The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-19

sovereignty, Jurisdiction or control over said
island. except for the pdcifodiion thereof
and asserts it's determination when that Il
accomplished, 20 leave the government
and control Of tho island 10 It's peo-
pie Mr.. Robinson submits that IN
the words quoted. there is neither assertion
nor intimaton that the work called for
or to be accomplished was the creation
OF a republic 'by Anglo-Saxons, for
people Of an alien race. upon Anglo-Saxon
lines. AT no time, he says. during the
preceding three years had there been
manifested 40 definite a purpose as was
shown during the early months Of 1902
to adopt autocratic monarchical methods
Tor the establishment Of a republic in a
foreign land In the issuance Of Official
orders during the Brooke period, those
orders had been prefaced with the state
ment that the Military Governor directs
the publication Of the following order. ?
We are told that in numerous cases in
1902 this formula was changed TO Il, Leonard
Wood, Military Governor, by virtue Of the
authority vested in me, direct the publ
cation Of the following order. II Is certain
that at no previous time had arbitrary
interference with the existing laws been
80 direct and fragrant. The assumption,
indeed, was current at the time in the
United States that Gen. Wood had gained
the confidence and esteem Of the Cuban
people. According TO the author Of this
book he possessed neither. He entirely
failed TO comprehend the Cuban character.
The Cubans on their part, recognizing his
inability 10 understand them, quietly
bided their time, knowing that his control
Of their affairs could be only temporary.
Gen. Wood misinterpreted the prevail
ing silence. When an isolated cutlery
was heard he was accustomed to denounce
It as the unjustfed complaint Of a disaf-
fected individual As a matter Of fact,
the Cuban people had been trained TO self
repression by many years Of life under
Spanish military rule, and the influence
Of that training was abiding. A few might
give expression 10 their discomfort, but
the majority kept silent.
In the twentieth chapter we are reminded
that an act Of Congress- generally known
as the Foraker law, forbade the granting
Of any property, franchise or concession Of
any kind whatever, by any military or other
authority whatsoever, while Cuba Is under
occupation by the United States Mr..
Robinson is undoubtedly right in holding
that this law. which prohibited any new
franchises or CONCESSIONS, should also
have been construed TO prevent the reoog-
milton and completion Of franchises OF
concessions which had remained merely
inohoate at the time Of SPANS evacuation
Of the island. II certainly was this view
Of the scope Of the Foraker law which
caused the refusal 10 recognize the claim
OF Messrs. Dady & Co. in tho matter OF the
Havana sewerng and paving contracts,
and II was also invoked against the De
Armas contract for q municipal loan. The
fact IL recalled that both Of these claimants
held concessions that were already inchoate
at the time Of Spain's withdrawal. In two
other cases, however, which stood on pre-
cisely the same general footing. as being
inchoate franchises OF concessions with
regard TO which further action was sus-
pended by the Foraker law. a different
course was followed under the Wood
system. One Of these inchoate concessions
was that for a gambling game given to the
Jai Alai Company, and the other was for
an electric light system in the city Of
Havana. The attempt Of Cuba's indie
pendent Legislature 10 suppress these con-
cessions has been defeated by article ~.
Of the so-called Plat Amendment TO the
Cuban Constitution. which protects vested
rights acquired under laws and orders is
sued by the Governments Of Intervention.