The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-03
Spain's Rejected Overture.


Cubans named by Blanco as member
of his autonomy cabinet, declines with
out thanks. In an interview prcmul-
gated at Atlanta, I'm which city he re-
sides, he says: when the peace of
Zanjon was signed it became evident
that the old method of governing Cuba
was at an end. The people of cuba
are OF Spanish blood, and naturally
there is that tradition Of race which
made many of them feel kindly to the
old peninsula. These men deemed that
it was possible to be true to Cuba and
legal to Spain at the same time. and
they organized the autOnomist party,
whose purposa was the preservation of
cuban interests. We Knocked at the
doors of Madrid i'm vain for rccogni-
tion. We pleaded with those in au-
thCrity to recognize the changed con-
dition Of things, and if our voice had
been harkened to, previous TO the COM
ing of General Weyier. there would
have been n chance To build up Cuba
as the eldest daughter of Spain. But
the cries from Cuba were ignored and
Il policy was entered upon, the sad re-
suits of which are, seen today IN the
devastation which spreads over the is
land and i'm the loss of human life
which has come upon the people of
CuLa.
II held my place of honor which my
party had given to me until I saw that
the die was cast, and that there was
nothing more to do. save TO leave the
result to the arbtrament of the sword.
| 1t is with this feeling that ] took my
| departure from Cuba and when, as |
stood upon the deck of the recednT
| American steamer. 1 watched FOR the
| last time the Spanish flag floating over
MORO Castle I declared that when l
returned, that flag should not be tloat-
| ing there. Since that time, | had heen
| living quietly in this city forming no
acquaintances OUTSIDE of the few Cuban
| friends who knew me, and awaiting
sCme new development which would
make it possible for me to return home.
| Now that the policy of General Wey-
ler has been abandoned and a different
one has been adopted by General Blan-
co pacific overtures have been made
which would have been gladly listened
to two years ago. If they had been
made then, what an amount of blood
and treasure would have been saved:
but unfortunately, the offer has been
delayed until Cuba is in no position to
try it.
In the first place, the autonomy it.
| self, which has been offered, is no
autonomy at all. 1t leaves Cuba but a
tributary to Spain, to be drained of its
resources for the uses of tine home
government, and to be allowed only the
remainder, if there should be any, for
local purposes Autonomy, as ] con-
ceive it, is something very different 1t
is an Independent government bearing
flial relations to the parent country
with responsible chamber and a re-
sponsible cabinet. Instead of that the
autonomy offered is organized in the
first place under the most favorable
circumstances With a majority chosen
hy Spain herself and through in-
fiuences governed by Spain, while the
native Cuban would at all times be in
the minority. Even II this objection
did not exist and the chamber provid-
ed for We're elected din ect by the people
of Cuba, such election under the pres
ent circumstances would be impossi-
Die, because the Cubans are either in
the field or in exile. while those who
would take part IN such elections
would be Spaniards or people under
Spanish influence. / would esteem it
a high honor to be called into Cuban
cabinet, having it's initiation from
among the people of Cuba, but ! wUG.d
scorn to be a member of tho cabl.,5 :
whose constituent parts would be
looked upon as the hirelings of Spain.
1t is an indignity, an indignity indeed,
to ask Cuban to accept such a place,
and a Cuban who would accept such a
place is doing himself an indignity."
1t is now alleged by the Spanish Of
fcials that Senior Gown has been won
over to the autonomy movement in
spite Of the foregoing statement and
will qualify this week. such a result
would not rebound to Senor GOWNS
credit nor aid the prospects of Spain.
Dignified rebuke is administered by
the Washington Star to Bishop Potter
when, taking notice of his recent as,
sertion that the United States haG
reached and passed the summit of It's
prosperity it says: Exactly what con.
stitutes prosperity i'm a country is 6
topic too extensive to be settled off
hand. Commercial Importance, intel
lectual progress and the physical com
fort of the masses have all to be con
/, sidered in connection with other points
: and II rather rash to assume that tn,
continent has thus soon exhausted Il
: self where there is so much to be ac
complished." There is reason to fea
; that Bishop Potter has mental dyspep
: sia.
y In it's files i'm the seven months from
" June /, '97, to Jan. l, 9S, the Buffal
Express has counted II cases of lynch
n ing in the United States and is by n
4 means sure that the list is complete
u We wonder whether there have beel
one-half that many legal executions
I Probably not.
e In Pennsylvania there are 1172 build