The principal reforms promised by the
Sagasta ministry were: First, autonomy or
self-government for Cuba ; second, to extend
the zone of cultivation, or in other words to
make longer the dead lines that environed
the starving women and children known as
reconcentrados. That Spain succeeded in
this cunning design of deceiving our govern-
ment is proven by the following extract
from the President's message to Congress :

" It is honestly due to Spain and our
friendly relations to Spain that she should
be given a reasonable chance to realize her
expectations and to prove the asserted
efficacy of the new order of things to which
she stands irrevocably committed. She has
recalled the commander whose brutal orders
inflamed the American mind and shocked
the civilized world. She has modified the
horrible order of concentration, and has
undertaken to care for the helpless and per-



WBTLEB'8 BARBABITIES. 197

mit those who desire to resume the cultiva-
tion of their fields to do so, and assures them
of the protection of the Spanish Government
in their lawful occupations."

Autonomy proved a dismal failure. It
may be doubted whether its projectors ever
believed it could be anything else. The
insurgents, understanding better than we
the treachery of the whole business, refused
even to consider the proposal. Their motto
was "Independence or death," and they
showed their earnestness by warning their
enemies that anyone approaching them with
an offer of bribery or persuasion would be
killed. This warning, fearful as it was, was
executed to the letter upon more than one
who chose to disregard it.
