Foster's Daily Democrat

FORM OF AUTONOMY
For Cuba Has Been Decided Upon by
the Spanish Government.

LACKS INDORSEMENT OF CORTES.

Minister De Lome Announces
the Concessions.

Washington, Jan. 1.—The form of autonomy which Spain is willing to grant to Cuba was decided upon in Madrid yesterday, at a council of the ministry presided over by the queen regent. The decree still lacks the official endorsement of the Cortes, but this, it is believed, will be easily obtainable when conditions have reached such a point that the Spanish authorities believe the reforms can be introduced in Cuba without disturbance and turmoil from any discontented factions. This information reached the Spanish legation last night, and Minister De Lome was authorized to make public the concessions agreed upon.

These reforms are to go into effect immediately in Porto Rico, and are announced in the desire to promulgate them as a New Year's gift to the citizens of Porto Rico.

These same measures of relief, it is said, will be announced in Cuba as soon as the pacification of the island is such that the reforms can be brought about without such revolt as would now be caused by the insurgents. It is claimed that should the rebellious portions of the island indicate their willingness to accept the system of home rule suggested by Spain, and cease the insurrection, that the reforms immediately would go into effect. Though the decree announced is intended at present for Porto Rico alone, when they are effected in Cuba they will be on an enlarged scale, and Porto Rico also will be favored with the larger rights allowed. Friends of the Spanish legation here state that those reforms were not brought about by the intermediation of the United States.

Senor De Lome said last night: The reform law was voted by the Cortes in February, 1893. It was accepted then by the autonomist party, and received a unanimous vote in the Cortes. Among the voters were such conspicuous autonomists as Montero, Giberga, Labra, Pando, Fernando and Gonzales, all Cubans. The leaders of the autonomist party of Porto Rico have been in Madrid this winter, and the royal decree entirely meets with their approval. What has been printed as a new plan of reform is nothing but the law of 1895, published by the Spanish legation in May last in the pamphlet entitled "Spanish Rule in Cuba." The restrictions on the appointment of counsellors are not against the people, but a restriction of the powers of the government. Nearly all the counsellors appointed by the crown are to be taken from the people that have received votes from the electors, or have been prominent in the business community or are among the principal taxpayers. Enrique Varona, the member of the New York junta, and even people now in the field, could be appointed counsellor by the crown and of course elected.

The object of the reforms in Cuba and Porto Rico is to transfer to the council of administration of each island powers which hitherto have been attributions of government officials and exercised in Madrid. The reforms as announced state that this council of administration is to be composed, in the case of Porto Rico, of six provincial assemblymen of the region in which the next biennial election shall take place, and six councillors appointed by the supreme government.

The council is to deliberate upon the general estimates of expenditures and revenues of the island; upon the general accounts which the finance department of the island must present annually within the six months following the end of the fiscal year; upon the removals or suspensions of mayors or aldermen, and upon the petitions for legislative reforms that emanate from the provisional assembly.

Porto Rico consists of one province, divided in two regions. In this it differs from Cuba, which is divided into six provinces.

The provincial assembly is to consist of 12 assemblymen, six from each region. Terms of office four years. The election to fill the vacant seats is to take place every two years, the region of San Juan voting at one election and the region of Ponce at another.

The provincial assembly to elect its own president, to judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of the assemblymen and to decide all questions referring to its own organization under the law.

Only the supreme court of the island shall have jurisdiction over the appeal from the decision of the provincial assembly in these questions.

The provincial assembly shall resolve in accordance with the laws and regulations, whatever it may deem proper for the management in the whole island of public works, posts and telegraphs, railways and navigation, agriculture, manufactures, trade, immigration and colonization, public instruction, charities and the health department without prejudice of the supervision and of the powers inherent to the sovereignty of the nation, which the laws reserve to the supreme government. Each year it shall prepare and approve the estimates, with sufficient appropriations for those departments and shall exercise the functions that the law of municipalities and other special laws shall attribute to it. It shall audit, and, in the proper cases, approve the accounts of the provincial revenues and expenditures, which accounts shall be rendered every year by the section of local administration, and shall determine the liabilities therein incurred by officials.

The revenues for its appropriations shall consist:

First, of the proceeds of the lands and rents that are the property of the province or of the institutions whose management pertains to the provincial assembly.

Second, of the surcharges which the law may authorize upon the taxes of the state, which are collected by the finance department of the island; and

Third, of the contributions it may demand from the municipalities, the contributions being apportioned among the municipalities in proportion to their revenues.

It shall be the duty of the governor general, as supreme chief of the authorities of the island, to carry out the resolutions of the council. For that purpose, as delegate of the governor general, the section of local administration of the general government of the island shall attend to all the departments included in the provincial estimates, the accounts which it shall keep, and shall be responsible for non-observance of the law and of the resolutions of the assembly.

Although the budget for the island must be finally voted by the Spanish parliament the Antilles send a numerous and powerful representation to the Cortes, enjoying in this respect a great advantage over the English colonies.