The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1898-02-07
THE SITUATION IN CUBA
An Interesting Exposure of the Autonomy Fraud by
Great Magazine
Great Magazine.

with Spain under actual local govern
ment carried on by the leaders Of the eX-
listing Instruction. And finally, for the
insurgents themselves there has never
been the slightest reason to suppose that
the autonomy proposals would have any
attraction whatsoever for them. They
looked upon the recall Of Weyler and the
new Sagasta-Blanco policy public
confession of weakness and despair on the
part of Spain, and they took heart accord
ingly. believing the end to be near
What "Autonomy' Was Meant To Ac-
complish
The real fact is that the autonomy
scheme was intended to delude for a time
the people of the United States, with the
Industrious assistance of certain American
newspapers and certain business interests
that have discovered reasons of their own
for helping the Spanish government in its
cndeavors to mislead American public opin-
ion. The plan by which in Cuba 1t was
hoped that the bogus autonomy proposals
might be used in way to iniure TIE m
Surgents ought also to be clearly under
stood. Instead of having these proposals
submitted in straightforward and proper
manner TO the central authorities, civil and
military, of the Cuban republic it was the
plan Of Governor General BIanco to send
emissaries into detached camps, with spe-
cd Inducements to the leaders of a great
These emissaries were carefully selected
with reference to the leaders. whose dcfec-
ton 1t was hoped to accomplish. Wherever
possible the enliSSnry was an Old-time aC
quantance or friend of the leader to whom
he was sent When these emiSsaries were
dispatched as peace commissioners to the
various insurgent camps, the pro Spanish
press was supplied with endless false dis
patches announcing the actual II pres pee
tive acceptance of the autonomy plan by
one and another OF the insurEent chieftainS
The game as a whole was an extremely
adroit one and nothing more sahmeessly
mcndacious was ever attempted. These dc
tachcd Cuban leaders were all of them
sworn to do battle in good faith for Cuban
independence and 10 obey absolutely the
orders of their superors. This fact was
well known by the Spanish governor gen
cra1 and his cm;ssaricS. Nevertheless. the
literary bureau Of the governor general was
sending out false reports of the desertIon
of one after another of these Cuban chief
tains from the patriot cause.
The Execution of Colonel Ruiz.
After a while, however the SDaniards
were not able further TO suppress the news
that their em&sarieS were not refurhln9'
and in .a,e time the world received the
shocking announcement of the execution OF
General Blanco's aid-de-aamp, C-lGnel Eulzs
who had been sent to the camp OF
the insurgent chief Rodriguez. Ruiz had
been tried 10y a Cuban Courtmartial, con-
demned to death and Immediately Shot'
There has been Il great deal OF cohdeillha-
ton of the Cuban insurgents as harbaflans
in view Of this action. j should he borne
in mind, however that deadly warfare eX-
lists in Cuba, and that the "misS2fleS OF
General Bianro were not IN Good
faith carrying peace proposals 10
the insurgents, but were using the