New-York tribune., 1901-05-23
DISCUSSING CUBA'SFUTURE
FACTIONAL DIFFERENCES JUAN quail
BERTO GOMEZ AS AN ORATOR
THE QUESTION OF MORTGAGES.
Havana. Nav TX

Havana, May 10
Getting ready for the future government Of
Cuba seems to cause a good deal of friction
among those who are most interested. The tone
of the newspaper discussion as we'll as of the
discussion in private and in the secret sessions
of the convention is bitter Yet in the mean
time the people are moving forward. Having
made up their minds that the Platt amendment
is 10 be adopted, the mass of the population are
much less disturbed than the radical politicians
are willing to believe. But it is the confession
OF one of the leaders of this class that it would
not now be possible TO get up an anti-amend-
nent demonstration. such as was held all over
the island Immediately after action was taken
by the American Congress This is the best evil
dence that the Cuban public is open to reason
and conviction
The bitterness which is now shown in discus
sion is among the Cuban leaders and factions
and has little TO do with the United States. In
the secret sessions there have been several dis
putes which came near amounting TO fist fights.
though the Cuban as a rule prefers the more
cerennonious form of the field of honor to a
physical encounter But when the passions
rise as they have risen in these secret debates.
and mutual charges and recriminations are
made on several occasions recently IL has been
difficult to keep the cOEbatants apart After
the sessions the delegates join the rest Of the
sunset hour before dinner. While they are taxi
ing the air in this way. the heated blood coOs.
but as they stroll in groups their animated dis
cussions give clue to what has been going on.
and in the evening the cafe frequenters all know
lust which delegates were at the point or coming
TO blows The result is not bad one. because,
while in the public debates personalities are not
entirely excluded, the edge of these has been
taken off in the secret session, and there is more
of a disposition TO talk 10 the galleries than 70
invite personal controversies
RADICALS ARE FLUENT TAKERS.
The leaders of the ultra-radicals are for the
most part fluent takers Their present move
ment. as they explain it, is to set Cuba right
before the world and preserve the historic per-
spective The most fluent of them all is Juan
Gualberto Gomez the negro leader. who from
the openirg of the convention has been voted
down on almost every proposition he made, yet
has managed to occupy the centre of the stage
by the sheer force of his talent as talker and
writer American politicians who remember the
appearance of John NJ. LangstOn, Of Virginia, In
Congress and in national convention. can form
a good idea of Gualberto Gomez for he has the
same oratorical gift that Langston had. and
illustrates in a similar manner the capacity OF
the African 10 develop agitator rather
than as an organizer He is at present seeking
10 fix his own place in the future. that he
NAV be a critic and an opponent OF the party
which will control the administration Of Cuban
affairs IL is even said that he has threatened
to leave Cuba forever when the Platt amend
ment goes into effect. But he would have no
such field in France Spain as he has in Cuba
OF the other radicals. Salvador Cisneros. Mar
quis of Santa Lucia. and ex-president OF the
former Cuban revolutionary government, Is
writer rather than an orator. He puts forth
several weeks he has had running in one OF the
papers a serial which is supposed 10 give his
views on the PIatt amendment. but as the con-
clusion has not been reached. no one yet knows
his exact attitude. II is no injustice TO the old
man TO state that this is not important From
the opening of the convention his colleagues,
many OF whom themselves are theorists. have
laughed at Sehor Cisneross fantastic notions.
One of these notions. which he wished 10 have
embodied in the Cuban Constitution. was q
clause forbidding the future republic from ac-
quiring territory by conquest The Cuban army
and navy are so remotely in embryo that his as
sociates. knowing that armies and navtes are
necessary conquest. laughed at his PROPOSE
ton and voted il down unanimously.
on the side of those who are supporting the
Platt amendment are both takers and workers.
II has some significance that nearly al the
members of the convention who have learned
something Of the responsibility Of government
by themselves. having shared administration.
are among the advocates of prompt action by
the convention and unreserved acceptance OF the
Platt amendment This statement includes
Civil Governor Nunez. of Havana Province:
Senior Quilez. of Pinar del Rio. and jose Miguel
Gomez. of Santa Clara. 1t is also understood
that Governor Betancourt. Of Matanzas. who
was a member of the commission which went to
Washington. favors going ahead and forming
new government conditions satisfactory 10
the United States. The delegates who DO a full
share OF the talking in favor of action have
pretty sharp tongues. and they are able TO Keep
the radicals busy in replying 70 them Manner
Sanguily is one of the most pronounced or the
dCbaters, and his criticisms have Spurred the re-
calcitrant members to meeting the issue. Senor
Giberga another OF the men of pronounced con-
victions. also has been a sharp critic; but from
the opening of the convention his criticism has
been entirely destructive. and therefore his in
Auence is not so great as that of Sanguily-
CANDIDATES FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
In the fencing for party advantage in the
future the developments OF the last few days
seem 10 indicate that there viii be real con-
tention over the candidate for president II
Maxnlo Gomez is willinS-and the present belief
is that he is-T. Estrada Palma will be the can
didate of all parties. The movement for Bar
tOloneo Maso. a sugar planter Of Mauzanilo
seems TO he held in check in the interest OF
Palma. This tendency to a single candidate tor
President does not mean that there Will be the
same unanimity in choosing other officials when
the time comes 70 make the choice The GER