The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-23
THE cuBANs WILL ACCEPT.

THE Il BANS
There does not seem TO be much doubt
among thoughtful people in Havana that
the Cuban constitutional convention Kill
accept the Plat amendnenss. Il was
stated in our dispatches yesterday that
one Of the delegates who were most hostile
to them had changed his position in re-
gard 20 them and was now PREPARED 70
accept all o. them except one It is a safe
prediction that he VIII accept that one-
As a matter Of fact the amendments
were not proposed with The in.e1tion O
depriving the CubaEs OF any o. the p-iyi-
leges q elf-goverument-that is any Of
ire privileges that could be exercised for
their good The element that has been
trying to stir UP opposition 20 The
amendments hss little or nothing az
stake. Il is largely composed Of men
xho hoped 70 have free hand IL rsis-
Ing and distributing the revenues % the
island They we're active In the insur-
rection against Spain-that Is. they were
always in evidence whenever there vas
an opportunity 70 bring themselves BE-
fore the public as 70 whether they di5
much of the fighting or not there may
be difference Of opinion. What they
hoped for was 70 drive the spaniards out
Of the Island and take possession Of the
Offices themselyes-offices which they
knew were made TO yield large incomes
to those who sdmlnIstered them.
The Plat amendment they particularly
object 70 is the ore that prevents the
Cubans from leading themselves up with
debt. It was suspected that one OF the
first things they would do on gaining con
troll Of their affairs would be to issue
bonds 20 an enormous amount and
squander the money in paying al sorts
OF claims and IN various underta kings.
Few IL any Of them know anything about
government as 1t ought to be adrnints-
tered Most Of them know only what they
have learned from the sDanlards, and
from all accounts knowledge gained from
them is not Of a kind calculated to assist
a young republic to prosperity.
1t IS probable that the convention is not
yielding Of its own accord L has dlscov-
cred that the substantial people Of the
island are against II. The property own
ers and the business men, and, in fact
practically all who want law and order
favor the amendments. 1t viii be good
thing for the Cubans 70 permit the United
States to have naval stations on che isl
and because 1t viii assure the Cubans OF
protection without any expense to shem-
selves. They will not have TO maintain
an army or a navy. The whole power Of
the United States will be between them
ana foreign aggression And they need
have no fear OF the United States inter
fering with them in any way. az long as
they preserve order among themselves.
1t can be safely stated, however, that
the United States will not tolerate such
a condition Of affairs az is chronic In
some Of the South American republics.
As long as there is respect for law and
order the cubans will have no ground for
complaining Of Interference from them.
The Indications are that the Plat
amendments will be accepted at an early
day, although Il is intimated in the dis
patches that acceptance will be delayed
until the meeting Of Congress. II the next
Congress is given a chance to deal with
the matter the conditions will hardly be
as easy az the PLATE amendments, because
there Is a powerful Cuban clement that
would Ike the United States to take en-
tire control Of the island