Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-19

As to the naturalization requirement.
the disposition Is to tx the period at
five years, the same as In the United States.
The autonomist constitution which Spain Of
fered fixed four years as the period for ao-
curing the restricted Cuban citizenship,
which would enable those who held it to f1ll
official positions. Some Of the present day
politicians, who are little afraid of the
influence of the Spanish immigrants that
are now coming to the island, want to make
the period Of naturalization a longer one,
but this does not meet the common view.
While these are matters of general inter-
est there are subjects Of greater Importance
regarding which the tendencies begin
ming to develop. They relate to the vital
questions affecting the relation Of Cuba to
the United States. AS was foreseen the
members have not found themselves able
to perfect a constitution and then take up
the relations with the United States as an
independent subject. though that was the
order followed in the proclamation of Gov
ernor General Wood in calling the conven-
ton.
The party of republicans and Independents
is now wrestling with this subject. IF you
are still an anti-annexationist," one men,
Der of this faction said to me, Il can give
you some information about our views"
Having been consistent NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
and not having changed my opinion, could
give the necessary assurance. Thereupon
he produced the draft of the proposed con-
stitution, which, he said, would command
the support Of two-thrds Of the members.
The provisions of real import. he told me.
were tentative and were meant SuggeS
lions rather than actual articles of the
constitution. 1 found them quite useful as
Indicating the views of one element in the
convention, though they are put forward
timdly and have not yet been brought to
the test of open support.
One article to which my attention was
called specifically related to commercial re-
lations. This was its text:
"'The republic Of Cuba shall not give pref
finance or political agreement to any
foreign government over that of the United
States, whose vessels and national products
shall enjoy in the ports in the territory Of
Cuba, the greatest favoritism possible.
Favoring the United States.
The translation is literal, but the idea Of
discrimination in favor of the United States
is tolerably clear.
Another articles is as follows:
THE Senate shall insure the realization
Of a treaty Of supreme alliance. which shall
guarantee to the United States the friend
ship of Cuba, and to Cuba the reciprocal
friendship of the United States"
These two articles are worth study. They
seem to show recognition that the rela-
ton Of Cuba to the United States is going
to be different from its relation toward
other countries.
AS bearing on the same general subject
is q provision declaring that the Cuban con-
gress shall have power to contract loans
upon the credit Of Cuba; to make treaties
of commerce with foreign nations; to coin
money and fix the value thereof; to estab-
lish the basis and means Of sustaining
armed forces and to raise armies. An
other provision is that whenever there may
arise a of war between Cuba and
some other country it shall be submitted
to arbitration of disinterested country,
In the order of the United States, England,
Spain or France. respectively.
The question Of national debt is not
directly met, but here is provision fore
shadowing issue which is coming: "Al
debts and obligations contracted by the
Cuban revolution, before the adoption of
this constitution, shall be recognized by the
republic of Cuba, and tribunal Of ac
counts shall be constituted which shall pass
on these debts and obligations"
This raises the question. not merely Of
paying the insurgent soldiers, but of Indoors
ing the shadowy obligations Of the Cuban
revolutionary government
| asked my informant whether he thought
that this provision would be in the constitu-
ton. He was not positive that it would be
in the language quoted, and wanted to know
what would be the opinion of it in the Unit
ed States.
1t is well enough at the present to con-
slider all the articles quoted above merely
as tentative projects, or as what one ele
ment Of the convention would like to adopt
If satisfied that they would be accepted by
the American Congress. They are simply
a working basis, and have not yet had much
DISCUSSION by the central COHllIllltee, 10
which all the projects for the constitution
have been referred. In fact, they have not
been formally fathered by the element of
the convention which processes to favor
them
Against an Army or Navy.
The central committee does not seem to
look with favor upon the propositions for
establishing an army a navy. That
matter, its members say, may be left to
the legislative branch Of the government
in the future. What they mean is that
they look to the United States to render
this action unnecessary, though they are
rather vague in their notions of how it
shall be done. Some Of them do not see
why, though the United States always is
to do the fighting for Cuba, 1t should in
sist on basis for fighting by means Of
naval stations or military reservations
Their main point Is that the Monroe doc
trine will cover Independent Cuba. Some
well-meaning American officials have en-
couraged this idea Of the Monroe doctrine
and have thus caused the notion to spread
that the United States will take the re-
sponsibilty for defending and protecting
the Cuba Of the future without having au-
thority commensurate with that RESPONSE
biity, but I do not understand that they
are speaking by authority from Washing
ton.
All these subjects Of the foreign relations
of Cuba and its having not having an
army and navy are likely to be pretty thor
oughly discussed during the next fort
night The chief concern will be to deter
mine whether the conservatism that has
heretofore manifested itself will be main
tanned when the tentative propositions are
reduced to articles Of the constitution
General Lacret MorlOt is the most active
champion of the navy. but another dele
gate told me that there would be no trou-
bic in compromising on a merchant ma
rine and a sufficient number Of revenue
cutters.
None Of the members with whom I have
talked thus far are entirely clear with ref
erence to what is known as the Spanish
Cuban debt Of four hundred millions or
Whereabouts. This was the debt incurred
by Spain in the vain attempt to suppress
insurrection and which it thought to saddle
upon the island Inasmuch as the Paris
peace commission SHE'D on this subject,
the vagueness of the delegates to the
Cuban constitutional convention may not
be without justification. Several Of them
told me that they doubted the expediency
of putting the clause in the constitution
prohibiting the payment Of such debt, be-
cause that might seem to Indirectly recog-
niZe an obligation And If France or some
other country sends warship to collect its
claims, what will you dor 1 asked one Of
the delegates. 'We'll appeal to Washing
tom the reply, land ask the protec-
no ntrst,