Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-23
CONGRESS- WON'T REACH IT
Too Much Business Ahead to Consider Gu ban
Constitution This se,sion.
ISLANDERS REACH NO CONCLUSION
Delegates to Convention Discuss
Future Relation Only Informally
Havana Has Municipal
Troubles of Its own.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 22.-The War depart
ment has not yet heard from General Wood
of the reception by him of the Cuban con-
stitution as reported from Havana II is
not expected that he will send IL to Wash
ington Immediately unless he can transmit
along with II some resolution by the con-
stitutional convention defining the relations
that are to exist between the United States
and Cuba. The statement Is made quite
positively that 1t would be idle and pur-
poseless to transmit the constitution as it
stands and without any provision for the
hereafter as between the two countries. 1t
is now manifest that It would be a physical
impossibility for the present congress to act
upon the subject OF Cuba.
II has been decided that Secretary Roots
letter to General Wood outlining the points
OF a proposition touching the relation be-
tween the United States and Cuba which he
thinks would be acceptable to this govern
ment, will not be given out for publication
here. 1t is said to have been communi-
Gated by General Wood to the members OF
the committee appointed by the constitu-
tional convention to deal with this subject,
but is regarded as confidential at present
Cubans Are Undecided.
HAVANA. Feb. 22.-Nothing definite has
been decided upon on the question OF future
relations. Many OF the delegates assem-
bed In the convention hall this afternoon
to talk over the matter informally. Most
Of them seem to be impressed with the CON
viction that IL the convention stood out
vigorously for absolute independence the
United States congress would support them
The special committee on relations has
instructed its secretary, Senior Juan Gual-
berto Gomez. to draw UP a proposition and
submit the same to the committee for con-
sideraton tomorrow. This proposition will
It Is said, deal with the question In three
leading divisions: First that Cuba shall
not be made the base OF war operations
against the United States; second that the
commercial treaty with the United States
shall embody as far as possible free trade
between the two countries; and third, that
no foreign treaties shall be made jeopardiz-
ing the independence OF Cuba. The special
committee considers that the danger OF
Cuba contracting loans It might be un-
able TO pay has been guarded against in
the constitution. Instructions on this
point and others were given to Senior Gomez
in the form OF notes and suggestions. 1t
is understood that the question OF naval
stations was not mentioned. The commit
tee will report Monday.
Havana Has Trouble OF Its own
At today session of the municipal coun-
ell OF, Havana a resolution was adopted
declaring that a state OF chaos existed in
the council owing to the personal quar-
rels between the mayor and the assistant
mayor. The resolution pointed out that
800 business propositions were lying I'M
dealt with, and 1t directed that the mayor
and council should hereafter attend the
sessions regularly and transact the affairs
OF the city In a businesslike manner.
The fiscal Is unwilling to say when he
expects the trial Of c. F. w. Nicely. the
alleged postoffice embezzler. to begin. Writ
ten interrosatories have been sent TO wit
nesses in the United States, and they in
turn have to send interrogatories here
Considerable time will elapse before all
the testimony to be used in the trial is
at hand