Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-11-08
FOR A CONSTITUTION
Cubans Meet to Frame Gov.
ernmental Foundation.
GOVERNOR WOODS OPENING ADDRESS
Senior LlOrente Chosen to Preside.
Resolutions of Praise For General
Wood and Gratitude to Presi-
dent of the United states.


dent of the United states.
HAVANA. Nov. 6.-The Cuban consti-
tutional convention met in the Marti
theater yesterday afternoon At o'clock.
Long before that hour the thcater was
crowded. Many thousands were unable
to gain admittance. and the streets In
the neighborhood were blocked with peo-
pie.
General Wood and his staff, accom-
panied by General Fitz-Hugh Lee and
his staff, received an ovation on enter
ing, the band playing "America. Senor
Cisneros and General Rivera escorted
General Wood to the platform. and he
almost Immediately opened the conven-
ton.
''As the military governor of the island
of Cuba and representing the president
of the United States" he said. Il call
this convention to order. Ii will be your
duty first of all 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.
'"rhe constitution must be adequate to
secure stable, orderly and free govern
ment. When you have formulated the
to exist 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 peo-
pie of the two countries to the promotion
of their common 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.
'"rhe fundamental distinction between
true representative government and a
dictatorship is that in the former every
representative of the people in whatever
office confines himself strictly within the
limits of his defined powers. Without
such restraint there cannot be 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 i'll the present government of the
island. Your powers are strictly limited
by the terms of that order
Before withdrawing General Wood
wished the delegates speedy and sue
cessful conclusion of their work. He said
that Chief Justice Perez would admins
ter the form of oath which the delegates
might select, and he concluded by APP
pointing Senor Figuereo, undersecretary
of state and government, as temporary
chairman.
The convention organized with Senor
Llorentc, justice of the supreme court, as
president and Senior Viluendo as secre-
tary. The following oath was then adj
ministered
I'VE, delegates elected by the people of
Cuba to the national constitutional con-
vention, swear faithfully to fulfill the du-
ties of our office. We publicly and sol
emnly renounce allegiance to or COM
pact made with any state or nation,
whether made directly or indirectly,
swearing to the sovereignty of the free
and independent people of Cuba and
swearing to respect the solution this con-
vention may adopt as well as the gov
ernment established by the constitution"
All of the 81 delegates were present.
Senor Aleman, who said that the con-
vention was ''only continuation of the
fight for independence" moved that the
regulations governing the ola CUBAN as
sembly at Yaya in 1896 be adopted. As
nobody seemed familiar with them the
convention adjourned until tomorrow at
p. m., when copies will be furnished to
the delegates.
The following resolutions were present
ed to the president of the convention just
before adjournment and will probably be
adopted today:
1.-The undersigned delegates propose
that the constitutional assembly adopt
the following resolutions:
"First.-That a committee of the as
sembly proceed Immediately to call on
General Wood and to manifest the salts
faction with which the delegates have
seen him carry out the difficult mission
intrusted to him.
''Second.-That the committee request
General Wood to cable to the president
of the United States as follows:
1.-The delegates elected to the consti-
tutional convention, assembled at their
inaugural meeting. greet with profound
gratitude and affection the president of
the United States of North America, and
they are satisfied with the honesty dem
onstrated in the fulfllment of the dec
larations made in favor of liberty and
the independence of the Cuban people