Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-02-18

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-The sec
| retary of war has been advised that
the constitutional convention at Ha.
vana will appoint special commit
tee consisting of the chairmen of all
the regular committees to prepare 4
statement defining the relations of
the new Cuban republic toward the
United States. and it is also intimated
that the policy of the convention will
be to Instruct the president of the
new republic, when he shall have
been elected, to enter into a treaty
with the government to establish those
relations. This will not be satisfac-
tory. but VIII give the congress of the
United States something to act upon
and no further steps will be taken by
the committee on Cuban relations un-
til the plans of the convention at
Havana have been fully developed.
The leaders of the convention have
been advised by General Wood as to
the desires OF President Mckinley and
MS opinion that the government of
the United States should be allowed to
supervise the foreign and financial
policies OF the Cuban republic. to
have the right to intervene for the pro
lection of American residents and 9th
er foreigners in Cuba and guard the
commercial interests of our people
b56ffs that il eifteie Ct eiesftu sau 6 81 tee fe4yaqt qt6Asa Aa
be granted for naval supply stations.
Whether the Cuban convention will
be willing to concede so much as this
is doubtful. 1t is almost certain thai
they will reject any proposition to
estrain their financial liberties. The
action of the convention in fixing its
constitution expressly for the pur
pose of eiecting Gomez president il
not encoura.g ~, 1t confirms the pre-
vious reports that its action is con.
trolled by the radical element, but it
is hoped that they will meet our gov.
ernment half way and accept guard
ianship that win prevent Cuba from
repeating the experience of Haiti and
San Domingo.
There Will be no haste in the con
sideration of the Cuban constitution
by congress. No matter how soon
it arrives now there will be no time
Tor disposing OF so important mat
ter during the remaining three weeks
of the session. 1t cannot get here
Tor week at least. Another weeE
will be required to translate and prin,
It, so that it is physically impossible
as well as impracticable for congress
10 under take an examination of the
document. Furthermore, there is nc
disposition to act hastily Before
they vote the members of our congress
will naturally want to be assured
that the new constitution is accepta
bic to the people of Cuba. The per.
Sonnel OF the convention is not guar
anty of that fact. 1t is said that not
one member of the convention is the
owner OF 81 1000 worth OF property
Ii is true, however, that the property
| owners took no part In the election
| 1t was their own fault and they can
blame no one but themselves for the
present situation. They had a chance
| 10 organize the government, but dc
elined to accept it and allowed ire
spolsible adveAtuTers to assume that
responsibility. That Gomez is de
termined to be the president no one
doubts. Thus far he has been kept
employed by the provisional govern
ment at large salary so as to satisfy
his vanity and avarice, but those who
are familiar with his disposition and
the affairs of Cuba predict that he
win raise another revolution as soon
as he discovers that he is not to be
dictator of the new government.