The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-12
CUBA's NEW CONSTITUTION.
1t Is Framed on the Model of Our
Own and Makes the Suffrage Uni


vcrsaI.
Copyright 1901. the Christian Herald.
New York.
Cuba has constitution which has
been drafted by its own people. The
making of this constitution has been
different from that of the other countries
on the American continent, which revolt
ed from Spain. 1t has been made under
the direction of the United States, as
the intervening military authority
which compelled Spain to relinquish SOW
ereignty over Cuba. That was not the
way with Mexico and the Central and
South American countries which freed
themselves from Spain without the aid
OF Intervention of the big American re-
public.
The convention which framed this or
ganic law for Cuba was composed of
thirty-one members or delegates. These
were chosen from the different provinces,
but it was not required that the delegate
should be a resident of the province from
which he was elected, so it happened that
residents of Havana have represented the
provinces of Santiago, Matanzas and
Pinar del Rio, in the convention. The
election was held on Sept. 10, under
regula tions prescribed by the American
military authorities The basis of suf-
frage was substantially that of the NUM-
cipal elections which were held last June.
The qualification required was ability to
read or write, the possession of real es-
tate or personal property to the value OF
$3.50. or a certificate of service in the in
surgent army.
The first meeting of the convention
was held on Nov. 5. 1t was opened by
Gov. Gen. Wood. who, as the represen-
CtiVe of President Mckinley, stated to
the delegates that their duty would be
to form and adopt a constitution for
Cuba, and when that was done to for
mulate their opinion of what should be
the relations with the United States. 1t
is for this reason that the constitution
itself does not contain any reference to
the United States.
The majority of the delegates were
identified with what is known as the
revolutionary element of the island. Some
of them had been insurgent military
chiefs, while others had worked for the
cause of Cuba in different capacities. The
convention took some days to pass upon
the qualification of it's members and to
adopt rules for it's guidance. Then in
December it began a series of secret ses-
drafts or projects which were submitted
by individual members. The real work
of drafting this organic law, or consti-
tuition. was placed in the hands of a
central committee composed of five MEM
bers. They were DIR. Leopoldo Berriel.
Gonzales Llorente, Antonio Bravo Cor
reso, Gonzalo Quesda and Rus Rivera.
The latetr was chairman. This committee
would report from time to time upon
the progress it was making and dts work
would be reviewed in these secret ses-
sions.
Late in January the public sessions
were begun, because the whole project of
a constitution, section by section and arti-
Gle by article, was ready for discussion.
IN private, a two-thirds majority of the
delegates had agreed that they would
support the draft with few changes.
This did not prevent some interesting de
bates and determined efforts to amend OF
change some of the main provisions. One
Of the most notable debates was held at
the outset, when a proposition was made
to eliminate the part of the preamble
which invoked the blessing of Almighty
Cod This effort was defeated by an
overwh Ginning vote. There was also a
long discussion over the separation OF
church and state. Some members, while
protesting to believe in the widest relig-
Ious federation, sought to leave 1t open 70
the future Cuban congress whether the
state should recognize the church or not
As the great majority of the Latin people
are Roman Catholics this meant the
Catholic Church. The sentiment of the
convention was strongly against leaving
omen even a possibility of future state
church and so the constitution makes ao-
solute the prohibition
Among the members who took a lead
ing mart ia the debate, were Manuel san
guIliv. Judge Llorente, who is seventy-six
wears old: Juan Gualberto Gomez, the
co;ored orator and writer; DIR. Berriel
Frisco Giberga. Bravo Correoso, General
Aieman and Alfredo Iayas. Other no
table figures in the convention were Gen
Nrnez civil governor of Havana pro-
vince. Or Miguel Gener and Diego Ia
navo both members of Gen. WOOD
oobjnet. Gen. I.acret Moriot, Salvador
Cisneros Gen. Betancourt, civil governor
~ .Matanzas: Gen. Alexandra Rodriguez,
n,alor of Havana; and Margua Delgado, a
colored man who has made many trans
Iations from English into Spanish. The
voun9est member of the convention was
Enrique Vllluendas. who was one OF the
secretaries.
The parliamentary management of the
constitution was chiefly IN the hands Of
Ruis Rivera and Gonzalo Quesada, rep
regenting the central committee which
drafted H. They proposed TO accept some
amendments and fought the adoption OF
others. The most important change made
by the convention was In establishing uni
verseI suffrage The original draft OF
tho constitution had left that subject 20
be determined by a general law 20 be
passed later by the Cuban Congress. But
the sentiment In favor Of making uniyer-
sal suffrage a part Of the constitution was
80 strong that Il had 20 be respected, ANA
thAs clause was inserted, A. completed,
the conwtitullon fOllOws closely the cen-