Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-14
CABINET WILL
DISCUSS CUBA.
It viii be the Principal Topic Of
Saturdays Meeting,
WITHDRAWING OF TROOPS.
President Not Authorized 10 DO So
Immediately May Not Release Com
troll for Year or More,

New York, June IA special TO the
Tribune from Washington says; The
acceptance OF the Plat amendment
without qualification by the Cuban
constitutional convention VIII form one
OF the principal topics Of discussion at
the cabinet meeting Saturday.
Now that the Plat amendment has
become part Of the organic law Of cuba,
interest naturally Is aroused as to when
the President win be authorized to
withdraw the United States troops and
turn the island completely over to the
Cubans, The cabinet probably viii adj
dress Itself to this phase Of the ques-
ton at Saturdays meeting, However,
as there Is no division Of opinion among
cabinet members on this point the dis
cusslon rs not likely TO be- prolonged,
There IL no doubt at all IN the mind
OF anybody who has given the subject
much thought that the President ~ not
authorized TO withdraw the troops Inn
medately, On the contrary he cannot
do this until all the requirements Of the
Plat law have been complied with.
Acceptance of that law is only the be-
ginning Of the requisite compliance on
the part Of the Cubans. Not until they
have fully organized, equipped and
stable government win the Cubans be
permitted 20 conduct the affairs Of the
island How soon this viii be depends
entirely on the political leaders in cuba
and largely on the constitutional cOn-
ventI0n, The convention must first for
mulate an electoral law II Is thought
that several weeks and perhaps months
VIII be consumed IN this work as the
candidates for president and other Off
ces 10 be filled In the first election viii
each try TO have the law so framed as
TO give advantage 20 individuals,
Even lt the constitutional convention
should speedily formulate and promul-
gate the electoral law, the election
could not be held until autumn. After
the election considerable time win be
required to organize the various depart
ments Of the government After this
work is completed the United states
government will then for the first time
have a government In Cuba 10 deal with
and not until then can all the require
monts Of the Plat law be compiled
with.
Il IS evident therefore that this gov
eminent viii not entirely release con-
troll Of Cuba for several months, per-
haps a year or more and until a COM
piete release Is made the President can
not withdraw the United states military
forces from the island and proclaim 10
the world the birth Of The new repub-
lic
The Thbune's Washington special
says: At the cabinet meeting on Tues
day Of this week the President laii be-
fore his official advisers the most favor
able reports received from Gen, Wood
indicating that Secy Roots sharp and
unambiguous note OF ten days ago was
having the desired effect on all classes
Of Cubans In this note the secretary
said plainly that the United States
would not be tritled with by the Cuban
politicians and that until the Plat
amendment without modification or
Interpretations" WAS incorporated into
the organic law Of the island, Cuba
could not become an Independent SOW
ereigrty. Il appears from cable dis
patches that all or part Of Mr.. Roots
note has been printed In one or more
Havana papers, II Is not known who
gave It out for publication and the
propHoty ~ this action Is seriously
Questioned by war department officials.
The secretary Of war has purposey
withheld this important document from
publication In the United states for fear
that publicity pending settlement Of the
issues would lead IN embarrlgsm nj and
It IS likely that when Mr. Root returns
TO Washington he win Immediately in
struct Gen. Wood 20 make careful !
inquiry into the matter and send a
full repOrt 20 Washington, so that the
war department may Inow IN future
whom TO trust in the convention at Ha-
vana so the same time II Is suggested
that publication ~ the secretary's note
actually did good instead Of harm, In
that It enabled some Of the timid poll
tlcians IN the constitutional convention
to sshow their constituents that II was
useless longer 10 obst1uct the policy Of
the United States In Cuba.