The sun., 1901-04-05
CONTROL OF CUBAN CITIES.
PREsENT GOVERNMENTS FAIL-NEW
ELECTIONS on APRIL 10.

Hope That Better Oncials WIN BE Chcsen
Havana Paper Says Secretary Roots
Explanation Of the intervention Clause
., Useless Convention Po,tpones Action
Special Cab, D.spatch 10 THE SUN.
HAVANA. April 4--Municpal elections are
TO be held throughout the island on June |.
Fifteen days from April 10 will be allowed
for the registration OF voters. There are
two opinions regarding the probability of
candidates Of the better element being elected.
Some say that the manifest failure Of the
present municipalities will cnuse the election
e better men.
The more general idea however. Is that
the same or a worse class will be success
full at the polls Gen Wood has often been
asked TO appoint oouncilmen and other mu-
ncipal officers in Havana, the petitioners
holding that this u the only way TO get good
men Many OF those who favor this method
cite tho municipality appointed BY Gen.
Ludlow a. having been infinitely better than
the present elected one.
Ono Of the reasons given for the probability
that good men will not be elected Ia that
the oliques who are now in control will nomi-
nate their own men. the voters not under
standing much about the matter. and the
better class being too few or too mild 10 run
tho adventurers out
Gen Wood had a conversation to-day with
the more Radical delegates 10 the Consti-
tutionsl Convention regarding the interpre-
tation Of the Platt amendment The PdtrN.
commenting on Secretary OF War Roots
letter, in which he set forth the President =
understanding OF the third or Intervention
section OF the amendment, says that Mr..
Roots time was Lost. as his Interpretation
cannot be better than the text OF the law
ITSELF which IL clear Mr. Root can say
what he likes, but the truth Il that TO give
the United States the right to intervene when
they think AZ would detract from Cuba's
sovereignty In conclusion the paper says
that Mr. Roots letter IL Q worthless doou-
msnt
The Discussion says that the convention
has rejected two reports on the amendment,
and when IL rejscts the reports OF Senores
Giberra and Quilcz IL will then In principle
have rel ected the amendment, though with
out having done 40 specifically. A delegate
SAYS that at the private session yesterday.
when the question Of the amendment was
pue. a motion was carried by a vote Of is 10 7
not 20 discuss II, but 70 lay 1t on the table.
thus showing thst the convention did not
then desire TO reject the amendment. The
idea Of some Of the delegates In rejecting
all the reports on the amendment presented
to the convention Ia 10 leave only the amend
ment itself for cons deration. Then COM
mission 10 visit Washington will probably
be appointed
The delegates say that Gualberto Gomez
uphods the idea Of sending a commission
In order 10 prevent his own report on tho
amendment from coming to a vote. as he fears
n will be defeated 1t IL not certain that his
report will be voted on before the question
Of commission Is dealt with. The delegate
adds that some Of his fellow members have
an idea that the Washington Government
10 very much embarrassed by the action Of
tho convention. They think this because Of
the visits paid to Cuba by prominent Senators
and Conaressmen