The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-06-04
NOT SHAKEN BY THE ACTION OF HER
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
NOT SUFFICIENT COMPLIANCE
With the Terms OF the Plat Amend
ment Made I'm the Resolution OF Ac-
ceptance as Adopted by h Conven-
tfon-The Cabinet Instructs Secre-
tary Root to Give the Cubans Notice
of this Decision The Philippine
Tariff Question.

Washington, May 31.-The admins
tration has decided that the action of
the Cuban constitutional convention in
accepting the terms OF the Plat
amendment with notifications and in
terpretations of their OWE was mot
substantial" compliance with our terms
within the meaning Of tine amendment,
and Secretary Root will convey this in
telligence to the convention.
This decision was reached at the cab
met meeting today. The meeting last
ed owe an hour and a half and had
been preceded by an hours conference
between the president and Senators
Platt, of Connecticut, and Lodge, Of
Massachusetts,. The president desired
to learn the views of Senator Plat, the
author of the document, and also those
of Senator Lodge who is one of the in
fuential members of the committee on
foreign relations.
AT the cabinet meeting Secretary
Root took the position that the inter-
pretationS of the Platt amendment con-
tanned in constitution adopted by the
convention and the whereases append
ed to il went outside of a fair interpre-
tation of it's meaning and were unac-
ceptable. In this view the cabinet
concurred.
When asked as to would be the
next step of the government, after the
Cuban convention a been notified of
the rejection of it's action, one of the
members of the cabinet said that the
governmen could do nothing further
until the convention again acted; that
as long as the conditions of the Platt
amendment were on the statute books
compliance with them must precede our
REIMBURSEMENT of control over the is
land.
The cabinet held that the amend
mentS and interpretations and the
wealth of whereases placed by the Gu
ban convention upon the Cuban amend
ment to a practical modifica-
tion of the Platt endm such as
was beyong the power of this govern
ment to accept.
The message of rejection sent to Gen.
eral Wood advises the Cuban in un-
qualified language that there is no pow
: er resting in the United States govern
ment to change the terms of the Platt
amendment and that this government
insists on the acceptance of the Platt
amendment without or
qualification.
The Cuban convention is still in ses-
sion and the message of rejection will
be delivered to it Immediately. The
administration is confident that the
Cuban will understand the exact at
titude of this government and make a
satisfactory acceptance within a reas-
enable period.
The cabinet was unable to reach any
conclusions as to the Philippine tariff
situation as affected by the recent in
sular decisions of the supreme court.
Attorney General Knox will make a
careful examination of the language
of the decisions at once and ascertain
their exact bearing on the tariff be-
tween this country and the Philippines.
He then will state to the president and
his advisers the powers now vested in
the government in dealing with this
subject.
There was little discussion of this
matter, owing to the general lack of
clear understanding as to the real eff
feet of the decisions.
Mr.. Knox may report his conclusions
on the subject at the next cabinet meet
ing and probably also will discuss the
results of his examination of the op1n-
ions of the court with the president in
~dividually.
Meanwhile discussion of the need of
an extra session is deferred, as consid-
Grafton of this question was regarded
as premature at this time. Member
of the cabinet individually ~refrained
from even expressing their personal
opinion as to the possibility of con
gress being convened in extraordinary
session.