New-York tribune., 1901-02-07
AUTHORITY OVER CUBA.
CONGRESS- AND THE ISLANDS
CONSTITUTION.
RIGHTS OF THE UNITED STATES REQ
OGNIZED BY THE CONVENTION
AT HAVANA - PRENIATURELY
SOLVING THE PROBLEM.
IpY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE. \

Tar TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE
Washington. Feb. 6.-It begins to appear not
unlikely that solution OF the sO-called Cuban
problem has been undertaken by divers and
sundry persons in and out of Congress pre-
matureIy. That is to say. an interesting light
was shed the question to-day by the dis
eOvery that it probably will be a year before
Congress will have to deal with the subject de
facto. This supposition is based on the fact
that in the proclamation issued by Governor
General Wood convoking the constitutional
Convention now in session at Havana it was dis
tincty stipulated that this constitution should
provide for and agree with the Governments
of the United States upon the relations to exist
between that Government and the Government
of Cuba"
GENERAL WOODS PROCLAMATION
In order to get clear understanding OF the
situation from this point Of view it Is necessary
to read the proclamation Of General Wood.
which was issued by direction OF the President
It issued from the headquarters OF the
Division of Cuba. under date Of July 25, 1900
and reads thus:
The Military Governor Of Cub directs the pub
lication Of the following instructions:
Whereas, The Congress of the United states,
by it's joint resolution Of April 20 1898 declared;
That the people Of the island Of Cuba are. and OF
right ought ugh to be free and independni ap dis
position or intention TO exercise s9Verelgnty Jnts
pacffcaton thereof and asserts its determination,
when that Is accompiSaed 70 leave tne government
And. whereas. The people of Cuba have estab-
Ished municipal governments deriving their au-
thorfty from the suffrages of the people given
under just and equal laws, and are now ready.
in like manner. 10 proceed to the establishment
Of a general government, which shall assume
and exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction and con-
troll over the island;
Therefore 1t is ordered that general election
be held in the island of Cuba on the third Sat
urday of September, in the year 1900 TO elect
delegates to a convention to meet In the city or
Havana at 10 o'clock noon on the first Monday
OF November in the year 1900. to frame and
adopt a constitution for the people OF CUBA,
and as a part thereof, TO provide for and agree
with the Government OF the United States upon
the relations to exist between that Government
and the Government Of Cuba, and 70 proVide
for the election by the people OF officers under
such constitution, and the transfer OF govern
ment 10 the officers elected
The election will be held in the several voting
precincts of the island. under and pursuant 70
the provisions Of the electoral law or April H.
| 1900, and the amendments thereon
The order then apportions representation
among the several provinces. giving to Pinar
del Rio three delegates. Havana eight, Matanzas
four. Santa Clara seven. Puerto Principe two.
and Santiago de Cuba seven
In the draft Of the Cuban constitution sent
10 the newspapers Of this country. and which
is now being debated in the convention at Ha-
vana. it IS provided in paragraph OF section
% that:
| Ninety days after the PRONUNCIATION Of the
| electoral law that may be prepared and adopt
| ed by the convention. the election or tne IuhC,
| tionaries provided for in the constitution shali
| be proceeded with for the transfer OF the Gov
| ernment of Cuba to those who NAV be elected.
/ in conformity with order No. 3ul from the
! Headquarters of the Division Of Cuba OF July
| %. 1900. (Governor-General Woods proclama-
| tion given aboveD.
WARRANT FOR ACTION BY CONGRESS.
So far as known. the foregoing paragraph is
| the only recognition in the Cuban constitution.
as that instrument now stands of the United
States or OF the right Of this Government to
say what shall what shall not be done In the
| formation of a government in Cuba But ii Is
contended at the War Department and by vari-
Gus members of Congress who to-day had their
attention called to General Woods proclamation
and the paragraph quoted that this is recogni-
| ton enough for the purpose in view. However.
| IT is conceded that the situation would have
pIeasanter aspect all around IL the constitution
makers had put into that instrument more
specific acknowledgement of this Nations right
and duty to maintain a light grasp on affairs in
Cuba until the island Government is fully es-
| tablished. At the same time the paragraph. IL
is generally believed affords sufficient warrant
even technically for the United States Congress
to deal as 1t deems best with the Cuban consti-
tuition as we'll to pass upon the fitness and
capacity Of the island Government when estab-
| Iished.
1t Is also evident that the Cuban constitution
as framed vests in the executive authority OF
| this Government acting through the Military
Governor at Havana power to proclaim election
of officers and prescribe the method OF election.
As the constitution provides that the election
shall be held ninety days after the promuIga-
tion of the electoral laws adopted by the con-
ventlon, etc, it is plain that this cannot be done
much before June. The election itself OF course
might not occur until October or November, or
even later And until full set OF officers has
been elected the Cuban Government will not be
complete or in proper shape TO be investigated
and finally determined by this Government
Therefore il is not at all unlikely that Con-
gress will be saved all trouble over Cuba for
nearly quite year yet.
1t is considered probable. however that be-
fore the close Of this Congress the Senate Com
mittee Relations with Cuba will announce
the adoption of tentative policy largely
| for the purpose of augmenting National interest
| in the subject. II is known that two or three
/ Senators. representing both sides OF the Cuban
contention. are eager to make speeches on the
subject before the session expires. Senator Tel
Ter, who is uncompromisingIy opposed to Con-
gress even considering the Cuban constitution.
told The Tribune correspondent to-day that he
| was preparing speech the subject which
he hoped soon to have an opportunity tn deliver
SENATOR'S DISCUSS CUBA
VIEWS OF MEssRs, CHANDLER. TILLMAN.