Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-06


/ go is yet to be seen.
One of the few cases in which the conven-
| ton has amended the draft of the constitu-
| ton made by the central committee is likely
| to cause considerable comment, and per-
| haps in the United States most of 1t wAll
| be unfavorable. This clause relates to uni
versal suffrage. The committee reported
merely in favor of direct suffrage with the
| qualifications to be determined by general
| law. The convention, however, overrode
| them and inserted universal suffrage,
| though many of the delegates at heart were
opposed to 1t. The proposed compromise
Under which universal suffrage should pre-
vail for two years and after that an edu-
cational qualification be established was not
even considered. The pressure behind was
too strong, and it came from the mass OF
| the Cuban population who had made the
| insurrection possible. The Santiago blacks
were the moving force. In the convention
provision in the autonomous constitution
which Spain offered the island and when
allowed universal suffrage.
Personally l do not think that the UNI
versal suffrage clause is bad, but these are
questions of opinion which only can be de-
term:ned by actual results. One moment
Gus possibility was impressed upon me by
the explanation privately made by one OF
the delegates. He told me that universal
suffrage was put in because when Cuba
came to he annexed to the American Union
the blacks wanted to be sure of their right
| to the ba lot, and by putting it In the Gu
ban constitution they thought that was the
surest way of having 1t in the constitution
of the future American state OF Cuba. Inls
statement is significant of some of the ideas
which are surging in the brains of the mass
of the people. They have real distrust or
the success of the Independent government,
but they are also sus picious Of annexation
and if that comes they want to fortlfy
themselves as strong as poss.bl in the pos
session of what they believe to be their
essential rights.
Nothing to Prohibit Titles.
Note is now being taken of some omis-
sions in the constitution. One of these is
that there Is nothing to prohibit the grant
ing of titles of nobility. One prom nent
revolutionist a couple of years back IA
vored the establishment of orders to be
known as "patricians'' and ''plebeians, but
his Ideas were not openly acknowledged
There are a good many Spanish titles and
Cuban titles existing in Cuba, mostly mar
quses and counts. There are also Few
titles granted by the pope. Possibly under
the Cuban republic they will be as common
ard of as little account as in the French
republic. The people are rather fond OF
these titles. l notice that In the reports OF
society events in Havana papers there is
always a Sprinkling Of counts ana mar
uuises and marqueses and cOuntesses. In
commercial enterprises title also Is OF
some value and several concerns nave mar
quises at the head of them or in their board
Of directors. The only titled member OF
the convention is the Marquis of Santa
Lucia better known as Salvador Cisneros,
or, as he would have it. Citizen Cisneros.
He is an extreme republican and wears on
his hat miniature Cuban flag. but AL
though he has offered a great many amend
ments to the constitution none Of them has
provided against granting titles OF NOBILITY.
An omission which has a serious import
relates to the export tax. There Is nothing
in this Cuban constitution to prohibit lay
ing an export tax, as there is in the Amer
lean constitution. 1 called the attention of
one member to this omission and asked
him If 1t was inadvertent. He replied that
it was not, that the subject had been dis
cussed and that the members had agreed
there was no necessity for inserting such
a prohibition because no congress ever
would seek to lay an export tax He said
that Cuba had had enough OF export taxes
under Spanish rule.
To an ordinary observer that would seem
a good reason for inserting prohlbltory
clause in the constitution. Its absence PROB
ably will have some unfavorable influence
when the new commonwealth comes to ne
gotiate reciprocity treaties, or make trade
Arrangement with other countries. Ihough
the commonwealth of Cuba may secure CON
cessions on her products entering into the
United States, the question will be raised
as to what guarantee there Is that an eX-
port tax will not be laid on some such arti-
Gle AS sugar, which will equal the amount
of the tariff rebate The export tax which
Brazil lays on coffee IS an example. The
constitution makers in their reaching out
after ideals have not fully appreciated the
Importance of this subject.
Aimed at CarpetbaEgers.
There is an incidental phase of the consti-
tuition which has grown out Of the dispo-
stion TO make only native born Cubans
eligible for congress and the supreme court
compromise provision fixed period
varying from eight to ten years after nat
uralization for foreigners. This aimed
of n
United States. The Cubans want the ofhces
for themselves and want them for all time
Their jealousy of prospective carpetbag-
gers is natural enough, yet do not think
ambitious Americans will be deferred from
coming to Cuba on account OF this condl-
ton. Most of them believe that before
eight or ten years have elapsed the transit
ton period will have been ended and new
condition of Cuban citizenship and of
American citizenship will have arisen.
Public sentiment in Cuba is rejecting
ion regarding the constitution and the ac-
ton which is likely to be taken. but the
public mind is still befogged. The Havana
commercial community has even less polit-
munities. Its views Of what may happen
are not, therefore, of great value. and the
business men are likely to be subjected to
some shocks General trade is dull. but
this is due to conditions not specially af-
fected by the American control, or by the
constitution making.
Havana Business Men Growing I'M
easy.
The Havana stock exchange is a small
affair and it's operations are not extensive
enough to afford an index Of trade and
commerce. Some feeble efforts have been
made at stock rigging. and they are likely
to be repeated, so that the range Of quota
tons may vary two or three points. One
day, when a slump was alleged to be under
way in the stock exchange, because of the
prospective withdrawal of the American
troops and the turning of the island ad-
ministration over to the Cubans, spectators
on the produce exchange were betting to
1 that the United States would never give
up the control of the custom houses. In
both instances the movement was purely
a gambling one and not based real
knowledge
1t is happening that the business COM
munity Of Havana is awakening to the
probability of the United States indicating
a definite course in regard to future rela-
lions with Cuba, and uneasiness Is begin
ming to be shown in consequence. This I'M
easiness is part Of the education which
was necessary for the Havana business
community. Heretofore it has stubbornly
refused to recognize that there was even a
possibility Of change In the American
military government, and has given the
American military authorities No in,