Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-01
DOES NOT COMPLY.
President and Cabinet Consider
Cuban Conventions Action.
Is Not Substantial" Compliance
With Terms Of Plat Amendments.
Constitutional Convention viii Be Notified by
the Secretary Of War.

| Washington, May 31.-The admins
tration has decided that the action of
the Cuban constitutional convention in
accepting the terms of the Plat
amendment with notifications and in
| depreciation of their own was not sub
| stantial' in compliance with our terms
within the meaning of the amendment.
and Secretary Root will convey this in
telliGcnce to the convention. The de-
cision was reached at the cabinet
meeting, today. The meeting lasted
over an hour and n half and had been
preceded by an hours conference be-
tween the president and Senators Plat
!of Connecticut ard L. dye Of Massachu-
| sets. AS the author of the Amend
ment the President desired to learn the
| views of Senator Plat and also those
of Senator Lodge, who is one of the
| influential members Of the committee
| on foreign relations.
| AZ the cabinet meeting Secretary
| Root took the position that the inter
| prctations OF the Plat amendment
| contained IN the constitution adopted
| by the convention and the whereases
appended to it, went outside Of a fair
Interpretation of its meaning and was
| unaCcountable. In this view the cabi-
net concurrcd. When asked as to what
would be the next step of the govern
| mcnt after the Cuban convention had
| rccn notified of the rejection of the ac-
| lion, one Of the members of the ca BIZ
net said that the government could do
nothing further until the convention
| again acted. that as long as the condi-
tons Of the Plat amendment were on
the statute books, compliance with
them must precede our REIMBURSEMENT
of control over the island
| The cabinet also discussed the dec.s-
| ions of the supreme court in the insu-
lar cases especially their bearing upon
the forthcoming decision Of the court in
| the Philippine cases. 1t was the general
opinion that in some phases the De-
Lima decision might be applicable to
the Philippines but that in other
ways ii might be held entirely inappi-
cable. No definite conclusion, however
was reached at today's meeting.
The cabinet was unable to reach any
conclusions as to the Philippine tariff
situation, 5 affected by the recent in
| sular decisions Of the supreme court
| Attorney General Knox will make a
careful examination of the language of
| the decisions at once and ascertain
| their exact bearing on the tariff be-
tween this country and the Philippines
| lie viii then state to the President and
| his advisers the powers now vested in
the government in dealing with this
| subject
| The cabinet held that the amend
ments and the interpretations and the
wealth of whereases placed by the Gu
| ban convention upon the Cuban
amendment amounted to a practical
modification of the Plat amendment
such as was beyond the power of this
government to accept. The message
of rejection sent to Gen. Wood advises
the Cubans in unqualified language
that there is no power resting in the
United States government to change
the terms of the Plat amendment and
| that this government insists on the ac-
| ceptance Of the Plat amendment with
| out amendment or qualificatio
The administration is confident that
the Cubans will understand the exact
attitude of his government and make
a satisfactory acceptance within n
reasonable period.
| The only other important matter
| brought up was statement by Score
| tary Gage as to the finances of the
| government. The President and cabi-
net had been away from the city for
| some weeks and Secretary Gage took
the opportunity to point out that the
surplus in the treasury is steadily
mounting upward and that national
| financial conditions in general were
| gratifying.
The three main points in which the
action of the Cuban constitutional con-
vention is regarded as unsatisfactory
| relate. it is said. to coaling stations,
sanitation and Intervention.
| The Cuban convention took from the
| coaling stations paragraph of the Plat
| amendment. its obligatory character.
and merely authorized the Cuban gov
eminent. in it's Judgment, to allow the
| United States to possess coaling sta
tons or naval stations.
The United States will insist on an
absolute agreement to grant us these
| coaling stations.
| With respect to sanitation the Gu
bans do not agree to carry out plans
already devised and. in accepting the
Plat amendment. modify it's provi-
sions SO as to change them consider
| ably.
| In the matter Of intervention our OBJ
lection is that the Cubans have so
changed this vitality important part OF
the Platt amendment as to make our
right to intervene an ambiguous and
! doubtful matter. whereas we insist on
/ a straight. unequivocal acknowledge
! ment of our right to intervene when
in our judgment intervention is nee
cssary to assure Cuban independence
4 or a stable government.