The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-07

ance thereof the military governor Is
sued the following instructions:
Whereas h congress of the United
States by its joint resolution of April
20, 1898, declared
THAT the people of the island Of
Cuba are, and Of right ought to be, free
and Independent.
That the United States hereby dis
claims any disposition or intention to
exercise sovereignty, Jurisdiction, or
pacification thereof, and asserts its
determination, when hat is accom-
plished, to leave the government and
control OF the island to its people,
And whereas, the people of Cuba
ave established municipal govern
ments, deriving their authority from
the SURFACES of the people given under
just n equal laws, n are now ready,
in like manner, to proceed to the es-
Establishment Of a general government
which shall assume and exercise sover-
eighty, jurisdiction, 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 Septem-
Der, in the veal nineteen hundred, to
elect delegates to a convention to meet
in the city of Havana at twelve o'clock
oon on the first Monday of November,
in the year nineteen hundred, to frame
and adopt a contitution for the people
of Cuba, and as a part thereof to pro-
vide for and agree with the government
of the United States upon the rela-
tons to exist between that government
and the government of Cuba, and to
provide for h election by the people
of officers under such constitution and
the transfer of government to the Off
GERS so elected.
1.-The election will be held in the sew
oral rnrinO nraninntC Of tho fcto nd IN
der, n pursuant to, the provisions Of
the electoral law of April is, 1900, and
the amendments thereof"
The election was held on the 18th of
September, and the convention assem-
bled on the 5th of November, 1900, and
is now in session.
In calling the convention to order,
the military governor of Cuba made the
following statement:
A military governor of the island,
representing the president of the Unit
ed States, 1 call this convention to or
der.
TT will be your duty, first, to frame
n adopt a constitution for Cuba, and
when that has been lone to formulate
relations between Cuba and the United
States.
1.-The constitution must be adequate
to secure a stable, orderly, and free
government.
when you have formulated the re-
lations which in your opinion ought 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 a f1na and
authoritative agreement between the
people of the two countries to the pro-
motion Of their common interests.
"All friends of Cuba will follow you
deliberations with the deepest interest,
earnestly desiring that you shall reach
just conclusions, and that by the digni-
ty, Individual self-restraint, and wise
conservatism which shall characterize
your proceedings the capacity of the
Cuban people for representative gov
rnmen may be signally illustrated.
1.-THE fundamental distinction be-
tween true representative government
and dictatorship is that in the former
every representative Of the people, in
whatever office, confines himself strict
ly within the limits Of his defined pow
ers. Without such restraint there can
be no free constitutional government.
Under the order pursuant to which
you ave been elected and convened
you have no duty and no authority to
take part in the present government
of the island. Your powers are strictly
limited by the terms of hat order"
When the convention concludes it's
labors 1 will transmit to the congress
the constitution as framed by the con-
vention for it's consideration and for
such action as it may deem advisable.
A Pacific Cable.
/ renew the recommendation made
in my special message of February 10,
1899, as to the necessity for cable COM
munication between the United States
and Hawaii, with extension to Manila.
since then pircIIr m St9 nPpS h9 va StriEinU-
ly emphasized this need. Surveys have
shown the entire feasibility of a chain
of cables which at each stopping place
shall touch on American territory, so
that system shall be under our own
complete control. Manila once within
Geographic reach, connection with the
systems of the Asiatic coast would
open increased and profitable oppor-
tunities for a more direct cable route
from our shores to the Orient than is
now affOred by the transatlantic,
continental, and trans-Asian lines. I
urge attention to this important mat
ter.
Army and Coast Detences.
The present strength of the army is
100, 900 men-65 900 regulars and $1,000
volunteers. Under the act of March
2, 1899, on the SOth of jun mex the
present lunte force will be dis
charged and the regular army will be
reduced to 2,447 officers and 29,025 en-
listed men,.
In 1888 a board of officers convened
by President Cleveland adopted a COM
~prehenSive scheme of coaSt-defenSe
Notifications, which involved the outlay
of something over one hundred million
dollars. This plan received the approx
al of the congress-, and since hen reg
ular appropriations have been made
and the work of fertilization has stead
lily progressed.
More than sixty millions of dollars
have been invested in a great number
of forts n guns, with all the COM
plicated and scientific machinery and
electrical appliances Necessary for their
use. The proper care of this defensive
machinery requires men trained in it's
use The number of men necessary to
perform this duty alone is ascertained
by the war department, at a minimum
allowance, to be 1920.
There are ffty-eight or more military
posts in the United States other than
the coast-defense Notifications.
The number of these posts is