The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-28
A MUGWUMP ON CUBAN
AUTONOMY.

Lie New YORK Evening POST has
never been considered as friendly to
the Cubans; in fact, it has been gener-
ally regarded as anti-Cuban; hence it
is that its comments on the scheme of
Cuban autonomy have an interest
above those of many papers. It com
ments on the new home rule constitu-
ton for Cuba, the full Spanish text
now having been received in this coun-
try, in part as follows:
A defect, or danger, in the form of
this grant of autonomy at once con-
fronts the reader. 1t is made by royal
decree, bearing date Nov. 20, 1897. This
is a legal procedure, when the cortes
are not sitting, but it requires the sub
sequent approval of the cortes. But
this approval may not be given, and
| then the whole edifice would fall to the
ground. This peril is recognized in the
eXpository portion of the document,
when Prime Minister Sagasta regrets
the necessity of resorting to the royal
decree, but expresses the hope that
public opinion will support him, and
that the sanction of the cortes" will
be given in due time. If the plan
works well, if the Liberals can keep
their heads above water, the sanction
will no doubt be forthcoming when the
corteS are summoned but if not, not.
1t would also appear that the cortes
retain the right at any time to repeal
or amend the Cuban constitution at
their own pleasure. At the outset,
therefore, one sees how far the grant
of home rule to Cuba is from being Sc
cure and unconditional. 1t is, in fact,
very much like our boosted home rule
in New York City-subject to constant
interference, of even absolute repeal, by
the legislature.
Nor can one read far in the provisions
of the decree without seeing that the
sovereignty of Spain in Cuba is in
tended to mean something widely diff
ferent from the sovereignty of Eng
land in Canada. 1t is to be not only
an acknowledged sovereignty, but an
active and controlling sovereignty.
This is, in truth, frankly avowed by
Sagasta. His first concern, he declares,
has been to draw constitution which
should affirm and strengthen the
bond of sovereignty" The central
authority" he adds, has been lin no
wise lessened or weakened" Inspec-
ton of the chapters relating to the
colonial legislature. judiciary and
finance, will show that this confidence
is not misplaced.
In the face of these critical features
of the home rule scheme for Cuba, it is
I
control of local affairs that really is
given OF seems to be given. The
great essentials of government
are kept strictly within the grasp
of Spain; the rest may be a pretty
plaything, but it does not count. Senior
Moret the minister for the colonies,
who is supposed to have drawn this
Cuban constitution, is a man who has
lived in England, and has made a
study of English colonial legislation.
References to British examples of
colonial government appear in the ex
pository part of his work. But he puts
aside English models in favor of
form which is characteristic of the
system of SPAIN There is his fatal
vice. Despite what he himself calls
the immense calamities (inmensas
tristezas) of our colonial history" he
adheres to the system which has been
their chief cause, and offers form of
! autonomy which. even if put forward
in perfect good faith, even if operated
with the best intentions, could prove
only a mockery and a source of fresh
disaster to the Cubans.
When so prominent Mugwump pa
per as the Post makes such admissions
as these, all may be satisfied that the
scheme of Cuban autonomy is nothing
but a Dead Sea apple. In the Spanish
language, autonomy is nothing but
synonym for tyranny.
In Spain there is a form of constitu-
tional and parliamentary government,
but it is form without substance.
/ Spanish sovereignty is to be main
tanned over the island. And what does
sovereignty in Spain mean? The di-
vine right of the king; and Spanish
sovereignty in Cuba means the same
! thing. For the Cubans to accept the
proffered autonomy would be for them
to acquiesce in Spanish rule as it is,
with slight and unimportant modifca-
lions. 1t would seem that things must
become worse in Cuba before they can
become better.