Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1901-06-20
ROOTS SECOND SHARP NOTE.
viii Probably Have the Desired Effect on
Havana.

New York, June ia special to
the Tribune from Washington says:
Late advices from General Wood
Indicate that two or three members
of the constitutional convention, who
at first were most active and out
spoken in their hostility to the Plat
law, are now about to align them
selves with the supporters OF that law,
and it is strongly intimated as prob
able that if final vote is reached in
the convention this week the Platt
law without modification or qualifica-
ton will be incorporated into the
constitution of Cuba. The sharp
note, the second on the subject sent
by Secretary Root to the convention
through General Wood, is believed
to have had the desired influence at
Havana. In this note the secretary
of war sets forth plainly and unequiv-
ocally the attitude of this govern
ment as firm and unyielding.
This note apparently has made it
plain to the leaders OF the Radical
party that in the end they would
suffer in power and prestige by being
exposed as the real and only obstruc-
tionists of Cuban independence. 1t
is said that General Sanguilly, whose
incendiary message to his constitu-
ents ON the occasion of the adoption
by the convention of the Platt law in
modified form is generally regarded
on the island OF no Importance, is
about the only radical who is still
holding out uncompromisingly
against acceptance. 1t is not ex-
pected that at its meeting the cabinet
will make any further announcement
in respect to Cuba, nor is it likely
that any news will be given out con-
corning its deliberations OH that SUBJ
ject.
1t is more than likely that in view
of the changing mood among the
constitution makers at Havana the
cabinet will discuss the form and
date of PRONUNCIATION of the electoral
law for the first general election, and
the organization and equipment OF
the Cuban republic. 1t is known
that both Secretary Root and Attor-
ney General Knox have been giving
this phase of the subject considerable
attention in detail in the last few
days, and before the secretary OF war
left Washington for the Buffalo ex-
position he and the attorney general
conferred on this matter ut the re-
quest of the president.
Berfore the convention at Havana
manifested disposition to trifle with
the Platt law it had been hoped in
Washington official circles that the
Cubans would be ready to hold their
first general election by the last OF
October or the first OF November next.
If the convention conforms to the
Platt law within the next two or
three weeks, it is considered probable
that the tentative plan can be carried
out by the original date. If this
should be done, it is believed that the
president, in compliance with the
Platt law, would be able to withdraw
all American troops from the island
soon after the beginning of the new
year, and that by next spring the
Cuban government will be wholly in
the hands of the Cubans. In the
meantime, a joint commission, repre-
senting the two countries, could be
formulating some scheme of reciproci.
ty, on which congress could act, and
thus Cuban serious economic prob
lens would be far advanced toward
solution about the time the island at
tanned independence and sovereignty.