The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-12

The admission of California into the Union as a State, on September 9. 1850, without having passed through terri torial government and without an en- abling aot of Congres authorizing the formation of State Government IS case in point as to almost every feature of the present situation in Cuba. The United States acquired California on May 30, 1S48, and 1t was State within two years and three months from that time. The entire population at that time was 9z. 600. of whom a large part were Mexicans, Spaniards, negroes and Indians. all of whom spoke the Spanish language.
 General Riley. the Military Governor. called the Constitutional Convention, without the authority of Congress-; the State Constitution was drawn up by that body and submitted to the people for adoption, and, on November B. 1S49. 1t was ratified by vote of 12,061 ayes against S11 in opposition. On the basis of that Constitution Congress ad- mittsd California into the Union as a State.
 The population of California was then most largely of Spanish and Indian origin. The American population was largely in the minority. and consisted in much the greater part of men who
 were gold Hunters, without the pur- SSs bsS Rssmensnf'y siasa Who 1 cass sas much the larger part of the vote to ratify the Constitution. There was no apprehension of foreign interfer- ence. no present need of military de- lenses, no urgency of any sort for sucn rapid development of those people into 8 self-governing body polite except the general conviction that 1t was for the good of California that military gov ernment and the improyised govern meht in the mining camps should be succeeded by a lawful civil govern ment. That necessity was great be- cause the regulators in some localities. acting under the I'Iynch law were executing summary justice upon vicious and ncentious people. The outcome of this prompt adoption or constitutional civil government by the voluntary action of the people has been the establishment of as prosperous State as any in the great sisternood of the American Union.
 If Cuba now had such a government she would be in stronger and more elevated position than any to which she could ever attain by being thrown into the struggles of international com petition and the dangers of the all- pervading passion fol ,encroachment and aggranGizement that is nurtured in almost every country in Europe.
 Without further description of the parallel in the cases of California and Cuba, which is almost perfect, We have here a precedent that is conclusive to justify Cuba and the United States in adopting Statehood as the solution of every difficulty in the present situation; secure and proud future that rightfuily belongs to that splendid people in their beautiful and fertile island.
 In Cuban Statehood alone is 1t pos sible to find the perfect realization of the declaration that "the people of Cuba are and of right ought to be free and and the practical pos- session of that other dignity and pow CT (not expressed in that declaration) that Cuba will become sovereign State. Outside of the American Union her hope of sovereignty is vain and deceptive illusion.
 In a territorial government the ele- ment of State sovereignty that se- cures representation in the houses of Congress is wanting; and Cuba should have that power in it's full constitution al effect. In the Senate, which IS the central point of the legislative and political power of the United States, Cuba would be the equal of any other State of the Union in the enactment of laws, the scrutiny of treaties and appointments to office. There Is no in sular State in the world with mill lion and a half or even 5,O00,OO0 of people that could enjoy advantages to If government equal to those that Cuba would pos sess as a State of the American Union; and there is no necessity for stopping her progress to this high plane of sov- ereign Statehood at the halfway sta- tion of a territorial government.
 The powers accorded to Cuba under the Platt amendment. while they are not equal in dignity or freedom to those of State in the Union, carry a distinct admission that the Cuban people are fully qualified for self-gov- ernment. The Constitution adopted by the Cuban Convention is work of thorough ability, careful forecast and conservative provision for the pre- servation of the rights of the people. Its formulation was a new and deli cate task that has been completed with entire success.
 When an elective body has given such proofs of its capacity to create such Government there can be no doubt that the constituent reople will be able to conduct government with success through the ballot. The practical ques- tion. in this situation, Is whether Cuba shall be free, sovereign and independ- ent power among the nations or shall become a State of the American Union.
 The Plat amendment creates pro- tectorate over Cuba that limits her powers in making treaties and com pacts with foreign Governments, and puts her under the supervision and control of the United States as to her municipal legislation for domestic purposes and as to her civil admins tration. It put Cuba in the same re- lation to other powers that the South African Republics held to Great Brit ain by treaty, and the same relation as to domestic government that Great Britain claimed to hold toward those States; so that those States, while claiming to be sovereign, were not rec ogniZed by any Government as being Independent. In this mained condition they were not recognized as being members of the great family of nations. and held no diplomatic intercourse with any powers; and 1t is not at all prob able that any European nation would ever recognize Cuba as a free sovereign and Independent power while that Gov ernment should be under very similar protectorate of the United States. in accordance with terms of the Platt amendment.
 The United States could not assent to Such rerOgnitiOn Of the indanendence