The times., 1897-12-01
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER l. 1897.
Cuban Autonomy

Tie coUatry now has before it the full
text OF tho ssgasfa hypocrisy of autonomy
for Cuba. and also the diplomatic com
nieuts upon the same offered by Senior
Dupuy de LONE, the Spanish minister at
Washington F,om careful analysis
OF both there is deduced the iuevitanle
CONCLUSION that the whole scheme is "a
patchwork Of Spanish humbug anil du
pI.citg, UPON the showing Of one of th-
persons most interested in making 1T APP
pear otherwise.
Before even very briefly discussing the
"details of ghc plan, ii Is well for the people
Of America To understand distinctly that
TIE grant Of autonomy - Cuba has not been
made in ans legal OF binding fo.nl. a
Toyal dec:ee. embodyfng the reforms
proposed 10y scnor saeasta, has been issued
g. Madrid. That decree is not law. on
the contrary IL has no more legal weight
than the recommendation which Presi-
dent Mckinley viii make to the Coneres,
next week. Itis amatter which theories
u be elected next March, wiz take up
aud consider exactly as the Senate ana
House Of Representatives win consider
the Executive message. IL, in the mean
time the Cuban Republic could be caiol ID
or ooeroed into submission, tie Cores
could, and would, ignore the whole busi-
ness. The Mckinley Administration is
acting upon the ass umption that the
''autouomy'' which Sagasta and the Queen
Regent offer to Cuba. Is in good faith ana
legally presented for the acceptance Il
the island Nothing could be further from
the truth. For its validity, the enure
scheme tests uIon the chance that it may
prove satisfactory to Cortcs to be elected
next year.
That being tue, the statement Of sen5r
Dupuy de LONE that 1T is a measlle
which viii stand the closest scrutin v merely
is amusing It is not measure at all.
except that it is a tentative proposition
q no present force or effect, which may
OF may not be adopted by the law making
power Of Spain. If it were different, if
# We're law, and promulgated in good faith,
which notoriously it is not. the scheme
Of autonomy would be obnoxious to every
sentiment Of right OF Justice.
sagafta'e plan, represented in the royal
decree, amounts 70 this; Cuba is to have
nominal local self-government. 1t Will con
Klst Of a governor general and a BIZ
cameraI Legislature, divided into Council
OF Administration and Chamber Of Rep
resentatives. Tile powers of the governor
general under this proposed system are alb
solute. If any act of the local legislature
appears TO him in conflict with Spanish
interests he may refer it to the Spanish
cortes, which, within two months, wiz
ratify or abrogate it. 1t would be un-
necessary TO 20 step further in the ar
gument. That oyisfondenounces the thing
as a fraud.
The upper house, called the Council Of
Administration, is to consist of thirty-ftv
members, seventeen Of whom are TO be
elected from Spanish subjects having an
annual income Of "a 900, and eighteen-a
ma iority-are to be appointed for life by
the crown. As the war has not left
single Cuban patriot with an income Of
$1,000, II is evident that no one of the
native and republican class would be
eligible, for some time to come, at least.
So the Council Of Administration would
bemade upofa ma jority OF Spanish office
holders appointed for their hatred Of Cuba,
and minority Of Spanish tools elected
for the same reason. The Chamber OF
Representatives, powerless in face of the
governor general and the upper house, VIII
be elected by popular suffrage-one
member to each 25,oGo inha bitants. This