Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-28


the lifetime of Gen. Gomez.
By the act Of calling a constitutional
convention, the Amerieaa administration
Viii destroy what was left:of third party.
Ihis was known as the democratic union
party. 1t was an effort 70 consolidate the
conservative elements In, support Of the
continuance OF American administration
r through e.. definite period Of at least Ave
years. Its organizers took the ground that
the treaty OF Paris, rafber than joint
resolution of Congress, should be the basis
OF Cuban POLITICAL action, They included
of the conservative Cubaps who had taken
part in the Instruction, and the few
spaniards who identified themselves with
pubic a1airs: They had to meet the
The II timidity of their leaders in asserting
themselves destroyed the influence of the
democratic union party. It's members now
Vention as something that cannot be
avoided.
General Form of Government.
There has been discussion of the gen.
eral form of government which the island
shall have without regard to its foreign
relations or its relation to the United
states. Within a few weeks, when the
eiectlon manifestos will begin to appear,
Cuba will be paradise, or a wilderness,
or speculative politics. At present the de-
bate is over the relative merits of parlia-
mentary government as understood in
Great Britain and France, and congress
sional government practiced in the
United States.
Recently Rafael Montoro, the leader of
the old autonomists and the most intel
lectual public man that Cuba has pro-
dueed, declared his preference for the
BRUSH system. Some of his former OPP
ponents have assented to his view. They
like the notion of ministries rising and
falling. AS they put it, in the future gov
eminent OF Cuba they prefer a ministerial
cnttl 10 20 lon
tlal crisis, which runs through six months
or a year. This Is their way of looking
at an American national campaign. Not
withstanding this intellectual view it will
not be likely to find support when the
cuban government is In the processes of
formation. The Gomez following and the
predominant insurgent element and the
CubanS VINO have been in the United States
want congressional and executive govern
ment, such as obtains here and they will
have their way because they represent the
sentiment of majority of the people.
The Foreign Relations.
1t has been limited that some delicacy
is felt about the foreign relations of Cuba
after its own government Is set up. There
is no occasion for delicacy. Not simply the
intelligent Cubans but the mass of the
population, understand that the United
States will protect itself in discharging its
responsibilities. BY their own statements
of the United States must prevail and must
be supplemented by the physical influence
Wnich comes from geography and other
causes. Most of the public men in the
United States who We're strenuous for in
tervention have stated to the Cubans who
have sought advice that the idea of
independence will be encouraged, but that
there must be absolute safeguard
against paying the old Spanish debt or
mythical Cuban bonds. One senator told
a Cuban delegation that he thought the
finances and customs of Cuba would be
better off under American management
but he was willing that they should try
for themselves.
Gen. FitZhugh Lee whose popularity
among the Cubans has not been lessened,
be shown concusivelX that they are ca
pable of maintaining domestic order and
of protecting themselves from foreign ag-
gression the United States would maintain
a small garrison and Keep control of Moro
Castle. The commercial dependency of
Cuba on the United States will be the
greatest factor in influencing the constitu-
tional convention when it comes to DELHI
Grating on the form of government. Reel
procity is the only basis. Gen. James II.
Wilson, who has been ordered from the de-
partment of MatanZaS to China, has given
much study to these questions, and his
He has told them in substance that they
need not fear about having their political
independence. but If they want to set up
government which will be able to maintain
itself they would better make sure of the
reduced duty sugar. That is, in brief,
the whole question.
CHARLES NJ PEPPER