The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-22
sPANIARDs MUST STAND ASIDE.

SPANIAHDS MUST STAND ASIDE.
It looks very much as If those who
were the leaders In the revolution in
Cuba are afraid they viii not, af-
ter ell, be put IN control OF the island
when the time for choosing a government
comes. The letter of Gen. Maxine Gomez,
published III our dispatches yesterday,
indicates the existence of this fear. In
his letter he says the coming constitu-
tional convention should consist wholly
of genuine revolutionists, and that no
body should be allowed to enter the con-
vention who formerly DETAINED the revo-
luton. Let the Spaniards stand aside"
he says. until all can enter equal
through the gates of the republic"
Some of the ablest men of Cuba were
not in sympathy with the revolution. In
fact, many of the largest property own
ers were against it. They are prepared
row. however, TO do everything in their
power to advance the interests of Cuba.
They have a great deal at stake, and in
legislative matters would naturally be
conservative. The revolutionary ele-
ment, however does not trust them fully.
According to its view there might be
danger that these property owners would
endeavor to open a way for annexing the
island to the United States.
In the Presidents proclamation provid-
ing for the constitutional convention, one
section defines the object of the conven-
ton as being ito frame and adopt
IL, T,,I1a
as a part thereof to provide for and
agree with the government of the United
States upon The relations between that
government and the government of
Cuba"
Against this portion of the proclama-
ton the President has already received
very strong protest from some of the
leading men of the revolutionary ele-
ment The basis of this protest is clear
ly the fear that the convention may be
composed of men who will fix the rela-
tions between the United States and
Cuba SO that annexation will be an easy
matter
Some of the sfgners of this protest say
that if the convention meets with authori-
ty to fix relations between Cuba and the
United states they will leave the con-
yention il they are members of it. 1t is
probably that they speak for the revo-
lutlonary element. This element is de-
termined, apparently, to control the con-
vention, and to make a constitution in
every respect satisfactory to itself. It
takes the position that it inaugurated
the revolution which resulted in separ-
ating the island from Spain, and that
therefore it should be entrusted with the
government when independence is at
tained.
It is probable that at the bottom of
the whole matter is the question of bur-
dening the island with "A big debt to pay
the claims of the soldiers of the revolu-
ton. If the revolutionary element gets
control it may be reasonably expected
that il will issue bonds 10 pey the claims
of all of those who took part In the revo-
luton. These claims might, and perhaps
would. amount to $100, coo. If the prop
erty holding element gets control of the
convention IL is safe to say that the
claims will be kept within a very rea-
sonable limit
VIII the President respond favorably
to the protest and change his proclama-
ton? It is doubtful. The objectionable
section was no doubt put into 1t for a
purpose, and after careful consideration.
But, if he does not change it, is there
not likely to be trouble over the conven-