New-York tribune., 1900-09-20
THE CUBAN CONSTRUCTION MAKERS.

| THE CUBAN COhOIIICJION MAhLhD.
The men who are to make the Cuban Con
stitution have now been chosen. They have
been elected by the free popular vote of the
! Cuban people, and are therefore to be supposed
to represent that people. The elections were
! conducted In an orderly manner, with no vlo-
lence, and with probably no frauds sufficiently
! extensive to affect the general result. 1t will
| not do to say, as a few have limited, that the
people of Cuba took no interest in the election
and that the Convention Will not fairly repre-
sent them. To say that would be to impeach
the Cubans fitness for self-government. For
| if they took no interest In this election, In
what conceivable election would they take In
| terest7 And If they have not now chosen true
| representatives Of themselves, how could repre-
sentative government of the island be secured?
| It is rather to be believed that as a rule they
have taken proper interest in the election and
| that the delegates chosen are fairly repre-
sentative of the electors of the island.
| 1t is observed that the Nationalist and Re-
| publican parties have been about equally sue
cessful in the election and that the Democratic
Union party has been badly beaten, electing
only one or two delegates. AS the last named
has been regarded as the only party favoring
annexation TO the United States even
United States protectorate over Cuba, this result
is hastily deemed by some a conclusive proof
that the Cuban people Overwhelmingly in
favor of absolute independence. Such con-
clusion may, however, require revision. 1t is
perfectly we'll known that the Democratic
Union party. which Is the conservative party.
composed of substantial business men and land
owners, was publicly represented only little
while ago as opposed to annexation or protec-
ton or any special United States influence in
the island, while many members Of the other
parties. including some Of the most ardent revo-
lutionists were strongly in favor Of some such
connection with this country. In at least one
province the Republicans are now, since the
election, outspoken for annexation. Moreover,
there were in this election various fusions and
combinations of the parties. In some places
Nationalists and Democratic Unionists united
against the Republicans. and in others Repub-
licans and Democratic Unionsts united against
the Nationalists. 1t will be judiciOus, therefore
to wait until the convention meets before try
ing to determine what will be its attitude on the
question of relations with the United States.
As for the contention that the Constitutional
Convention should have nothing to do with
that subject IL seems altogether illogical and
unreasonable On the contrary, that is the
first question the Convention should consider.
II would not do So of course, If Cuba We're
now an independent State. But Cuba is,
and viii be when the Convention meets, de-
pendent State under the tuteage and control
of the United States. It would certainly be in
cumbent upon the Constitutional Convention
at the very beginning of its deliberations. to
decide whether that status is to be continued
or terminated and whether il is to draft a con-
sttution for a dependent or an Independent