Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-19
Three MEMBERS ARE CUBANS
MAY ALSO CONSIDER OTHER MAT.
TIERS 1T IS SAID.
ban People Would Be Satisfied
With Autonomy After Fair
Trial-LoOks for No
War.

assemblage Of officials representing in their
several capacities the Spanish govern
ment and the new insular government of
Cuba, met here to-day. They included the
Spanish minister. who. in this instance,
acts as the special plenipotentiary officer
to negotiate commercial treaties; Senior
Manuel Rafael Anguelo, special delegate Of
the Cuban government: Senor Leonine
varela, secretary of the chamber Of COM
Senior Cadrana, of the Cuban finance di-
vision, joint commissioner. Primarily,
these officials have met to open the nego-
tiations for commercial treaties between
the United States, Spain and Cuba, but in
view Of the present condition of affairs, it
is not improbable that their connections
with all the official branches of the Span
ish and Cuban governments will permit
their deliberations to take wider range.
Senior Varela comes direct from Havana,
accompanied by Senior William Oracle, his
secretary. Senior Anguelo came from Ha-
vana some weeks ago. stopping first at
New York, and arriving here last night.
He is accompanied by Madame Anguelo.
Senior Cadrana will arrive tomorrow, being
tion Of Senior Cadrana's arrival, the Span
ish minister has conferred with Commits
sioner Kasson, with a view to making
general arrangements for the opening Of
negotiations.
The reciprocity treaties which It is pro-
posed to negotiate have been under con-
sideration by both governments for some
time, and considerable preliminary work
was accomplished by Minister Woodford
and the Spanish authorities at Madrid.
This Is now to be carried forward and In
execution of the autonomy plan, that gives
the Cubans control of their tariff affairs.
Messrs. Angulo, Varela and Cadrana have
been designated by the Cuban cabinet to
represent that body. Coming at this time
Of emergency, however. the suggestion has
been made that the Cuban commissioners
would not confine their efforts strictly to
commercial affairs If the opportunity pre-
sented of aiding a reconciliation of the in
surgents.
That this is in view cannot be confirmed
in any official quarter, but it is thought
that such a move would be made II there
were any promise of its success.
Senor Anguelo, who is at the head Of
the commission appointed by the Cuban
cabinet, talked freely to-day concerning
the purposes Of his mission. He speaks En-
glish only slightly and the interview was
conducted through his secretary, Senior
Cayas. Mr.. Anguelo said that his au-
thority was confined strictly to CONNER
cial affairs between the United States and
Cuba. The present emergency might in
volve features which the Cuban govern
ment would desire him to act on, but that
would require further instructions. as his
only present purpose was to deal with the
commercial treaty.
Mr. Anguelo said the Cuban people desr-
ed self-government. Heretofore they had
felt that Spain was not willing to grant
real autonomy. When, however, Spain put
into force the present autonomous plan. it
was accepted by the most advanced au-
Economists in Cuba as fully meeting their
desires. He and others who had always
belonged to the radical autonomist wing
were convinced. he said, that when the
passions of the moment passed away. all
Cubans would accept autonomy as giving
them home rule in its fullest sense. The
delay in subduing the insurgents and the
failure of that element to accept auton-
omy was due. Mr.. Anguelo said. to the
passions engendered by General Weyler's
policy. He said he felt satisfied that when
the influence of the Weyler regime died out
and normal conditions were restored, the
people throughout the island would accept
autonomy as the thing for which they have
been striving many years.
AS a member of the radical autonomist
party, Mr.. Anguelo said it was his deliber-
ate opinion that the plan now offered by
Spain was a complete system Of local self
government, although, like every human
effort, it was subject to certain improve
ments in its administrative features.
AS these changes did not affect Spanish
sovereignty, he had no doubt Spain would
accept them when they were brought for
ward in proper form, as the Spanish gov
ernment had always declared that it wished
not for autonomy in mere name, but in
reality. Mr.. Anguelo said these mod.nca-
tions in the autonomy plan were quite
lengthy and had been placed in the form
Of a manifesto by the autonomist party
of Cuba
Mr.. Anguelo stated that he had no doubt
that the Cuban problem would be solved
without a conflict between the United
States and Spain. 1t would have been set
tied before this time. he said, if the pres
ent agitation had not influenced those who
were about to accept autonomy and in
duced them to adopt an expectant attitude.
When asked as to the ppresent war prep
arations and the prospect OF q conflict be-