Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-12-06
AS no CUBA.
The Constitution, Completed,
VIII Be Transmitted to COngrens.

viii BE TRANSMITTED to Congress.
On the 18th day of July, 1900, I directed
that a call be issued for an election In
Cuba for members OF a constitutional
convention to frame a constitution, as a
basis for a stable. and independent gov
ernment I'm the island. In pursuance
thereof, the military governor ISSUED the
following Instructions:
Whereas. the congress- of the United
States, by dts joint resolution of April
THAT the people IL the island of Cuba
are. and of right ough 10 be free, and
independent;
THAT the United states hereby dis
claiIps any disposition or intention to ex-
erctse sovereignty, jurisdiction or con-
~fication thereof, and asserts its deter
mination, when hat is accomplished, to
leave the government and control or the
island to its people.
And whereas, the people of Cuba have
established municipal governments. de-
irving their authority from the SURFACES
of the people given under just and equita-
bic laws, and are now ready, in like
manner, to proceed to the establishment
of a general government, which shall
assume and exercise sovereignty, Jurts-
dictionN and control over the island:
Therefore, ii is ordered that a general
election be held in the island OF Cuba
on the third Saturday in September, IN
the year nineteen hundred, TO elect dele
gates to a convention to meet In the city
of Havana at IL O'Clock noon on the
first Monday of November. In the year
nineteen hundred, to frame and adopt
a constitution for the people of Cuba,
and as q part thereof. to provide for and
agree with the government of the United
States upon the relations that are to
exist between that government and the
government OF Cuba, and to provide for
the election by the people of officers
under such constitution n the transfer
OF government to the officers so elected
This election will be. held in the several
voting precincts OF the island under and
pursuant to the provisions of the cleo
toral law of April Is, 1900, and the
amendments thereof"
Gov. Woods Address.
The election was held on the 10Th OF
September, and the convention assembled
on the 9TH of November, 1900, and is now
in session.
In calling the convention to order, the
military governor of Cuba made the fol-
lowing statement:
military governor of the island,
representing the president of the United
states, l call this convention to order. 1t
will be your duty, first, TO frame and
adopt a constitution for Cuba, and when
that has been done, TO formulate what in
your opinion ought to be the relations be-
tween Cuba and the United States. The
constitution must be adequate to secure
a stable orderly and free government.
When you have formulated the rela-
lions which. in your opinion, ought to ex-
list between Cuba and the United states,
the government of the United States will
doubtless take such action on its part as
shall lead to a final and authoritative
agreement between the people of the two
countries to the promotion OF their COM
mon interests,
'All friends of Cuba will follow your
deliberations with the deepest interest.
earnestly desiring that you shall reach
just conclusions, and that by the dignity,
Individual self-restraint and wise con-
servatism, which shall characterize your
proceedings, the capacity of the Cuban
people for representative government may
be signally illustrated.
THE fundamenta distinction between
true representative government die
tatorship is that In the former every rep
r~esentatiye of the people,, in whatever Of
flee. confines himself strictly within the
limits of his defined powers. Without
such restraint, there can be no free con-
stitutional government. Under the order
pursuant to which you have been elected
and convened, you have no duty and no
authority to take part in the present gov
INNER of the island. Your powers are
strictly limited by the terms of that or
der"
When the convention concludes Its la
bors / will transmit TO the congress the
constitution as framed by the convention
for It's consideration and for u action
as II may deem advisable.