The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-12
POLICY AS TO CUBA
SAGASTA'S PLAN OF AUTONOMY Eek.
Planned BY THE MINISTER.
The Coming Commercial Treaty NegO.
tiatfons-Our Flour to BE Given
Extra Concessions.

first time since his arrival consented to
| speak concerning Spanish affairs, observing
such reticence on certain phases as diplo-
matte propriety required. Since the minis
| ters arrival he has received a cablegram
from Captain General Blanco, stating that
the Cuban Cabinet had designated Seniors
Sevallios, of New York, and Barilla, sec
rotary of the Havana Chamber of Com
merce, to act with Senior Angulo in r1ego-
tiating a commercial treaty between the
United States and Cuba. The minister re-
ferred incidentally to this fact, as he re-
garded it as another evidence of the COM
plete autonomy which Spain had granted
to Cuba Although Senior Polo will be the
| plenipotentiary in arranging Cuban treaty
the Cuban delegates above named by the
Cuban Cabinet will have entire control or
| the terms of such a treaty.
Speaking of the present policy of Spain
in giving autonomy to Cuba, the minister
| said: THE government has granted auton-
omy on the broadcast and most liberal lines.
| 1t is designed to give to the Cuban people
the complete direction Of their internal af-
| fairs, thus gratifying the honorable ambi-
| ton of the Cubans, while at the same time
| maintaining the historic allegiance of Cuba
| as a colony OF Spain The government is
| not executing this plan grudgingly, or with
| any technical restrictions. On the con-
| trary, it appreciates that the largest degree
| of prosperity for the island may be eX-
| pected from such measure of reform as
| will meet the cherished expectations of Gu
bans loyal to Spain. Already much has been
| accomplished and there is the fullest con-
| fdence that the plan will be carried into
| full execution. Naturally with an insurrec-
| ton dragging towards it's close, there are
| difficulties in the way of a complete reali-
cation of plans so comprehensive as to en-
| brace the entire internal machinery of
| Cuba. The Autonomist Cabinet is organized
and in its hands is the direction of the
domestic affairs of the island, pending the
! meeting of the Cuban Parliament. The
date for the parliamentary elections and for
the assemblage of the Senate and House
have been fixed as Senior Moret, minister
| of the colonies, told me just as 1 was about
to sail that the decree fixing the date of
| the election in Cuba was about to be signed.
With the elections held, Cuba will have for
| the first time a Parliament of her own,
| capable of dealing with all her domestic
affairs. Thus complete plan of local gov
| eminent will be in operation with an execu-
| tive branch and a legislative branch. The
full meaning of this should be appreciated.
The governor general, who is the repre-
| sentative of Spain in Cuba will no longer
| govern in the complete sense, but it would
be more accurate to say that he will reign
| under the restrictions placed on a consti-
| tutional executive The naming Of Cuban
delegates to come to Washington and ar
| range a commercial treaty shows how fully
| the plan of autonomy grants to the CubanS
| control of their own, affairs. These dele
| gates will have in their own hands the
making of this tariff arrangement and
without them l could do nothing. In short,
| Spain has adopted this plan of autonomy,
| believing it to be the surest means of
| bringing peace and prosperity to the island,
and it is putting the plan into operation
with the utmost dispatch, confident that
| in the end it will accomplish the good pur-
| pose for which it was designed"
| HIS VIEW OF CURRENT EVENTS.
| When Senior Polos attention was drawn
to recent critical phases of the Spanish sit
uation he spoke with much reserve. The
| Lee incident happened while he was on the
ocean, and he knew nothing, he said, of the
circumstances, although he felt confident a
misunderstanding had grown out of some
casual illusions to General Lee, not meant
| as any intimation that his recall was de-
sired.
The minister was then asked if he viewed
the present condition of affairs between the
United States and Spain as indicating war.
After a moments hesitation, he answered
| gravely: II am sure that the United States
does not want war, just as 1 am sure that
| the Spanish government does not want war,
| and will do everything honorable in it's
power to avert such q calamity"
Senior PoloS first official business after
| ms credentials are presented to the Presi-
dent will be in connection with the new
commercial treaty between the United
! States Spain and Cuba. He comes fully in
| structed on this subject, and before leaving
| Madrid he talked over the several plans
with the United States minister, Mr. Wood
| ic NOT vat 6ofar
there shall be two treaties, with Spain and
Gu3a ;sep1arately or one with Spain which
meets our reciprocity commissioner, Mr..
| kasson, he does not care to discuss the
scheme of commercial exchange which is
under consideration. From other sources,
! however, the general plans were learned
| so far as the proposed treaty will affect
Spain, it is probable that the leading tariff
| concessions granted to American Imports
| will be on machinery, electrical appliances
| of all kinds and various woods which are
and cotton are the principal American i'm
| ports in Spain, but it is not probable that
duties will be reduced on these articles
They enjoy monopoly in the Spanish mar
| ket, and to this extent they receive all the
| benefit which Spain feels warranted in Civ
| ing them. Ihey are, moreover, among the
present rates are said to be such that they
could not be lowered without injuriously af-
| fecting the revenue In this connection it
is said that American cotton is finding a
large market in Spain, and that in the Cat
alOn1a district particularly at Barcelona
mammoth cotton factories are building In
speaking of this to a friend Senior Polo
stated that Americans would be surprised
to know that the output of Spanish manu-
featured cottons was now nearing If not
exceeding, the output in the United States
AS to the concessions which Spain homes TO
secure in the United States, it is under
stood that fruits will figure largely The
arrangement with Cuba will depend largely
on the wishes of the Cuban delegates
whose views have not yet been made known
to Senior Polo.
CUBANS WANT OUR FLOUR.
In one respect, however, Spain will make
a notable concession as between Cuba and
the United States. Heretofore Spain has in
sisted on certain preferential duties. by
which, in the case of flour, she supplied
flour to the entire Cuban market Spain
now recognizes the hardship of compelling
Cubans to go across the ocean for their
supply of the chief staple Of food when that
article can be secured in abundance at a
much lower rate from the wheat supplies of
the United States. In view of this feeling
Spanish preferential rate on -four, and will
leave the United States and Cuba TO effect
an arrangement by which this country will
hereafter supply the Cubans with this first
necessary of life How far the United
States can grant reciprocal concessions will
depens upon the meeting with Commits
.l.ner Kasson.
Senior Polo was formally received in his
.fficial capacity by Secretary Sherman and
Assistant Secretary Day at the State De-