The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-09-23

Washington, September 22.--Offcial A.
patches received by one of the embs..,..
here from Havana confirm the reports n.
the colonial government ot''the islsna n
taking a hand in shaping the term. |.
which the evacuation shall be execu,.a
This, 1t is believed here, may deyelon so,.
new phases in the situation in Cuba. mi
colonial government was established M
Spain shortly before the war broke N,
there being cabinet of five officers N
Havana and q legislative body with tx.l
houses. 1t carried out in a measure MI
long pending plan of giving Cuba HON,
rule by means of an autonomous gova,s
ment, but while in name autonomous, n
was conte ndod by the insurgent elemeni|
that genuine home rule was lacking anAl
that their colonial regime was continu.l
ance of Spanish domination. 1t appeau
however, that these colonial authorities A.
taking very active part in the present ne.
gotiations and that there is more or lerI
cooperation between them and the SpanIn|
government. This creates condition hi
which the United States must deal not onl,l
VITA Spain, but with those who claim M
represent the island itself, free from Span.
ish control.
The colonial or autonomous administra.
ton is very thoroughly organized and u,l
exert much influence. 1t established req.
ulnr legation in Washington prior to ths
war with several prominent public men oil
Havana on the staff. 1t numbers in IN,
ranks much of the wealth of Cuba antI
claims to stand for the educated classes AL
against the insurgents and illiterates. Th,
makes two distinct Cuban classes ThsI
aitonomists who are cooperating with
Spain, and the insurgents, who are opposed
to Spain.
1t now seems clear from the official al
well. as the press reports from Havana and
Madrid that the autonomist element is TAX
ing up the claim first advanced by Spaii
that many incidental questions as to Cuhl
must be settled before the evacuation bel
gins. But the view among government OIL
fcials here is that the Cuban autonomists
as we'll as the Spaniards, have no questions
to advance or settle before evacuation ID
determined upon. The time and place Ill
evacuation is looked upon By the authonl
ties here as the only point involved and
there is likely to be a rude awakening III
the lro9 Nish element, either &.s autoncI
mists or as native Spaniards s'ho insis
upon bringing in the determination OF The
Cuban debt, future forms of government
rates OF tariff for Spain and many Other
subjects as a preliminary to evacuationl
The American commissioners, according vi
the understanding here, will insist on d
strict adherence to the protocol for an i'm
mediate evacuation of the island, and IL
need be, will submit an ultimatum againk
taking up subsidiary questions on Cubat
future.
While the Cuban colonial government b
thus combining with the Spanish govern
ment in bringing forward these incidents
questions. yet the opinion was expressed
today by a high diplomatic officer, base!
on recent advices from Havana, that a ser
GUS issue would be averted and that th
actual evacuation of the Spanish troops
from Cuba would begin within the neI
month. But it also appears that the evael
uation will cover a much longer time thai
has been anticipated. There are some 1oo,
600 Spanish troops in the island Allow
ing 1000 men on a transport and a vesse
leaving every day, it would be 100 days, or
over throe months. for the evacuation. But
the vessels are not available for TRIP
every day for 100 consecutive days, so thai
the time for departure would far exceed
three months.