The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-22


The Cuban Constitutional Convention has
fnisaeJ its work and prepared a docu-
ment which, perhaps. its members, or
many Of them, think is 10 be the funda-
mental law Of their country without emen-
dation or doubt. 4 peculiarly suggestive
incident occurred after the constitution
had been engrossed in duplicate. and when
the members OF the convention were ask
ed to siEa the copies. Delegate Cisneros.
once recognized as President OF Cuba,
in the old Spanish days. by the men in
the long grass" refused TO afix his sig
nature 10 the copy intended for transmits
sion to Washington. on the ground tLat
the affairs Of the island were no concern
Of the United States.
In taking this position Mr. Cisneros
male monumental mistake. If his views
should prove to be shared by a majority
Of his feIiow-countrymen the American
service uniform viii be familiar sight in
Cuba until all the girls born next week
are ready to be married We are confident
that, merely as matter Of sentiment, the
people of this Republic would be glad if
the Cubans could be left to sink or swim
by themselves. Sympathy for them in
their struggle against Spain. vas sir
eere and unseIdsh. Having freed them
from the Spanish yoke. it would be
as pleasant as possible 10 forget all
the blood and treasure the adgen-
ture cost Us. and hand over The
Pearl Of the Antilles 10 its inhabitants to
rule or ruin as they might see fit. It
happens. however. THAI such thing IS cut
Of The question In every geographical,
physical, AID strategieaI sense. Cuba is 4
part Of the american Continent. and the
scientific first line Of defence for our
South Atlantic Coast. We can 10 more at
ford TO lose our military control Of it
than We could afford 70 give the Florida
peninsula 70 Germany. or New York Har-
Dor to Great Britain. The right OF SELF
preservation justiGes Us IN insisting that
the government Of the island shall be Of
nature TO ensure The United States against
public danger from a territory that Iogi-
caIly ought to be an integral part Of the
United States, and probably would lie
within the next year, but for the hysleri-
cal TeIIe. resolution Of April, 1898.
That mistaken pronouncemeEt made our
bed and we must lie in il. but not neces-
sarily without taking some measures 20
make II safe Il not comfortable Cuba has
a population. the majority OF whom are IL
Hterate and include q large body Of ne
groes who cannot be called civilized, IN
less the man-aating blacks Of Haiti can be
so regarded 4 Government based on the
SURFACES Of such a class could not be ex-
pected to maintain Law and order. 70 prac-
tice proper economy, OF to fulfH the oDIi-
cations Of an enlightened State. nationally
and internationally. Hence the stern ne
cessity that this country shall supervise
and control the treaty, war. and debt
contracting powers Of the new State.
Mr. Mckinley has determined 10 pre-
sent the Cuban constitution to Congress
as soon after an official copy OF it has
been received here as may be practica-
bic. The prevalent idea is that CcnsI ess
viii be convened in extraordinary session
as early as March p. Considering the
circumstances. we are unable to en-
do1se the Presidential purpose in this re-
gard. AS far as the text of the consti-
tuition has appeared in the press, 4 ap-
peaIs 10 Us as a state paper which should
" SEAi4g LtaL III my 4NAu4 t-Ls ~ 4LS L4ll.l-
ufacturers, with a strong hint that it
must be altered before submission to the
suzerain power. Congress. We think. can
do nothing with It as 1t stands except to
reject il and TO warn the Cubans con-
corning the engagements into which they
must enter with the United States as
conditions precedent to their being al
lowed autonomy and independence in
local affairs. It seems 10 Us that it
would be time enough 10 bring Congress
On the stage when the people Of Cuba