The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-01
CUBANS WILL CONE.
Delegation win Ask That Platt
Amendment Be Modified.

New York April IA special to the
Tribune from Washington says
1t Is believed in administration circles
chat within a day or two the Cuban
constitutional convention viii appoint
special commission to come to Washing
ton fer the purpose Of consulting the
president and cabinet about modify ing
some Of the provisions OF the Plat
amendment. Though the convention al
Havana. has been discussing the adv1S-
ability OF this move for about week, 1t
was not until yesterday that official IN
formation on the subject reached Wash
Sngton. If the visit is made by the Gu
2bans It viii have to be done within the
fnext two weeks The president and CAB
idnet will leave Washington on April
FLOR the Pacific coast, and will be away
isi1- weeks. It is thought that the Cuban
visitors would want at least a week or
ten days in which to exchange views
with the president and his advisers. so If
they desire to take up the subject before
tina summer is well advanced they will
have to come here by the middle OF the
menth-
IF the Cubans ask for the elimination
from the Plat amendment OF the pro-
visions for naval stations and the right
Of this country to intervene for the pres
ervatlOn of peace and order Iney VIII De
disappointed, because the administration
has neither authority nor the disposition
thus TO modify the act Of Congress de-
timing what ought To be the relations be-
tween Cuba and the United States It
is believed, however, that the visit of the
Cubans would be productive of much
good in an educational way. They could
obtain from President Mckinley and
others competent to speak for the gov
eminent assurances of this country s
beneficent aims toward Cuba. and official
guarantee that neither in spirit nor IN
tent does the Plat amendment contain
anything that should be construed as
yelled purpose to establish a protector
ate over Cuba in the meaning of that
word in the international code
these
the Cuhans could return home and calm
whatever fear may exist among their peo-
ple on this score, even If they should not
be able to put stop to the pOllIeal a65l-
politicians who have personal ends to
At the same time it is thought to be
possible to subserve the same object
unnecessary the visit to Washington by a
committee of the constitutional corNen-
ton Considerable literature Tor pupuca-
ton in Cuban newspapers has been sent
70 the island in the last Few days BY nlgn
officials at Washington rms literature
deals frankly with the subject ana IN
terprets seriatim the provisions OF the
Plat amendment. When this literature
has been disseminated IN spanish among
all classes of CubanG, it is confidently be-
lieved that it viii have such a quoting
erect that the convention at Havana can
with safety to the political future OF its
members ratify the Plat amendment
still. no objection is urged IN Washing
ton against the proposed visit of the
Cuban committee, and If the convention
decides on this course, as now seems prob
able, Governor General WOoc may be IN
Structed to place an army transport at
the service of the committee selected. and
the visitors will be treated with marked
official courtesy when they arrive here