The Minneapolis journal., 1902-05-10
The CUBAN CONGRESS

The Cuban congress- has been In session
this week for the purpose of receiving
the certificates of election of members
and counting the electoral vote In joint
session, and making declaration OF the
result as required by the constitution.
The congress will have. no legislative
functions until May 20, when the govern.
ment of the republic of Cuba will be in
augurated and President Palma will de-
liver his first message to the joint ses-
sion. Governor General Wood will trans
fer the government and control OF the
island to the president and congress on
condition that they assume and: under
take all the obligations assumed by the
United States as to. Cuba, by the treaty
of Paris of December 1898. The military
occupation Of the island will then ter
inmate, except that small number OF
artillerymen will be left in the coast for
tifications until the, new government has
organized and substituted for our SOL
diers sufficient military force of Its
own, when the artillery force will be
transferred to the naval stations which
ment, will hand over to our government.
All the laws adopted by the military
government will continue in force and the
administrative officers will continue to
perform their duties until the constitu-
tional Cuban government changes them.
Thus there will be no hiatus between the
working of the governmental machinery
of the military regime and that of the
new Cuban government.
The latter will receive from General
Wood an island d transformed from the
vicious condition ertailed by despotic and
predatory Spanish rule and the wreck
age of civil war, into the orderly condi-
| which has in every way ministered to the
physical, intellectual and business needs
Of the people. e3. -. x
| There are American, newspapers vigor-
| ously advocating the annexation of Cuba
or predicting that the Cubans will be
compelled by internal troubles to seek
annexation That is matter to be de,
cided exclusively by the; Cubans them
selves. If, after trying the serious busi-
ness of self government, they find it pro-
motive of their own material welfare tc
be annexed, this nation will not refuse
to receive them. But it does seem some:
what irregular for journals which have
| been diligently opposing any concession
| of tariff duties for the benefit Of Cuba
| or, limiting concession to a little 20 pei
cent, on the ground that the American
sugar and tobacco interests will BIZ
/ ruined, 1T does seem very irregular
and inconsistent, for them to be noisily
| insistent upon the annexation of the
island, which would automatically re
move every tariff barrier and make trade
as free as it is between the states now
The Cubans must have their chance t,
prove their ability to govern themselves
i They have had three years and half O.
good tuition in the principles of goot
government and under the bill Of rights
They have been shown how to- condue
public business in the most economical
way and how to amplify revenues up t,
the governmental necessities, and the,
have been shown the supreme advantages
of board of public works which know.
the virtues Of scientific sanitation ant
acts on that knowledge. We shall hop,
for the best results from the administra
tion of President Palma