Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
Factions in Cuban Congress
Will Move Slowly.
LEARN OUR ACTIONS
THEN WILL RATIEY RECIPRoC-
ITY TREATY SURELY.
President Palma Trying to Revive His
Personal Popularity in Country
Peppers Letter.

| HAVANA, Cuba, January D, 19US.
| When the Cuban congress meets again
next week it will have a clear insight into
| what 1t has to do. The vacation campaigns
which have been going on have helped to
give an understanding Of Cuban public SEN
| timent. Then President Palma hmseif, by
getting In touch with the country people IN
the tobacco region, is able to revive some
what his personal popularity.
| These holiday campaigns have not Deen
directed for or against any special policy.
In the central part Of the island is the effort
to strengthen what are known as the mod
| crates. In Santiago the mild radicals are
seeking to stand their ground against the
| ultra-radical movement.
| Broadly speaking, the conservative tend
encies are openly avowed. The radical pro-
gram Is less open, but is just as well IN
derstood. Out Of it all no signs are yet seen
| that on the line Of administration and anti
administration Mr.. Palma will not be able
to hold majority in both branches of con-
gress for whatever program he may put
forth as administration policy.
All the factions are watching Washington
They will make haste slowly In ratifying
the reciprocity treaty until they feel they
know what will be done by the American
Congress. Then they will ratify without
half dozen votes in opposition.
Some Interesting Questions.
Back Of the procedure which may be fol-
lowed in ratifying the reciprocity treaty
and making it effective are some interesting
| questions for the new government. The
way they are settled will make precedents
which will be binding. That Is one reason
why the subject is approached so cautious
ly. 1t Is also an explanation Of the eager
desire shown for news about the under
In the two branches OF the American Con-
gress. One Cuban senator told me he had
read all the debates and reports from the
time Of Jays treaty down to report made
last winter by the Senate committee on
foreign relations. He confessed that the
| more he read the less he knew, and he does
not look for much guidance for the Cuban
congress in the presidents of the American
Congress.
There is one difference. Though the cnban
constitution follows closely that of the
United States. it has some provisions of its
own; own; One of these is that the congress
snail declare war and ratify treaties of
peace The event Of the Cuban congress
being called on to declare war is SO remote
that the corallary Of making q peace treaty
does not come within the sphere of practi-
Gle Of the constitution. Therefore, some of
the Cuban expounders Of their organic law
see In 1t limitation on the camera, or
mouse, sharing with the senate the treaty
More may be heard Of this point when the
discussion gets under way.
President Palma's Plan.
Actually the plan Of President Palma is to
submit the reciprocity treaty solely to the
senate for ratification. The foreign rela-
tions committee Of that body has its report
ready. 1t does not intend to 60 into an
argument OF constitutional prerogative
Rather the disposition is to set forth the
commercial and other benefits to Cuba and
thus bring the subject down to a practical
basis.
For ratification only thirteen votes are
senate Is twenty-four, and two-thirds
| majority is not required However, the
presence OF two-thirds of the members are
required at the beginning Of the session in
order to form quorum. This makes fill
clustering easy, though no issue has yet
arisen in which a third Of the senators
were willing to take the responsibility of
| blocking business by staying away from
| the sessions. That condition may come
| later, when issues more acute than reci-
| procity arise.
1t is perfectly understood that the prece-
| dent made as to the joint or separate func-
lions of the two branches of the Cuban con-
gress in ratifying the reciprocity treaty
will determine the procedure that Is to be
followed when the Plat amendment is en-
bodied in a treaty. The congress as a
whole may take hand in the lease or sale
| of territory for naval and coaling stations
That may be interpreted as joint execu-
tive and legislative act, but the treaty
proper, Of which the provision regarding
| coaling stations Is single article, stands
on different footing. This is realized by
the element which wants to evade the Plat
amendment, and mischievous agitation
has begun. This will spend its force in
short time.
Criticised for Slowness.
o{c Of he 90
| government is not confined to relations
| with the United States. Home policies
move forward just as slowly, and tho do
| nestle criticism is visited about equally on
President Palmas administration and on
the Cuban congress. It has been just as
Of the new government, but the under
standing now is that when the congress re-
assemblies next week after its recess it will
settle down to two months hard work, and
constructive measures will receive atten-
ton.
A number Of proposed organic laws are
in conference between the senate and the
house, and they are expected to emerge in
the form OF perfected measures. Substan-
TALLY all the work Of legislation and much
of the discussion Is done in these conference
committees. The speeches in both the house
and the senate are for popular -consump-
ton, even more than similar addresses in
the legislative bodies of the United States.
The pressure Is beginning to be felt for
the legislation which is to create the ma
tional debt OF Cuba in payment Of the
army.
he MI.