Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-16
CONDITIONS IN CUBA
An Outline of the Plan for Self Gov
ernment of the Island.
THREE ELECTIONS BY THE NATIVES
Everything Done Under the Con-
troll of the Governor General.
THE CUBAN ARMY PROBLEM

copyright 1900. by ]. d. Whelpley0
Special Correspondence If The Evening Star
HAVANA. Cuba, February 10, 1900.
The Cubans are demanding the announce
ment Of some definite policy on the part
Of the nited States toward this island and
toward the people of Cuba The Americans
have - far in treating with the Cubans in
regard To Cuban affairs, spoken only in the
most general and indefinite terms. The
Cuhans are getting restless under this,
and in their Impotence for an independent
government are asking for an outline of
the program. They are given to under
stand that there is no definite plan yet
and that all depends upon the action of the
Cuban~ under the limited form of indie
prndrn,. given them by the Americans.
The Plan Outlined.
In rough. outline. as the plan has been
mad. by General Wood with the approval
Of the administration at home. the Ameri-
can scheme for the immediate and future
government of Cuba is about follows:
First. the municipal elections will be held
probably some time in May. At these cleo
tinus the suffrage will be restricted to those
who can read and write. to those who have
property and to those who are on the rolls
Of the Cuban army. When this is known 1t
will cause some talk, but no trouble to
speak of.
~ soon as the municipal governments
have been elected and installed in office
they will be empowered to do everything
necessary to carry complete govern
ment within their jurisdiction They will
be empowered to appoint, tax, expend. i'm
prove and organize. nearly as they may
will There are 131 municipalities on the
Island which will come under the provisions
Of this act These will be given year in
which To govern themselves. the Americans
keeping watch to see that everything goes
without danger to life, property or jus
ticr- If these local governments are sue
cess the first year. there will pc another
election held in 1901. AT that election the
municipal offices will again be filed, and in
addition t" that. provincial state legis-
nature will he elected in each of the six
provinces. Thus will the government be
continued for the second year.
The Third Election.
If al the end of that period the situation
still looks favorable. the third election will
provide for municipal and state govern
rnenls. and in addition to these will elect
delegates TO a constitutional convention to
meet for the purpose of framing a funda-
mental law for the island. After this body
has met deliberated and given forth its
work. il will first need To be approved by
the government of the United States and
Then submitted To the people of Cuba for
their adoption or rejection. as the case may
hF 1hlS consultation Will OF necessity de
eide to the qualifications of voters pro-
Nid" for the election of president and a
congress and otherwise complete the po-
Hucal structure which has been built up
from the bottom and which will then
theoretically at least, need but the capstone
70 complete II. If the Cuban government is
then a success and all has gone well and
promises well for the future the inaugural
ion Of the Cuban president would mean
the withdrawal of the American governor
general.
Five Years Mt the Least.
This, then is the American plan for the
immediate political future of Cuba, and the
only limit set so far to the term of Amer
Jean occupation. 1t means five years at the
very least before the United States will
have no further need for a governor of
Cuba. but this is all supposing that every
thing runs like clockwork until the plan
works out to a finish. That it will not do
:" seems not only inevitable, but is the
opinion of the men who have made the
pan Ihey see no escape from this con-
dition for many sections of the island as
result Of home rule. The basis of the
American occupation of Cuba, however,
les in the promise of freedom for Cuba and
That must. under the circumstances be the
guiding principle of all official acts If the
CUbdns prove themselves incapable of self
government that Is another matter, to be
dealt with later when all restrictions upon
the American policy in Cuba have been re-
moved by such discovery officially an
nounCed.
The cubans are talking OF an American
occupation of months; the Americans are
talking in years. and several years at that
1t Is ON this point that the trouble between
the Cubans and the United States govern
lnent Will come. and while no one will off,
cidlly predict 1t all can see il assuming
more or less definite proportions in the flu
ture. Nothing has been done by the Amer
leans during the past year of control which
has brought Cuba any nearer to self-gov-
errmenL The cities have been cleaned
order restored and the functions of govern
1nent resumed, but all under American d.
rectton and detailed control. The first step
toward Cuban government will not be
taken until the ballots are cast in May for
municipal officers. and this will be nearly
two Years after Santiago FELL or eighteen
months after the Americans succeeded to
the entire control of Cuba.
The Cuban Army.
A most serious factor in this demand for
American withdrawal is the interest of the
la;s Cuban army. There are now $1,000
llaInes on the rolls OF that army This not
only entities these men TO vote but, what
= more. IL entities them to pay for the
time they were in the service Each mus
trr-out paper bears upon its face care
fully annotated. the amount due the sob
der from the state. The privates are to
receive $50 a month and the generals 800
L. these soldiers is now about s5S 900 900
which cannot, or will not, be paid until
Cuba has congress of her own and is
free from the restraining hand of the
United States. The ex-soldiers are voters
many of them are leaders. and to man
they are politicians, for il is in the blood
This diSbanded army is a force for haste
that must be gravely considered in all mat
ters affecting the American occupancy of
Cuba
Claims of Insurgents.
In This connection IL must be considered
that these military service warrants are ne
gotiabie. It is said even now that an Amer
lean syndicate Is proposing to buy them all
81 heavy rate Of discount depending upon
political and commercial influence to have
them paid in full with interest In the near
future In this there is also an element OF
Danger, for the presence of such a syndi-
cate In Cuban politics and affairs would be
a mdleVolent influence. Even IL the deal
+ mol contaminated IL will keep the matter
very much TO the front and cause a con-
slant agitation for the payment Of these
claims These bills for the war, however
high they may seem. will probably be con-
stdered just by the Cubans and with the
political influence behind the measure and