The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1901-12-21
COMING CUBAN ELECTION


washington. Dec. 17.-Secretary
Root has addressed a letter 70 hinei
G. Pierra, the representative OF tns
Maso party In Cuba, who u at pres
emit in this city, denying his re-
quest for postponement Ok tne wv
ban elections.
Secretary Roots letter, which - ga
ted December 16, isans follows;
"Sir:-The application for posi-
ponement of the Cuban elections pre-
sented by you on Saturday, December
IA. in behalf Of the supporters %
Gen. Maso, as candidate for presi-
dent of Cuba, has been carefully con-
sidered. The effect OF granting the
application would be to proiong
American occupation and postpone
the independence Of Cuba ana the
control Of the island by We govern
ment Of her own people. This ought
not to be done in the interest Of any
candidate or without the most
weighty and substantial reasons. Inc
substance of the reasons which you
present is that, the central board Of
scrutiny, as now constituted, IS com
posed Of gentlemen, none OF whom =.
in favor Of Gen. Maso, and all of
whom are in favor of Gen. Palma,
and Won declare that that board -
unfair and will be unfair in the per-
Torrance of its duties. The board
to which you refer was constitutes
without reference to any candidate
and before any candidates had peeh
nominated. 1t consisted OF the pres
ident and four Of the distinguished
members of the constitutional con-
yention, elected by the people OF
Cuba to provide for the establish
ment of the new government. 1t had
the approval of the convention ana
of the people whom the convention
represented. Since the board was
thus constituted candidates for the
presidency have been nominated, ana
it happens that you and your friends
have nominated candidate who has
no adherent in the board. That FUR
nisbes no ground for turning the
board out of office or for postponing
the election machinery carefully pro-
yided by the representatives 81 tne
Cuban people in convention assem-
bled. and establishing new machinery
for the purpose of putting adherents
of your candidate into office. Ii sucn
course were adopted, new nomina-
lions would equally require new
postponements and arrangements,
and an election might be indefinitely
postponed. 1t is false theory OF
official responsibility which assumes
that gentlemen placed in conspicu-
Gus positions of public trust will be
guilty of official malfeasance because
they may personally prefer one can
didate rather than another.
GAS to the assertion that the CEN
trail board of scrutiny has in fact
proved to be unfair, something be-
sides mere assertion is necessary. No
facts are stated by you to sustain
this assertion, except that you al
lege that an illegal selection OF del
egate to a provincial board of cam
vassers has been approved, but you
give no facts showing that this Sc
lection was illegal, and you state that
there was a failure to post a list OF
taxpayers, which the city council
ought to have posted on the 2Sth o.
October. This was not the business
of the central board of scrutiny. am
informed, moreover, by cable from
Havana, that the list in question was
posted on the 3oth of October. The
single days delay could not have oc'
casioned you or your associates, the
slightest injury or Inconvenience
and an objection based upon It is, y
the highest degree, technical. While
1 do not for moment suppose that
you intended any such result, yo'
can not avoid the conviction thai
your request calls on the Unitet
States for that very interference witt
the Cuban election which your asso
ciates have deprecated and which !
is our duty and purpose to avoid.
"Your application must accordingly.
be denied.
81 remain, with great respect,
"Your obedient servant,
"ELIHU ROOT,