The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-04
TOWARD THESE MILLIONS WHOM WE,
HAVE FREED FROM AN OPPRESSIVE
NnRLr

HAVE FREED FROM AN OPPRESSIVE
YOKE.
THE WARDS OF THE NATION.
HAVE ON ANOTHER OCCASION
CALLED THE FILIPINOS THE WARDS
OF THE NATION" OUR OBLIGATION
AS GUARDIAN WAS NOT LIGHTLY AS
SUMED; 1T MUST NOT BE OTHERWISE
THAN HONESTLY FULFILLED. AIMING
FIRST OF ALL TO BENEFIT THOSE
WHO HAVE COME UNDER OUR FOS-
TERING CARE, 1T IS OUR DUTY so TO
TREAT THEM THAT OUR FLAG MAY
BE NO LESS BELOVED IN THE NOUN
TAINS OF LUZON AND THE FERTILE
ZONES OF MINDANAO AND NEGROS
THAN 1T IS AT HOME. THAT THERE
AS HERE 1T SHALL BE THE REVERED
SYMBOL OF LIBERTY, ENLIGHTEN-
MENT, AND PROGRESS IN EVERY
AVENUE OF DEVELOPMENT.
THE FILIPINOS ARE A RACE QUICK
TO LEARN AND TO PROFIT BY
KNOWLEDGE. HE WOULD BE RASH
WHO, WITH THE TEACHINGS OF CON-
TEMPORANEOUS HISTORY IN VIEW
WOULD FIX LIMIT TO THE DEGREE
OF CULTURE AND ADVANCEMENT
YET WITHIN THE REACH OF THESE
PEOPLE IF OUR DUTY TOWARD THEM
BE FAITHFULLY PERFORMED.
CONDITIONS IN PORTO RICO.
The civil government of Porto Rico pro-
vided for by the act of the Congress APP
proved April IL, 1900 is in successful OPP
GRAFTON. The courts have been establish
ed The Governor and his associates,
working intellgently and harmoniously,
are meeting with commendable success.
c+I, - oIar oil
tion was held in the island for members
of the Legislature, and the body elected
has been called to convene on the first
Monday of December.
/ recommend that legislation be enact
ed by the Congress comforting upon the
Secretary of the Interior supervision over
the public lands in Porto Rico, and that
he be directed to ascertain the location
and quantity of lands the title to which
remained in the Crown of Spain at the
date of cession of Porto Rico to the Uni
ted States, and that appropriations neces
sary for surveys be made, and that the
methods of the disposition of such lands
Represented by law.
THE ELECTION IN CUBA
On the 18th of July 1900, 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
stable and independent government in
the island. In pursuance thereof the
Military Governor issued the following
instructions:
WHEREAS. the Congress of the Uni
ted States by it's joint resolution of April
20, 1898, declared
'sThat the people of the island of Cuba
IF riorb no nd
independent.
"That the United States hereby dis
claims any disposition or intention to ex-
ercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or con-
troll over said island except for the pa
cificaton thereof, and asserts it's deter
mination, when that is accomplished to
leave the government and control of the
island to its people.
''And whereas, the people of Cuba have
established municipal governments. de-
irving their authority from the suffrages
of the people given under just and equal
laws, and are now ready, in like man
ner to proceed to the establishment of
a general government which shall as
sumo and exercise sovereignty. jurisdic-
tion, and control over the island.
Therefore, it is ordered that a gen.
eral election be held in the island of
Cuba on the third Saturday of September,
in the year ninteen hundred, to elect del
egates to convention to meet in the
city of Havana at twelve o'clock the
first Monday of November, in the year
nineteen hundred, to frame and adopt
a constitution for the people Of Cuba,
and as a part thereof to provide for and
agree with the Government of the
United States upon the relations to exist
between that Government and the Gov
eminent of Cuba, and to provide for the
election by the people of officers under
such constitution and the transfer of gov
eminent to the officers so elected.
''The election will be held in the sew
eral voting precincts of the island under,
and pursuant to, the provisions of the
electoral law of April, 1S,190O, and the
amendments thereof
The election was held on the 18th OF
September, and the convention assembled
on the 5th of November, 1900, and and
is now in session.
In calling the convention to order, the
Military Governor of Cuba made the fol-
lowing statement:
''As Military Governor of the island
representing the President of the United
States, I call this convention to order.
and adopt constitution for Cuba, and
when that has been done to formulate
what in your opinion ought to be the re-
lations between Cuba and the United
States.
"The constitution must be adequate to
secure stable, orderly, and free gov
eminent.
when you have formulated the rela-
tions 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 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 ef-restraint, and wise con-
servatism which shall characterize your
proceedings the capacity of the Cuban
people for representative government
may be signally illustrated
1.-THE fundamental distinction between