Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-06
CUBA'S CONVENTION
It Has Given the Natives Lessons in
Practical Politics.
WHAT IT has AND has NOT DONE
Some Serious Omissions in the
New Constitution.
REVIEW OF CONDITIONS
Copyright. 1901, by G. NJ. Pepper.)
ecial Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Copyright, 1901, by c. NJ. Pepper)
| Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
| HAVANA, February 2, 1901.
Lessons in practical politics are being CIV
en- the Cuban people by the delegates to the
constitutional convention. They are quite
| instructive and show how easy it is to
adopt American political methods.
| When the convention fell into dead
lock over the eligibility of Maxine Gomez
| for president the first move of the mem
| bers was to shield themselves from public
criticism. This they did by going into Sc
| cret session, or, they call it, private
| sessions This is simply another form of
| the American caucus, though all Of the Gu
| ban politicians have not yet reached the
stage where they are ready to accept the
| binding force of caucus action. Their tim
| idity and fear of ridicule encourages Sc
| crecy, but it is not always productive OF
| unity. Though the dissensions within their
| ranks are marked, and though the discus
sion in the cafes is quite animated, the
| general public remains tranquil. This tran
| guilty battles the delegates who want -
be on the popular side and yet who are
| bent on accomplishing certain results which
| expose them to prospective unpopuiar'sy.
| They are cautioned not to fear the dem. n
| of unpopularity, but they do fear it just as
much as would American politicians IN
| similar circumstances, and they seek II
| devise curious ways OF whipping the de-
mon around the stump
| It was very interesting when the conven-
ton fell into the deadlock to hear the cry
| of mo quorum raised. 1t reminded me or
similar scenes in state legislatures and IN
| Congress. The delegates had been hold
| ing private sessions and voting on me
clause which would make Maxine Gomez
| eligible for president. This vote was tie.
and after many fruitless conferences Men
dez Capote, the presiding officer. who be-
| longs to the anti-Gomez faction. was COM
| PEELED to take the chair and call the CON-
vention to order. One Of the secretaries
| belongs to the Gomez faction and he start
ed in to read the journal Of the previous
days proceedings. but he had hardly begun
| when some one poked head out or the
wings Of the platform and cried. NO quo
| rum" In his excitement he used the En-
glish phrase, which is terse. instead of the
| more elaborate Castilian idiom.
The roll was called and the absence of
more than a third Of the members was
| shown The rules require two-thirds in
| order to constitute a quorum. The aDsen-
| tees were visibly present, for some OF them
| were on the floor, while others were con-
| tinung excited discussions just back of the
! presiding officers chair. Even had the pre-
siding officer been In sympathy with the
members who wanted to continue the ses-
sion, it probably would have been consil-
| cred revolutionary to have counted quo
| rum of a constitutional convention, and
| which was to adjourn.
After the adjournment there We're more
private sessions and more exciting contro-
| verSieS, without apparent breaking Cf the
| deadlock so that the program of adjourn
| ing public sessions on the day of Queen
| Victorias funeral az mark of respect was
| also relief from the responsibility of COL
| Tossing their inability to go on with the
work of completing the constitution.
The final week promises to be one of dra-
matte episodes. 1t will determine the Jun
| damental question raised by Manuel SAN
| gully, when he declared that he and four
| of his associates would leave the conven-
| ton and would refuse to subscribe to The
| constitution if it made Maxine Gomez eli
| gible for president.
After Gomez, MnsO OF Palma.
| It took some time for the delegates to APP
| preciate that this raised a fundamental
| question in republican government, which
| was whether the majority should rule.
| When they got that into their heads they
| began to cast about for basis of compro-
| mise, and also to charge one another with
| the responsibility Of delaying the copstitu-
| ton and perhaps OF defeating 1t. Any
| American politician would know that when
| this stage is reached the deadlock Is going
| to be broken, though when and how may
| not be predicted, except that the incidents
| will be dramatic
| Back of this discussion Of presidential
| eligibility has been the personality Of the
wealth. After Maxine Gomez there are
| only two men In mind One Is BartolorHo
Maso, a sugar planter of Manzanillo. who
| has been identified with all the revolution
airy elements. yet Is regarded as quite con-
sentative. At the outset of the American
occupation he lent strong support to the
American authorities, but latterly he has
soured on the American officials. or they
have soured on him, and he Is not in such
| favor. He will be the candidate Of the re-
! publicans
The other prospective candidate is Tomas
Estrada Palma, the head of the Cuban
| junta in New York. 1t Is said of him that
he can combine both the friends and the
enemies of Maxine Gomez In his support.
He is now earning living as translator
| In New York. Some of his friends have adj
vised him not to destroy the illusions of
| lifetime by coming to Cuba and involving
himself In the broils which are certain to
government. Nevertheless, Estrada Palma
probably will return to Cuba.
Two-Thirds Favor Annexation.
Growing out Of this effort Of the different
| factions to make sure Of naming the presi-
dent has been another interesting develop
| ment. While they have been working stead
| lily and with concentration to perfect con-
stitution for a commonwealth which will
| be free and sovereign Cuba the majority
OF these constitution makers, probably two
| thirds OF them, are ultimate annexation
| Cuba a state in the American Union. This
| assertion will be met by the vehement pro-
| tests and denials, and the immediate future
| ing to wait few years for its truth to be
indicated. 1t does not affect the present
| condition and is little help to the American
Congress and administration In solving the
| most pressing problems which are project
| ing themselves, but 1t may be fairly taken
| into account IN looking forward.
The experience has been novel one of
| having a deadlock, or Of having anything
happen which could not be blamed on the
American authorities This passing phase
Of responsibility has AFFORDED just glimpse
into the minds Of the Cuban political lead
| ers. and note it on that account.
The delegates also are chatting little un-
der the home criticism Of their work. They
| resent the charge that they are Jacobins.
but when their critics point out that they
| are seeking to establish an immense bu-
reaucracy. with great expenses for main
tanning army and navy, as well as a for
| ef1n dinl0po q In the OnlV reDv q