The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-02-02
GOOD ADVICETOCUBA
Welfare of Young Republic
Rests With United States.
GENEROUS TREATMENT IS URGED.
Wide Range Shown In Bids For
Raising the Battleship Maine.
From SsG7 900 to Nothing.
Work of Convention,

HAVANA, Feb. LA Nacion, treat
ing ediiorialy of the present condition Of
Cuba. says:
''The work Of getting up n constitution
is n comparatively easy matter. The i'm
portant question of the future is the rcla-
tions which Cuba is to hold with the
United States. Not only should Cuba
pay back with generosity favors received,
but the economical situation for us de-
pcnds upon the attitude Of the United
States, and the political question thus re-
solves itself into an economical question.
1.-THE convention, in our judgment.
would do well to adopt the following as
the basis of those relations:
THAT the republic of Cuba will respect
and guarantee lives, property and ac-
qured rights in the same form as the
United States guaranteed these in the
treaty Of Paris.
"That the republic will guarantee
rights acquired during the American in
tcrvehtion by law, decree, judgment or
other act Of the military government.
THAT the republic for a period of two
years after the establishment Of indie
penicnce will conduct foreign affairs
through the United States, will make no
treaty with any other nation prcjudicial
to the United States and will accept no
compromise which might give rise to the
occupation of the island or to interven-
ton in its customs.
''That the United States for a period
of two years after the establishment of
independence may occupy forts in Cuba,
provided the Cuban flag flies with the
American.
THAT Cuba will lease to the United
States two coalng stations and will give
no commercial advantages to any other
nation which are not given to the United
States, and
'That none of these concessions or
promises is to be taken to imply any ces-
sation of the sovereignty of Cuba or any
Iessenng of her complete Independence
La Lucha edtorialy indorses the view
of La Naciou as TO the basis of future re-
lations.
Bids for raising the wreck of the Unit
ed States battleship Maine were opened
yesterday There were II bidders, whose
offers ranged from $S67, 900, the bid of
the Swartz Foundry of New Orleans. to
the proposal of Chamberlain 4 Go. of
Chicago to remove the wreck for nothing
and to give the government 3 per cent on
the sales of the material in the form of
souvenirs.
The variety Of plans for raising the
wreck is no less astonishing than the diff
ference in the bids. One contractor pro-
posed to raise il by means of balloon.
Several suggested novel schemes involv-
ing Golfer dams, and others named pom
toons and air bags as lifting contrivances.
The task of raising will probably 20 to
Chamberlain & Go. if the necessary bond
Is furnished
The convention held secret session
yesterday morning, at which the anti
Gomez element announced its intention to
remain away from the public sessions nn-
less the naturalization clause was strick-
en- out of the twelfth section. The Gomez
faction replied that they had won over
three delegates, although they had not
vet secured quorum. The Gomezltes
admitted that General Gomez did not de-
sire the presidency and would not be Il
candidate, but they argued that the lower
classes would regard it as blow at him
il the naturalization clause was not i'll
serted.
1t was decided to suspend today's ses'
sion out of respect for the memory OF
Queen Victoria. and the delegates will not
meet again until Monday.