Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-29
ADOPTS PLATT AMENDMENT
CUBAN CONVENTION ACCEPTS TERMS
OFFERED THEREIN.
Vote Was Il Tie Until the Presiding
Officer Joined the Affirma-
tive Side.

| A dispatch to the New York Tribune from
Havana last night says: The Plat amend
mept was adopted by the constitutional
convention this afternoon by vote Of Is
to Il. The casting vote in favor of accept
ance was given by Mendez Capote, the pre-
siding officer.
knowledge of Cuban political methods is
necessary to understand the close vote.
Several delegates were recorded in the
negative who wanted the report recon-
mending acceptance adopted. They would
not have permitted it's defeat under any
conditions, however This afternoon, when
the ultra radicals learned that Acting
| Mayor Gener would vote against the
! amendment, they rallied and sought to pre-
cipitate a deadlock. Gener, who was until
recently secretary of justice, is known to
favor American relations, but the eXigen-
cies of the local political campaign have
kept him doubtful The machinery of his
party Is IN the hands of the radicals, and
their threat to defeat his reelection caused
him to vote in the negative OF the abb
sentees. Ruiz Rivera, who is in Honduras,
favored acceptance, and Bravo Correoso.
who ostenSbly was against It, went to
Santiago to avoid voting None Of the San
tiago delegates Were recorded in the afIir-
native
The discussion this afternoon was chiefly
by Manuel Sanguily, conservative, and
Senior Pertuondo, radical, although Saliva
dor Cisneros and others took part at times.
Inc debate was quite bitter, the supporters
OF the resolution to accept repudiating
sharply the claim of the radicals to be the
only friends of free Cuba. The report Of
the committee which visited Washington
was read in part, and a thorough analysis
of it was made.
Everything done was in secret session
Thirty or forty people Were the largest
number who at any time were gathered in
the vicinity of the convention hall. The
scene was quite earnest during the voting,
and when the announcement of acceptance
was made the delegates who had support ed
1t applauded vigorously. Gualberto Gomez
Salvador Cisneros and others of the min
lStry embraced one another dramatically
after the Latin fashion. Some Of them also
rushed to the doors and shouted excit ed
messages. Gen. Lacret sent a telegram to
his constituents saying that the convention
had adopted the Platt amendment and muir
dered the independence of Cuba. Others of
the ultra radicals sent similar telexrams
These are meant for home consumption.
While few Of the delegates who voted
In the negative are still bitter, most Of
them accept the situation gracefully. Some
violent diatribeS in newspapers may be ex-
pected, but one which has been most pro-
nounced In advocating resistance will to-
morrow declare in favor of cooperation of
all elements in making the action Of the
convention effective, and Others will fall
into line. Havana has been expecting the
outcome and is entirely tranquil. This is
true of the rest of the island, except pos
sibfy some parts of Santiago.
After voting this afternoon the conven-
ton adjourned without fixing time for
resuming sessions. 1t will be called to-
gether probably the first of next week to
adopt an electoral law under which the
constitution is to be put into operation In
the meantime the proceedings taken today
Will be laid before General Wood and by
him transmitted to Washington.
The exact terms of acceptance have not
been fully understood in the United States.
especially since the revised and modified
report was the basis of the convention's
action today As it stands the constitu-
tional convention has adopted an appendix
to the constitution which 1t formally
adopted in February last. This appendix
gives the terms of the Platt amendment
and a summary In concise form CT inter-
views with Secretary Root and his inter
probation of the legislation Of Congress.
1t also quotes the letter from Military
Governor Wood, transmitting the letter
from the Secretary of War on the same
subject having the value Of an official
document, and then states in very clear
terms, article by article, the conventions
Interpretation. All these matters were
discussed today, and much stress was laid
Interpretation is formulated.
The final article in the appendix Is a
pledge that the republic of Cuba will pro-
pose a reciprocity treaty. Commercial in
terests are highly gratified that this pledge
Is Incorporated into the acceptance Of the
Plat amendment.