San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-12-07
HE FINDS LITTLE TO AFFORD
ANY COMFORT TO SPAIN OR
THE AUT0N0MISTS.
Giberga Of The Cuban Delegation
Also Talks-FindS In The New
Policy Of Spain Only A Confess
sion Of Her Own Weakness
Of The InSurgent Cause.

New York, Dec 7.-Thomas Estrada
Palma, representative of the Cuban
provisional government i'm the United
States, commenting upon President
McKinley's message, according to the
Herald, says:
Il did not expect any recommends
ton to Congress for immediate action,
but the president has left Congress to
decide the time within which an en-
during peace must be established in
Cuba, and intimates the necessity of
haste by the United States in connec-
ton with the words near future He
further says that in case of the failure
of Spain to pacify the island with the
scheme of autonomy, American inter
ests, humanity and civilization will de-
mand forcible Intervention. As Cap
tain General Blanco himself admits
that the Cubans in arms will not accept
autonomy, the time the president
speaks of has arrived.
1T will be noticed that the president
does not even suggest the acceptance
of autonomy by the Cubans and it is
evident he would not have written the
last paragraph in the terms he did if he
pIiitNCt "Ohit INNS
peace to Cuba"
Mr. Benjamin Giberga, formerly a
merchant of this city, but at present
connected with the Cuban delegation
and a brother of Senior Elizo Giberga,
the Cuban senator, said to n reporter:
''The granting of autonomy to Cuba
by Spain proclaims to the world the
justice of the Cuban rebellion and the
right the Cubans have to appeal to
arms. Since only through force would
Spain have been compelled to grant to
Cuba what is a mere Semblance of
home rule. But it is now too late,
even for the most ample form of au-
tOnomy, which is not what Spain is
ready to concede. SPANS autonomy
will be such in name only and for the
exclusive use of the residents of the
ports and interior towns held by the
Spaniards. The Cuban patriots now
in arms who are the only ones TO de-
eide will never accept autonomy; they
have declared it time and again; they
are fighting for absolute independence
and the offer of autonomy they consid-
er a plain avowal by Spain that her
cause is lost.
At the beginning of the war, when
Marshal Martinez de Campos suggest
ed reforms for Cuba, a prominent Mad
rid newspaper replied to him, yoicing
public opinions, that they would send
to Cuba not only reforms but guns.
General Weyler went soon after
ward to Cuba to carry out the policy
then in vogue. Now, when all Span
iards see that SPANS cause is IRE
trieyably lost, as she has no money,
and no credit, no more men TO send to
Cuba and is threatened with a Carlist
war at home, beside. that waged
against her in the PHILIPPINES. they are
exceedingly anxious for the Cubans to
accept autonomy. Why did they re-
fuse it before? Because they consid-
cred themselves strong and invincible.
Why do they offer it now? Because
they are convinced of their defeat.
This is a sign that victory waits for
the Cuban arms, since through force
Spain comedies at present what she
formerly refused to grant willingly.
spain desires to end the war i'm Gu
ba quickly, but she can only do so by
acknowledging the independence of
the island. Never before was Cuba
as strong as she is now. Spain has
never been so weak since the war be-
gan. 1t is ridiculous to ask the Gu
bans to give up when victory, final
and decisive, is about to crown their
Efforts