The herald., 1898-09-23
AUTONOMISTS IN CUBA
WANTAFMaER IN EVACUATION
PIE MAKING
A RUDE AWAKENING LIK2lY
r Any Attempt Is Made to Delay
Evacuation by Bringing Up
Other Questions
Associated Press Special Wire.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22.-Oficiai dis
matches received by one Of the embassies
here from Havana confirm The reports thai
the colonial government Of the island Is
taking a hand IN shaping the terms on
which the evacuation shall be executed
This, it is believed here, may develop some
new phases in the situation in Cuba
The colonial government was establishee
by Spain shortly before the war broke out
lhere being a cabine; of five officers at
Havana and a legislative body with the
houses 1t carried out in a measure the
,onK-pending plan Of giving cuba nome
rule by means Of an autonomous govern
ment, but whila in name autonomous, Il
was contended by the insurgent element
that genuine home rule was lacking, ana
that this colonia! regime was a continu-
ance of Spanish domination. II appears
however, that these colonial authorities are
taking a very active part in the present
aegotia tons, and that there is more or less
cooperation between them and the Span
Ssh government. This creates condition
In which the United States must deal. not
only with Spain, but those who claim 10
repreent the island itself, free from Span
Ssh control. The colonial or autonomist
administration IS very thoroughly organ
lied and can exert much influence. 1t es-
.ablished a regular legation In Washing-
Ton prior to the war, with several prom
lnent public men of Havana on the stan.
II numbers in its ranks much of The wealth
of Cuba, and claims 10 stand for the edu-
.ated classes as against the insurgents and
lliterates
II now seems clear from the official a.
well as from the press reports from Havana
md Madrid tina, the autonomis. element is
taking up the claim first advanced by
Spain, that many incidental questions as -
Cuba must be settled before the evacuation
beglns. But the view among government:
officials here is that the Cuban autono-
mists. as we'll as the Spaniards, have no
questions TO advance or settle before evac-
uation is determined upon. The time and
place Of evacuation is looked upon by the
authorities here as The only point involved,
md there Is likely to be rude awakening
II the pro-Spanish element, either as au-
Economists or as native Spaniards, insist
upon bringing in the determination Of the
Cuban debt future forms of government i;
rates Of tariff for Spain and many other
subjects as preliminary to evacuation.
The American commissioners. accord
ing to the understanding here, will insist
On a strict adherence to the protocol for an
evacuation of the island, and If need be,
will submit an ultimatum against taking up
subsidiary question of Cuba's future.
While the Cuban colonial government is
thus combining with the Spanish govern
ment In bringing forward these incidental
questions, yet the opinion was expressed
today by a high diplomatic officer, based
On recen. advices from Havana, that a Sc
rious Issue would be averted and that the
actual evacuation Of the Spanish troops
from Cuba would begin within the next
month. But 1t appears that the evacua-
lion will cover much longer time than
mas been anticipated. There are some 10O-
100 Spanish troops on the island. Allowing
1000 men on transport and a vessel leav-
Ing every day, t would take 100 days, or
over three months, for the evacua ton. But
The vessels are not available for a trip
tvery day for 100 consecutive days, so that
the time for departure would probably far
exceed three months.