Evening star., 1898-12-23
Question of Franchises in Cuba and
Porto Rico Considered.
VETO POWER OF MILITARY GOVERNORS
What Was Accomplished at the
Cabinet Meeting Today
SOME OF THE CALLERS


dent and his cabinet guard the interests
of the people of the new possessions and
look far ahead in protecting this admins
tration against charges of any kind was il
lustrated today by agreement reached
at the cabinet meeting instructing the mil
itary governors of Cuba and Porto Rico to
be exceedingly careful in approving fran
chises to be granted by the municipal gov
ernments of those islands. 1t will be re-
membered that at a meeting of the cabinet
some time ago a stop was put to the au-
tonomist government of Cuba peddling out
franchises for street railways, gas con-
Germs, electric lighting companies, etc. At
that time various concerns. were securing
monopolies in the way of franchises. These
were disputed by people who wanted fran
chises. The autonomst government ex-
pected to make lots of money out of fran
chises which it really had no power to
grant permanently. The same thing is to
be reckoned with when the United States
takes charge. The municipal governments
are to continue civil control of cities and
towns. Spectators are eager to secure
franchises of every kind, inasmuch cap
1tal is expected to rush into the islands
to develop modern conVeniences. The temp
tation to the municipal authorities will be
great, and If LEFT without restrictions fran
chises would probably be granted with
free hand to be followed by accusations of
fraud and dishonesty When the Cubans
obtain possession of the government they
would have few rights left.
Veto Power of Military Governor.
The military governor of Cuba will be in
structed to carefully ascertain the facts
about all franchises granted and to disap
prove of such as he does not think ought
to be granted. He will have unlimited veto
power in this respect. The order will, it is
thought res lit in curtailing numerous wild
cat schemes and putting the matter of
franchises on Legitimate and cautious
basis. The interests of the CubanS will he
protected and the good name of the United
States viii not be brought into question. 1t
is likely that the same order will soon be
sent to the Philippines.
The cabinet was not in session long, and
the time was devoted, it is said to consid
Grafton of minor matters. The civil service
order is still unsigned, and will not be
ready before next week.
The ultimate decision IN the case of Capt.
Carter is some time off. Attorney General
Grisgs has the papers, and has been unable
to go into them. The papers are exceed
ingly vOlumnous. The President did not
have time to go through the papers and de-
eide the case, and asked the Attorney Cen
eral to act his assistant. Probably a
month will eiapse before the Attorney Cen
eral finds time to come TO a conclusion.
Quiet in the Philippines.
II Is StdtSH DS CABINET EltWDofS that nOth-
ing of consequence comes from the Philip
pines. The situation there is apparently
quiet and IS not so strained as TO cause no.
tice tc be taken by the officials. The ad-
ministratiOn believes that the insurgents
will quietly settle down. they have been
advised to do from the beginning, and VIII
cause no serious trouble.
senator Stewart Confident
Senator Stewart visited the White House
today to see the President but the cabinet
was in session and he decided to call again
The senator was asked about the contest to
come off in his state in January. The SEN
atOr did not talk as if he regarded the af-
fair as a contest" and was apparently
confident of an easy victory In returning to
the Senate. There has been some treach-
cry said the senator, but my friends
assure me that this will be punished and
that l will be returned"
Ex-senator Henderson Calls.
Ex-senator Manderson was at the White
House today. having been invited there by
the President, who learned that the Ne
braskan was in the city. Assistant Secre-
tary Meiklejohn, who may be the next
United States senator from Nebraska, was
at the White House about the same time
The visit of Mr.. Manderson is thought to
be the first he has made under this admin
istration. He has been in Washington only
once since President Mckinley was inau-
Guratcd, and then for day only
While it is claimed that there is nothing
significant in Mr.. Mandersons visit, many
people think otherwise. The English and
russian ambassadorships are places which
the President would like to fiji with men
of Mr.. Manderson's stamp. Since the Rus
sian mission has been raised to an embassy
It is position not to be turned aside
Pecuniarily the place is now as valuable
as any in the foreign service The great
part which Russia promises to play in the
east makes the mission one of the highest
Importance to this country The President
feeis that 1t must be filled by a man of
tact and talent, one who can hold his own
with the representatives of any power in
Europe. Senator Henderson, it is claimed
by friends, would fill the Presidents
measurements admirably. He could also
afford to take the place as he has the
means TO meet the heavy expenditures