The age-herald., 1901-06-04
THE ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ALABAMA
Cubon independence Postponed.


 Cubon Independence Postponed.
 The Cuban Constitutional Conven- tion accepted the Root oral version of the Platt amendment, and the admin istration has rejected that version. The attempt of the Secretary of War to construe an act of Congress has brought the situation where the ad- ministration hopes to keep it. That is to say, the American troops will stay in Cuba, and Brigadier-General Leon ard Wood, who was jumped from an assistant surgeons place. will continue to rule the subject Cubans. Cuban au- tonomy is as far off as it was before the convention met.
 But the convention is still sitting and earning per head ten dollars day. After it has sat year or two longer it may conclude to accept the Platt amendment without any ifs or ands, and then the administration will be forced to withdraw its viceroy and the troops A demand for such an accept ance has already been expressed in the Havana papers.
 If, however, 1t thinks it can gain better terms by appealing to Congress in December action will be deferred. Congress will not do better. A prac- tical protectorate will be enforced. The country wants no more Teller nysteria, and will not stand more of such nonsense.
 Were it not for the objections of the sugar and tobacco trusts Senator Morgans plan of statehood would find favor both in this country and In Cuba. It is really the best plan for all con cerned that can be devised. It would give home rule and safety, and it would keep the island at our doors from for eign manipulation. But sugar and to- bacco men are on top, and they will not listen to the statehood plan, for then not even supreme court could make tariff that would please the two trusts. Sugar is ruling this country at present anyhow, and when reinforced Sy tobacco it is all powerful.
 The Cubans particularly dislike the intervention feature of the Platt amend ment, and they have added to it an exegesis that beclouds intervention to such an extent as to render 1t well nigh impossible. The article, too, relating to sewers and sanitation in Cuban towns is changed 50 that no responsi- bility would rest upon the Cubans to extend the plans already adopted until those towns are epidemic proof. This is an important point, especially to Alabama and other gulf states. and the administration acts wisely in demand ing exact compliance with the Platt amendment. The nayal-station article is also changed, so that the Cuban re- public could or could not lease stations to the United States. The Cubans have also incorporated the Monroe doc Urine as they understand it in their pro- posed constitution. Altogether they have adopted programme that this country cannot accept, and it remains now to be seen whether the radicals in the convent Jn will swallow the whole Platt amendment rather than lose the offices of new republic that they expect to control. And even if they decide to swallow the pill then will follow tedious setting up of na- tional, provincial and municipal gov ernments, all of which must be in good working order before the United States can safely hand the island over to the Cubans. The dances are that such transfer will be indefinitely postponed.