legislative power is as | great if not greater than that enjoyed | by Canada or by any of the United | States. This is readily demonstrated | by comparing the plan of the new law with that of the British North Ameri- can act of 1867, which establishes the present parliamentary system of Can ada. According to the Canadian law, 1 the Canadian parliament consists of two bodies. The upper house is made up of members appointed by the crown, each member holding a life tenure with a qualification that no member is eligi- | ble unless he has an income of $4000. | The provision for the new Cuban upper | house is along the same general line, l but is far less stringent.
 | "If the new home rule law is com pared with the systems prevailing in the several states of the United States it will be found that Cuba is to have a far greater measure of control of her own affairs than do the several states in this country. For instance, she is given control of her postal affairs, of her banking and currency and her cus- 1 toms. Recurring to the legislative pow CTS which Cuba would enjoy the minis ter was asked if this was not qualified to some extent by the right of approval reserved to the governor-general in certain cases.
 Ut will be found, on examining the new law" answered the minister, that the governor-general has reserv- ed rights only in three specific cases. while the general rule is that the law goes into effect without reserve Fur thermore, these three reservations are the same as those given to the gover- general of Canada or to any other colonial executive There is nothing | unusual in these reservations in a few specific cases of national character, but it is the universal principle in the constitutional government of colonies.'' D