Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-02-09
POLICY AS TO CUBA
Developments That indicate That
Uncle Sam Will Insist on
Suzerainty.
SIGNIFICANT EXTRACT Is PRINTED
From Recent Message of President
observation-disclosures Bill of
Our Demands.

| Washington, Feb. 9-Among the
subjects discussed at yesterdays cab
| met meeting were the Cuban constitu-
ton and the possible necessity for an
extra session of congress. Attention
was called TO the paragraph in the
presidents message TO congress at the
beginning of the Fifty-sixth congress,
! in which he said: 1.-The new Cuba
yet to arise from the ashes of the past
| must needs be bound TO us by ties of
singular intimacy and strength if its
enduring welfare is to be assured.
Whatever be the outcome, we must
see to it that free Cuba be a reality,
not name, perfect entity. not a
hasty experiment bearing within it
self the elements of failure Our mis-
sion is not TO be fulfilled by turning
adrift any loosely framed common
wealth to face the vicissitudes which
too often attend weaker states whose
natural wealth and abundant resources
are offset by the incongruities of
their political organization and the re-
curing occasions for internal rivalries
to sap their strength and dissipate
their energies"
They State the Presidents Views
1t is known that these words fairly
express the present views of the presi-
dent and the members of his cabinet
as developed at yesterdays meeting,
but whether the constitutional con
rention will view the matter in the
same light is a perpleXing ~questiOn.
Persons in position to be we'll informed
as TO the presidents purpose believe
that an extra session will be inevitab BILE
without congress at the present ses-
sion shall take some action with re-
spect TO Cuba and its relation to this
country. With that matter disposed
of there is good reason to believe that
an extra session will be avoided. \
strong effort will be made to render
an extra session unnecessary and with
this feeling the president is in full ac
cord.
Some More of the Same.
1t is also stated here that in order
to solve the Cuban problem without
calling an extra session, the president
has consented to allow Senator Platt
of Connecticut to try to get congress
to pass joint resolution which shall
cover five demands of the United
States on the new Cuban government.
as follows: Guarantee of protection
of life and property of Spaniards resi-
dent in the island; pledge not to recOg-
liiLt the DOnuPtl uCDl WHICH INllstlH
tried to fasten on the island; reim-
bursement of the United States of n
part of the cost of he Spanish war; Il
coaling station and naval base: con
troll by the United States of foreign
treaties. 1t is proposed to attach the
resolution TO the army appropriation
bill as an amendment and let both
pass or fail as Democratic opposition
decides.
Gives the Cubans a Hint.
Levy of New York introduced res
oiution in the house authorizing the
president to appoint a commission to
ascertain the actual amount of money
expended by the United States in the
prosecution of the war with Spain to
secure the freedom and Independence
of the island of Cuba. including prob
able pension payments. and report
what just and fair proportion of this
total amount shall be borne by Cuba
to the president, who is directed to
communicate it to the constitutional
convention of Cuba. with the Sugges-
ton that it is regarded by the United
States as a claim against the island
of Cuba.