The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-23
A new PLAN SUGGESTED
A Final Effort Being Made to Avoid
an Extra Session.
Proposition to Hridge Over the
Cuban Question Until Next Deccm-
ber-Senators Consult with the
President and Secretary Root-The
spooncr Philippine Resolution.

freSiueht ana Secretary tsOot-ih ne
SpOOncr Philippine Resolution.
There may not be an extra session of
the Fifty seventh Congress after ala.
least not Just now. A plap has been set
on foot in the Senate, after consultation
with the President and the Secretary of
war, which, il successful. may render it
unnecessary for the new Congress to take
action on the Cuban question until its
regular meeting time next December.
This plan. like the Spooner proposition
giving the President power 90 form civil
government in the Philippines, is likely
to be brought forward as an amendment
to the Army Appropriation bill and stand
or fall with it,
At meeting yesterday of the Commit
tee on Relations with Cuba. a sub-com-
mittee, composed of Senators Platt of
Connecticut. Chairman. and Spooner. Re-
publicans, Teller, who officially classifes
himself as a Silver Republican, and
Money, Democrat, was appointed to con-
slider the question of framing some legis-
lation to be adopted at the present ses-
sion relative to the Cuban question that
would either provide for a declaration of
the permanent policy of the United States
toward Cuba, or bridge over the subject
until the new Congress meets in regular
session. or both
Later in the day. Senators Piatt and
Spooner, acting tor this subcommittee
had conference with the President and
Secretary of War at the White House
They did not take with them any formal
proposition. but they found the President
and Secretary Root willing to have the
matter settled now, and an extra session
avoided.
The President has let it be known that
he would call the new Congress together
whenever the constitution arrives here
1t was developed al the White House con-
ierences yesterday. however. that it is not
the intention of this Government to have
The Cuban constitution sent to Washing
ton until the convention has completed
its work by framing declaration setting
forth what the future relations of the
United States and Cuba are to be. That is
a part of the work for which they were
called together under the order of Cen
eral Wood, and he had been fully in
structed by the Secretary of War with re-
gard to the desires of the United States
and has laid before the convention these
instructions, containing the principles
upon which the Cuban declaration must
be based. 1t is thought to be possible
that the convention cannot complete this
work for several months and that in the
mean time approval or rejection OF the
new constitution may remain in allegiance.
The present plan OF the Senators who
are opposed to an extra session now is.
and it has the concurrence in general
way of The President and the Secretary Of
War. is to have Congress at the present
session enact legislation giving the Presi-
dent power in Cuba similar to that which
he is TO be given in the Philippines un-
der the pending Spooner amendment to
the Army Appropriation bill. Two or
three resolutions ,prQyiding for this legis-
lation are already drawn Up. and were in
circulation among the Senators yesteday.
The proposition that Seems TO meet
with the most favor is to frame resolu-
tion whose preamble will be the so-calied
Teller amendment to the Cuban legislation
passed at the time war was declared with
Spain, in which the United States repudi-
ates any desire in connection with the af-
fairs of Cuba beyond assisting its people to
set up an Independent and stable gov
ernment, and whose declaration will be
that the President of the United States
snail have authority to arrange an agree
h4-iL b5 70 iuS luLuEb T6ldLiD0b between
the United States and Cuba based upon
the principles already sent to General
Wood in the instructions OF the Secretary
Of War
Senator Teller himself proposed some
such action as this at the committee
meeting yesterday. which was called not
for the purpose ot discussing the gem
eral Cuban question. but to agree upon
the report of the investigation of the
Cuban postal frauds made by the com
mlttee under the Bacon resolution passed
at the last session of Congress The tes-
timony taken by this committee has never
been published in full, aud charges have
been made that if has been suppressed
in the interest of Z. G. Rathbone the Di-
rector of Cuban Posts. now under ar
rest.
The fact is, however that it has not
been published for two reasons, one be-
ing that it contains the evidence up5n
which the Government relies to convict
Nicely and the other is that there is such
a mass of il that il could not be read in
an ordinary lifetime. Some attempt has
been made. however to digest this testi-
mony, and it will be made the basis of
the report on the Bacon resolution TO be
submitted today.
The knowledge that the attempt is to
be renewed to enact Cuban legislation at
this session has made it much less Ger
tain as to whether there is TO be an extra
session Of the new Congress and the i'm
mediate problem to be solved is 10 frame
resolution that would be endorsed by
the President and Secretary of War and
that can be adopted as an amendment TO
the Army Appropriation bill This seems
to be the only method by which lesisla-
tion Of this character can now be adopted
The failure Of the Army bill would in
itself cause an extra session of Congress,
aud. it is thought, therefore, that no SEN
ator viii care to assume the RESPONSE
bility of defeating ii, even though he may
be opposed in a general way to the legis-
lation desired by the Republican Sena-
tors on the Cuban and Philippine ques-
tions.