New-York tribune., 1901-02-06

itistive by the members OF Congress. il is be-
lieved that the National mind also will come to
more substantial conclusion than would he
likely II the matter Were gone into hurre1!y E
Congress There is a great deal Of sentiment
tality. not 10 saw hysteria. in the popular mind
ON all such questions when they are hrst
broached During the time that -nte-venes he
tween the expiration Of this Congress and the
assembling Of the next al the appointed date
quiet work Of education can be carried on among
their constituents by Republican Senators and
Representatives, 50 thai when the Cuban mat
ter finally is faced IL viii be met by calm 5uds-
ment in Congress and by carefully thought Out
opinion in the publ, mind. This, at any rdle' i
the turE the discussion Of the question is taxing
au,onz Republicans in Congress at present and
IL is considered as entirely probeble that WITHIN
a week or ten days the Senate Committee on
Relations with Cuba may formulate a plan III
harmony with the suggestions here outlined Ii
is significant that aone of the Senators VINO IN
sorse this programme and who deny that con-
eress is not vested with full power 10 ledi
directly with the Cuban constitution are Wlllih6
,ot publiclv 10 exploit that view. The INFER
encA is that they are waiting on the committee
20 do So or at least 10 take the lead.
70 THE VIEWS OF SENATOR VEST
Senator Vest. Of Missouri, who is recovering
his physical strength sufficiently 10 be looked
up 10 again by his Democratic colleagues as
their leader. discussed with The Tribune corre-
suondent to-day what may be considered as the
conservative minority view of the CUBAN ques-
tion. Mr. Vests opinions are those OF some OF
The minority, and he does not indulge IN eN-
clan,arion or outcr-y in expressing them.
Undoubtedly" said he, we have no more
right or mower 10 amend the Cuban constltu-
non by act OF Congress than we Woula nave 10 70
90 so with the constitution OF France OF any
other foreign country We are esloP'eu h9Iii
this both by the Teller resolution ana the de-
cision of the Supreme Court in the Neely case
declaring Cuba 10 be a foreign country. Ahett
is o1hipg of course to prevent us advising the
Cuhaus 10 the character or the constitution
they should adopt. In fact, it is our duty 10
guide them in The matter with advice. but,
when the Cubans adopt their constitution @ ahe
form their Government, are solemnly pledged
70 give them absolute and complete independ-
ence There is no way OF our gettinG around
this even if we wanted 10, because the law di-
rects us what TO do. After we have turned
Cuba over TO the Cubans then must become
rhe protector Of their country. We must say 70
all the world: Hands off while Cuba is working
out for herself the problem Of self-gorernment-'
We may expect the Cubans 10 make mistakes
" hle they are doing this, ana these We must
overlook. S the parent overlooks the plumbers
of the child, however much he may regret them
or however much pain they cause. I confidently
believe thai after they struggle a while with the
tremendous problem Of self-gOVernment. they
viii give il up and seek annexation 10 the
4
WINGED that this is the ultimate destiny of Cuba
? welcomed the Spanish a means for
Fastening this END. I agree with the suggestion
Of Mr. Jefferson, made nearly a hundred years
ago. that need Cuba TO round out our terri
torial domain.
DISAPPOINTED BY CCBANS' ACTION.
However" Mr.. Vest went on 70 say. Il must
confess that the Cuhans have sorely disappointed
me 10y their attitude toward this country. We
are their deliverers from centuries Of oppres-
sion. but the mass Of them seem 10 have no feel
ing Of gratitude for Why. / am informed
that the mass OF the natives actually despise us
while the Spaniards the island are our
friends"
on the question Of the stupendous debt put
upon the Cuban revenues in the last days OF
Spanish sovereignty Nr Vest entertains con-
serNative ideas. Il suppose that debt will have
10 be discharged after things get settled in
Cuba" he said. But probably this can be done
ey arbitration. Doubtless by this means the
debt can be compromised on a reasonable basis.
Under no circumstances. however. should this
country he held security for that debt and a.
that might occur if we should make the Cubans
turn over to us the control of their finances. l
am opposed 10 that proposition"