The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-06-13
CUBA'S AMENDMENTS
To the Platt Amendment Rejected
by the Cabinet.
NOT SUBSTANTIAL" L"coMpLIANcE

WI oOoS AN ltAI SOWPltANCe
The cubans Have Been 50 Advised In
Unqualified rerms--The Cabinet un.
able to Reach 4 Conclusion sa the
Phl!lpplnss TarIff Question.
Warrington. June 1.-The president
and the cabinet at their meeting yes.
terday decided that the action of the
Cuban constitutional convention was
not Substantial" compliance with
the terms Of the Plat amendment. The
secretary Of war will convey this fact
to the convention.
The cabinet held that the amend.
ments and interpretations and the
wealth Of whereases placed by the Gu.
ban constitutional convention upon the
Cuban amendment amounted to prac.
tical modification of the Platt amend.
ment such as beyond the power of this
government to accept. The message
Of rejection sent to Gen. Wood advises
the Cubans in unqualified language
that there is no power resting in the
United States government to change
the terms OF the Platt amendment, and
that this government insists on its &C.
ceptance without amendment or quail.
fication. The Cuban convention is still
in session and the message of rejec.
ton was delivered to 1t Immediately.
The administration is confident that
the Cubans will understand the exact
attitude of this government and make
a satisfactory acceptance within a
reasonable period.
The three main points in which the
action of the Cuban constitutional con.
vention Is regarded as unsatisfactory
relate. 1t is said, to coaling stations,
sanitation and intervention. The Gu.
ban convention took from the cOaling
stations paragraph of the Platt amend.
ment its obligatory character and
merely authorized the Cuban govern.
ment, in its judgment. to allow the Uni.
ted States to possess cOaling or naval
stations. The United States will in.
sist on an absolute agreement to grant
us these coaling stations. With re.
spect to sanitation the Cubans do not
agree to carry out plans already de.
vised, and in accepting the Plat
amendment modify its provisions SO as
to change them considerably. In the
matter of Intervention our objection is
that the Cubans have so changed this
vitally important part of the Platt
amendment as to make our right to
intervene an ambiguous and doubtful
matter. whereas we insist on a
straight, uneQuivocal acknowledgment
of our right to intervene when in our
judgment Intervention is necessary to
assure Cuban independence or a stable
government.
The cabinet was unable to reach any
conclusions as to the Philippine tariff
situation, as affected by the recent In.
sular decisions of the supreme court
Attorney General Knox will make a
careful examination Of the language of
the decisions at once and ascertain
their exact bearing on the tariff be.
tween this country and the Philippines.
He then will state to the president and
his advisers the powers now vested in
the government in dealing with this
subject. There was little discussion
Of this matter owing to the general
lack Of clear understanding as to the
real effect of the decisions. Mr.. Knox
may report his conclusions on the sub
ject at the next cabinet meeting and
probably also will discuss the results
of his examination of the opinions OF
the court with the president indiyidu.
ally.
Meanwhile discussion of the need of
an extra session is deferred, as consid.
Grafton of that question was regarded
as premature at this time.