The times., 1901-04-25
A CONFERENCE over CUBA
The President TO Receive the Com
missioners Today.
several Consultations Held by Ad-
minfstration officials and General
wood - The Islanders Rcttceht
Concerning Their Mission Here.

Cen Leonard Wood, the Military Gov
ernor OF Cuba, and the members OF
the commission Of the Cuban Constltu-
tional Convention, arrived in Washington
yesterday morning to confer with the
President and the Secretary of war CON
cerning matters affecting the island They
came over different routes, but the houIS
of their arrival were not far apart.
General Wood, accompanied by MIS-
Wood and his secretary, Alexander 'oi'-
zales, came by way of New York haNliis
arrived there late Tuesday night on the
steamer Morro Castle, while the Cubans
came by rail from Tampa General "oou
is stopping at the Richmond, while the
members of the commission are auSi
tered at the Shoreham-
In the Cuban delegation are Gen. DO
rningo Mendez Capote, President OF the
commission: Cen Pegro e. Betancourt
Gen. Rafael NJ. Portuondo. DR.. Diego
Tamayo. and Dr. Perdo Gonzalez Lio-
rente. They are accompanied by Pearo
M. Entenza. interpreter; Col. M Nj. 20
ronado. editor of La Discussion; Mar
ouez Starring. representative OF tie
United Press of Cuba and correspondent
of "El Muudo."
General Wood went to the War Depart
ment shortly after 10 o'clock yesterudS
morning and after short talk with 1e"
oral Corbin was admitted to Secretary
Roots Driyate office. where he remalheu
In consultation with the Secretary Oh " al
for more than three hours Arrangements
for a conference had previously pte'i
made and there were present peslue9
retarv Root and General WOOD 9eLi'V'
PIatt of Connecticut, the authof ol tno
amendment to the Army Dill over
the controversy on Cuban ahali9 90
So, y-ooad Admiral Bradford, Chiet oil
the Bureau of Equipment Oh tno 60,
Denartr,ent. and Col William cary oa.'
--o,. +ha Assistant Secretary of war me
| entire Cuban situation was 'hoi
ADMIRAL Bradford was called INTO lhe
conference for the purpose OF consul "a
tio, upon the subject of naval statloiS VI
Tho United states in Cuba, as propose" oS
tho platt amendment He mas given ~
srbiect much attention, and is thorousilS
| advised as TO requirements OF TINS coui-
! t,rv in this respect. General Wood went
o,,or tho whole matter of the Cuban trou-
/ hle and acquainted the officials with the
n,,rDosas of the Cuban commission
When the conference ended none OF the
! conferees would make public the SUBJECTS
/ discussed 1t is known, however, that 'le
! nlIestion Of the right of the umteo otdIV9
10 intervene in matters affecting peace
and war in Cuba were also talked Of d.
! well as other relations between the i7i-
! and and this country. This Is very
| ip,nortant matter in the minds of the Gu
| bans. and one which IS the great STUN
hing block in the way Of arriving at an
or,icat,la solution of the Cuban contro-
versv. The questions affecting trade re-
s.f II
bans are extremely anxious to secure
! reduction of the duties upon Cuban sugar
and tobacco imported into the United
/ States This. however, is considered
wholly a matter for Congressional action
! and is secondary to the greater question
of settling Cuba's future position towart
the United States
After the conference with Secretary
Root General Wood, in company with th'
Secretary of War, called upon the Presi
dent at o clock yesterday afternoon. III
win accompany the delegation to tn
White House today and Introduce then
to the President
The Cubans spent the greater portion
of yesterday recuperating from their loni
Journey Although several of them speal
English fiuently. they asked to be eX
cused from being interviewed upon an,
of the important purposes of their mis-
sion on the ground that it would not b
proper for them to make any public state
ment concerning their visit until afte
they had called upon the President an
. the Secretary of War They are men 0
intelligence and polished manners, an
created a good impression among all VIII
saw and talked with them.
The commissioners were met at tn
depot by Dr. David J. HILL Assistan
Secretary of State; Col. William Car
Sanger. Assistant Secretary Of War
Captain SawteIle. and Lieutenant Over
ton, representing the army, who wer
designated to welcome them to WASH
ington. The visitors were escorted to tn
Shoreham, which will be their headqual
= ters while they remain here. The lengt
| of their stay is not fixed. Shortly afte
| their arrival they received number {
Q ! official callers. who came to pay the
n ! respects General Wood sent his secr'
. tary. Mr. Gonzales, to visit them, and I
n advise them that he would make an a
| rangement for their reception by III
I President The call was returned late
S in the day by Mr.. Tamayo. Yesterda
. evening the Cubans held an informal col
5 ference and outlined in part a plan
action, which viii govern their NOV
ments while in Washington, and II
course they will pursue. They would n
state last night what decisions we
I reached.
1t was arranged yesterday afternoon
: have the members of the delegation pr
# sented to the President at II O'Clock tn
J. morning They will first go to the w
, ! Department and General Wood will tn,
- escort them TO the White House. 1t
!, probable that Secretary Root will also
II Il member of the party. While il is sa
e that very little If anything of defni
Of the conference with the President, y
It is confidently expected that good I
IL suits will follow from the understands
r Of the situation which will doubtless
e reached. The talk this morning will
n, in regard to public affairs and this eve
" ing the President and Mrs. Mckinley W
tender the visitors state dinner
which the members of the Cabinet a.
other distinguished persons will be pre-
ent.
y Mr. Coronado, whose paper was su
pressed by General Wood and who w
placed under arrest, talked freely yeste
90 day of Cuban conditions. He declares tn
A. General Wood Is persona non grata
4 many Of the members of the ConstitutiO
- al Convention and charges that he h
caused the trouble in connection with [
I'd piatt amendment. General Portuon
Of ! and SenOr Llorente are also bitter in tn,
~ denunciation Of General Wood Preside
Capote and Dr. Tamayo are the conserY
tive members of the commission. and tn
- | say they expect much good Will resi-
~ | from the conference with the PreSidel
> Senior Gonzales, Secretary to Genci
\, | Wood discussing conditions in Cuba, 50
/" | that commercial relations were of
more Importance than politics and tn
the Cubans looked forward hopefully
d free trade with the United States. To /
sugar planters, he said, this was a con,
W tiOD absolutely essential to prosperity a