Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-03

the integrity Of the new republic ana
the safety Of the government
The convention adopted without mod
ihcatIon, these provls ons; That the
Cuban government shall not enter into
any treaty with foreign powers which
NAV tend to impair the Independence OF
the island; that It shall not assume or
contract any public debt to pay the in
terest upon which, and to make reason
able sinking fund provision for the ulti-
mate discharge OF which, the ordinary
revenues Of the Island shall be made
ouate that an the acts OF the United
states I'm cuba during its military occu'
paney Of the island are ratified and
validated. and that the government OF
Cuba viii execute, and as far as neces-
sary extend. the plans already devised
or other plans to be mutually agreed
upon. for the sanitation OF the cities Of
the island. But when 1t came to the
question Of interference in Cuban gov
ernment affairs there was much differ
ence Of opinion.
The Plat amendment provides that
"The government Of Cuba consents
the United states may exercise the
right 10 intervene for the preservation
of Cuban independence. the mainlen-
ance Of o. government adequate for the
protection Of life, property and indivld-
ual liberty and for discharging the OBJ
legations with respect to Cuba imposed
by the treaty Of Paris on the United
States. now 20 be assumed and UNDER
taken By the government Of Cuba"
The convention finally adopted this
clause, but with the following addition:
1T being understood that the United
states has the right to intervene 10 pre-
vent the action OF Il foreign power or
disturbances causing state OF anar-
chy. and that the intervention shall
always be the act Of the United States.
and not Of isolated agents. The inter-
vention shall suppose neither sovereign
~ nor a protectorate, and shall only
last sufficiently long to establish normal
conditions Said Intervention, 1t Is also
understood, shall not have the right to
interfere IN the government but only
the right to preserve independence"
The clause referring to coalng and
naval stations was also adopted with
an explanatory statement to this effect;
1T shall be understood that the naval
stations do not give the United states
the right TO intervene in the Interior
government, but are established with
the sole purpose Of protecting American
waters from foreign invasion directed
against Cuba or the United states
cuba win sell or lease the necessary
lands at points TO be agreed upon"
It Is to be presumed that these de.
fnlng clauses are IN accordance with
the explanations made by Secretary
Root TO the Cuban delegates, and Il so,
there should be no difficulty In reaching
an understanding. The Cuban patriots
are anxious TO throw every safeguard
around the independence OF the island
and the United States is pledged to see
this independence established. They
should be able to work together for the
one comon end.
The Cubans cannot be blamed for
their anxiety TO have the status OF the
new republic clearly defined al the OUT
set Secretary Roots explanations Of
the Platt amendment are, of course,
not binding upon any of his successors
Unless the amendment is clearly de-
fined, trouble may arise In the future
II It Is capable Of more than one con-
structlon 1t is just as well to have
It stated from the beginning which In
depreciation is the one intended by
Congress, as nearly as this can be done
beforehand and In the absence of
contingency.