Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-02-14
NEWS FROM ALL
OVER THE WORLD

ldent and secretary of war. are grad.
ually getting down to definite under.
standing concerning our future rein.
tons with Cuba. The president knows
what he wants. Both he and the
secretary OF war have a clear idea
OF what they believe to be the duty OF
this government, both for its own in.
teiests and for the interests of the
Cubans, and there are two WAYS of
accomplishing it. If one does NOT
work they will try the other, and
visitors to the White house and the
war department these days are dis
cussing the subject with unusual
gravity.
The president proposes to carry out
the pledge of congress to the Cubans
in good faith, and not only provide
them stable government" which
Is the language of the resolution. but
assist them to maintain it, although
he may not interpret that term as the
radical revolutionary leaders in Cuba
are likely to do. The constitutional
convention now sitting in Havana was
called to provide fundamental law
for the future republic of Cuba and to
define the relations which shall here
after exist between that republic and
the United States. The members of
the convention have entirely ignored
the latter duty, and, so far as can be
learned, they have no intention to
recognize the United States in any
way 1t was supposed that at least
n.fh it-1e fNF
body could be depended upon to car
~ out the wishes of the president,
but they have been entirely under the
control of the radical leaders of the
late revolution, and have shown n de
termination to be entirely independ-
ent of this government.
Until within the last few days no
attempt has been made to interfere
with or influence the action of the
convention, but last week Gen. Wood
was privately and unohlcially instruct
ed to advise the influential leaders
that their constitution will not be ap-
proved by this government, and the
United States troops will not be with
drawn until they recognize in their
constitution the right of the United
States to intervene whenever it is
considered necessary:
l. To preserve the peace and main
tain stable government.
q To prevent foreign entangle-
ments and protect the foreign popula-
ton.
8. To protect the credit of the is
land and prevent unnecessary and I'M
just debts.
4. To protect the commercial inter
ests of the United States against un
reasonable tariff duties and discrimi-
nation.
5. To permit the maintenance of
at least two coaling depots and naval
supply and repair stations in conven-
lent harbors.
6. To protect the people of Cuba
from the experience of Haiti and San
to Domingo, which have made no pro-
gress since their independence, but
have rather gone backward in civili-
zation and have become impoverish-
ed and bankrupt because of the tyr
amy. dishonesty and extravaganza
of their governments.
By this time the men in control are
probably aware that the president
will not surrender the government
of Cuba to them until these conditions
are complied with, and if the conven-
ton does not accept the terms the
senate will add an amendment to the
army appropriation bill and a joint
resolution may be passed before the
adjournment of congress instructing
the president to insist upon such con-
cessonS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE pol
icy of the administration in the Phil,
ippne islands is well defined and full
ly explained in the instructions to the
Taft commission. The plan will be
carried out regardless of the action
OF congress on the Spooner bill, al
though the president would be much
relieved if congress would give him
an explicit endorsement and definite
authority and relieve the military gov
ernment at Manila.
No fault is found with General Mac
Arthur. He has the entire confidence
of the president the secretary of war
ana tne 1dlI tOUlI1llSSlOu, Dul IL Is ut-
sirable that he be relieved of author
ity over the civil affairs of the island
in order that the commission may
have a wider scope in organizing civ
II government. This cannot be done
without the enactment of some such
law as that proposed by Senator Spoo-
ner, which is an almost exact copy
OF the plan adopted by Thomas JEFF
ferson for Louisiana territory.
The administration plan is to Or
ganize the municipalities like those
in the United States, placing the re
sponsibility of government upon the
most intelligent natives and allowing
the exercise of suffrage by those who
can stand the educational test or own
a certain amount of property. This
will be a school of government and
will be extended as rapidly as cir
cumstanees will permit.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.-Congress
this morning took action upon the