The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-20
CUBA'S FIRST PRESIDENT.
Tomas Estrada Palma Said to BE
Favored by the Administration.

The Washington correspondent of the
New York Commercial Advertiser has
the following to say about the report
that Tomas Estrada Palma is likely TO
be Cubas first President:
The information from Cuban sources
that Tomas Estrada Palma is regarded as
the prospective first president of the Gu
ban Republic and that General Gomez
has announced his belief that Senior
Palma is the best man to organize the
new government is pleasing to Admins
tratiun circles. Senior Palma, through his
long residence in the United States and
his experience as teacher of Cuban
youth in an American school, is regard
ed, perhaps, the best fitted of all the ma
| tive leaders to maintain harmonious re-
lations between Cuba and the United
States.
What makes Senior Palma especially
acceptable to those in control in Wash
ington is the fact that he, more than any
other Cuban leader, is under pledge to
carry out certain policies regarded as in
dispensable just before the outbreak of
the war against Spain. Senior Palma was
at that time at the head of the Cuban
Junta. He appeared before the Foreign
Relations Committee of the Senate and in
response to questions told of the bonds
issued to carry on the revolution against
Spain. He described them, gave the date
of their issue and the amount of them,
what they were issued at and the where
abouts of the plates from which they
were printed. He gave his personal pledge
also that no more bonds would be issued
with Palma as president, therefore,
the United States can count with certain
ty on an honest handling of the business
connected with the redemption of those
bonds That subject is sure to come up
very early in the existence of the new
Republic The United States can rest as
sured that there will be no payment OF
bonds beyond actual value.
1t is believed that the visit OF the
commission from the Constitutional Con
vention will have good results in bring
ing the Cubans to realizing sense OF
the wisdom and necessity of accepting
the Platt amendment as preliminary 10
the esta blishment of an independent gov
ernment Advices received here from Ha-
vana say that a good impression has been
made there by a letter written by Senator
Plat in response to an invitation to visit
Cuba and explain the provisions of his
amendment. The Senator. in declining,
wrote a letter which has been commune
Gated to leading Cubans, and which. 1t is
said, has gone far toward convincing
them that their wisest course is to ac-
cept the Plat amendment as framed in
the interest of the Cuban people. The
substantial part of the letter follows:
THE propositions which we made to
the Cuban Convention ought TO be ac-
cepted. They are extremely moderate and
liberal, and for Cuba's benefit quite as
much as for the benefit of the United
States. Cuba needs a government OF its
own, but it needs help to maintain it.
Any thoughtful Cuban can see this. All
the United States asks by my amendment
is an acknowledgment on the Fart of
Cuba of the right to assist in maintain
ing that independence. The propositions
boiled down mean this and no more. We
might justly have required more. We
have spent oceans of money and have sac
rificed many lives. for which We ask
nothing in return. We might have asked
that they should not make trade treaties
with other nations to our disadvantage.
We might have asked the right to garri
son troops in Cuba But we wanted to
limit our requirements TO these matters
which were essential for the safety, peace,
and development of Cuba, as well as for
the protection of our own interests. Our
overtures are entirely friendly and IT does
not seem possible that they will not be
accepted. But II they are not at once. we
shall occupy until they are. Very truly
yours, o. II. PLATT.' "