The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-02-05
THE CUBAN CONSTITUTION.

congressional interest in that document
is increasing and already it is very
evident that it will form the basis Of
some decidedly interesting and warn
debate when it shall be finally handed
to this government for its action,
Senator Platt, chairman of the senate
committee on relations with Cuba,
has given out an interview on the sub
iect in which he discusses the proba.
BILE action Of the government concern.
ing the constitution. He thinsk this
government has not the power to deal
directly with the Cuban constitu.
tion. He says that congress can
neither approve, reject nor in any way
modify or amend it. This opinion,
of course, is based upon the supreme
court decision that Cuba is foreign
territory, consequently neither this
nor any other nation can interfere
with the right or privilege of the Gu.
bans to set up whatever form of gov
eminent they may. choose. But be-
cause of the circumstances of our in
tervention there, says MI. Platt, the
United States has certain rights and
privileges in the island and certain
mutual relations exist between the
two. Going further, the senator SAYS
that congress may declare upon what
terms military occupation of the
island shall cease and in doing that
might express its opinion as to what
necessary guarantees of the future
relations of the two countries shall be
embodied in the constitution. AS
the committee is to meet some time
this week it is expected that it will
give its official sanction to the sena-
tors views. If this is done it is al
most certain that a minority report
will also be submitted. as the tail of
the committee is composed of popu-
lists and democrats, who are opposed
to the views Of the republicans.
Senator Platt's view, and it IS said
that of the administration as we'll, is
that the Cubans shall not be left free
to snub this nation if they SO desire,
but that congress shall ask them to
give constitutional guarantees of the
rights and privileges this nation ex-
poets of them for it's own protection
and in the interest Of the islanders
themselves. Both the senator and
the administration hold hat this ma
tion is entitled. to a certain extent to
maintain closer relations with the
Cubans than any other nation and to
that extent should have a limited su-
pervision over its affairs.
Senator Teller, who is the ranking
member of the minority of the COM
mittee, takes the opposite view and
insists that. we shall seek to acquire
by subsequent treaties what Senator
Plat says shall be guaranteed US in
the Cuban constitution. He processes
to believe that in gratitude for what
we did for them the Cubans would
willingly consent to grant us any
reasonable advantage when it comes tc
making treaties with them. He goes
SO far as to say he believes that the
Cubans would gladly give US a naval
base in the island, should we ask TO,
the right to establish n there. They
realize, he says, that this nation is tc
be their protector against every for
eign foe and for that reason woulc
welcome such naval force as we might
see fit to maintain there. This is al
far as we should CO., he insists. Sucf
commercial advantages as we have
reason to expect he pretends to thinl
would be granted US for the mere ask
ing. He says this government SHOULD
not undertake to tell the Cubans will
whom or to what amount they shoul'
contract public debts. To assume su
pervision over their finances nigh
entail responsibility upon us that W
would not care to have, as it nigh
result in this nation having to becom
surety for the enormous debt whic.
hangs over the island and %concernin
liability for which SO much disput
exists at present.
It will be seen from the foregoin
expression Of opinion by the two Lead
ing members of the committee that
party clash is threatened when th