The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-03
THE AU7ONOMlST CABINET.
spain's FINAL EFFORT TO Prevent War
and the Consequent Lows OF Gun"
and All Her Colonies

Now York. December 2,-'w8th the resig-
action OF the autonomist cabinet follow
Ing Captain General Blancos retirement
ends short ye, Interesting chapter OF MS
tory. says Il Havana correspondent OF the
Tribuae. This cabinet represented SPANS
tardy and despairlug effort to save her var
ishing sovereignty in the Antilles. Some OF
It's members will remain in the island ans
accept the new conditions, Others, It Is
reported. will end their lives in Spain.
though they are CUBAN born. They would
not bo In full sympathy with the future
government whether IL be an independent
one or lalAether annexation TO the United
Suites follows. This autonomist caoinsd
was appoiutsd last December and took of
lice January /. 1898. Its membership was
as follows.
president, without portfolio, Jose r..
Maria Galves. secretary Of the treasury.
Rafael Montefo; secretary of justice ami
| goverrineirt, Antonio Gown; secretary OF
| pubic Instruction. Francisco Seyas; sec
rotary of public works Edonardo Dais.
| secretary of agricul;ure and commerce.
/ The events of eleven months need not be
ted In detail to show that the last three
| departments we're not hurdencd With tunc-
tons. Thy were practically non~existcnt.
| This cabinet was made up With what ~
known as the historic and radical autonom-
/ lists With d "refoIntstN" or moderate sup.
porter OF Spanish sovereignty sandwichel
III between them, The hope WAS thHt tho
! radical members would be able To cXerciSa
4 Ii gersua$iye influerce II proved IA.
! lfacfocs orc. GOWN was the leading radical
| in tho cabinst. He had been an asSre ssive
supporter of autonomy from the beginning
| of chat movement and the Spanish coll
4 hnS tryH nj n
was n separatist. Whom the resurrection
! broke out he die mot join ii, but hts prin-
ctples and his sympathies were NJ we'll
known that he came under the ban OF Wey-
ler's suspicion Unable to identity himssIf
on tho one hand with the insurreaton and
ON the other hand unwilling TO indorse tho
1 policy OF the Spanish government In sup
/ pressing ii, he won't into voluntary exile
in the United States. He settled With his
family at Atlanta, Ga. and remained there
until the regime of autonomy was estab-
lished unaer Blanco. Then he accepted the
place in the antonomist cabinet aud ex-
erted himself heroicalty TO secure it's ac-
ceptance by tho Cuban people. GOWN is a
man Of executive force and while his posi-
tive character made enemies for him, 1t
also gave him strength. lie has been tho
most aggressive mcmbar of The cabinet
Rafael Monhoro was ihe leader of the his
toric autonomlsts. dis friends claimed for
| was better kucwn in Spain than any others
OF ,lie Cuban pnhliclsts. His WRITINGS had
made Tor him ~ European reputation and
he was not unknown Ia the United States.
! In Cuba ne was appreciated as a man Of
| letters, publiGlst aud an orator. But ho
! was mot bold leadar. lie feared the con-
sequences OF he SusurrecAon and said BIZ
! ter things about IT. He accepted the re-
| forms OF Canoyas as 4 step toward colonial
home rule. lIis taIsnts ware great. hut
he had lost the coutidence of his own peo-
pie. Though tho ables' AMI most con-
spicuous member OF the cabinet, his influ-
ence has not been marked. He is a be
Lever In the Latin race and II Is said OF
him that no prefers spending the renpainier
/ OF his life In Spain 10 watching Its contact
/ and possible conflict with Anglo-Saxon
i civilization In Cuba.
Galvez was son OF historic aitonomlst.
He was eminent Us an orator. He has been
credited with declaring that he would
! rather see Cuba siak under the sea tn
II should be Americaui2ed. But his friends
interpreted this MS "caanpalgn talk H.
was never violent supporter Of Spanish
sovereignty and wonld have been willing 70
witch Its gradual dlsappearence into taiaan
independence. He will probably remain In
the island.