The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-05
AGAINST AN EXTRA SESSION.
Opposition to Settlement of the
Cuban Question at Present.


Republican leaders in both the Senate
! and House Of Representatives are making
earnest efforts to counterfeit the belief
now widespread that extra session of
the Fifty-seventh Congress will be neces-
sary for the purpose of enacting legisla-
tion defining the future relations of the
United States and Cuba. Little thought
had been given to this subject until a
! fortnight ago, when President Mckinley
made known to several Senators that he
regarded it as his duty to lay before Con-
gress the constitution OF Cuba when COM
pleted by the convention now in session.
Immediately the question of what Con-
gress could or ought to do began to be
widely discussed and it seemed to be the
consensus of opinion among the inhuen-
tial members of both houses that the
President was right in his view of the
matter and that Congress would have to
face the question as soon as formally no.
! titled that the constitution had been
adopted. Those Senators and Represent
atives. however. who for one reason or
another have made a special study of the
Cuban question are inclined to the opinion
that Congress had nothing to do with 1t.
at least not until the Cubans should take
the initiative.
Senator Plat of Connecticut, Ci=i-man
of the Committee on Cuban Relations, who
visited the island last spring and studied
the situation there, is one % those who
think that there is no call for an extra
session, and that the Cuban question
should be left in statu quo for the present.
In the informal conference of the Re
publican Senators, at which the Presi-
dents attitude and the calling of An ex. IA
session have been very fully talked over,
much surprise has been expressed at the
failure of the Cuban constitutional con-
ven.scn to consider the question OF the
future relations of the island and the
United States and there has been some
criticism of General Wood for not seeni,
to il that the convention carried out the
purposes for which it was called together.
IN his order of July 20, announcing the
general elections General Wood thus re-
ferred to it's purpose:
ITO frame and adopt a constitution for
the people and as part thereof, to pro-
vide for and agree with the Government of
the United States upon the relation TO ex-
list between that Government and the Gov
eminent of Cuba In his address to the
delegates in calling the convention to
order General Wood further emphasized
the necessity OF making a provision for
fixing the status of the island in its re-
lations to the United States Government.
He said: 1T will be your duty first to
frame and adopt a constitution for Cuba
and when that has been done. to formulate
what. in your opinion. ought to be the re-
latious between Cuba and the United
States The constitution must be adequate
to secure a stable, orderly and free gov
ernment. When you have formulated the
relations which in your opinion ought to
exist between Cuba and the United States
the Government of the United States will
doubtless take such action on its part as
shall lead to a final and authoritative
agreement between the people of the two
countries to the promotion of their com
mon interests"
So far as is known in Washington the
Cuban convention has not discussed the
question of future relations with the |
United States, and there is no proposition |
pending looking to a declaration on this |
point. The convention has not yet COM
pletcd its work. however. and it is pos
sible that this branch of the subject may |
yet be considered and discussed and a |
formulated in accordance |
with General Woods order in calling the |
But whether or not this |
action is had, tie lawyers of the Senate |
5Li iiou't VI INspi cstHldllNSS are, as q |
rule. of the opinion that the time is not |
yet ripe for taking Congressional action |
with regard to the future political status |
of Cuba. and they prefer to leave the /
question in allegiance at least until the |
Cuban people make known what attitude
hey think the United States Government |
should assume toward the government of !
cuba.
In the mean time the United States will
maintain the control that il now exercises.
Il is thought that President Mckinley will
De satisfied TO allow matters to drift along |
until the regular session of the Fifty
seventh Congress especially il the con-
stitution shall not be completed and for
warded to Washington before the 4th
Of March. as now seems likely