New-York tribune., 1907-04-11
PEACE WILL SAVE CUBA.
POWERS TO BE RESTORED.
Mr. Taft, Ho1cerer, Sets No Date
for Resumption Of Control.


ties and leading men of the community, includ-
ing lawyers bankers and representatives of the
Chamber of Commerce and Others and after
full discussion of the situation with you, GEN
eral Barry and Consul General Steinhart
make the following recommendations, having in
necessary:
The question now arises: When shall the
elections be held? The advisory commission
appointed To draft electoral, municipal judi
clary and civil service laws, composed or three
Americans, four Liberals and four ConserVa-
uVes declared to me il was impossible to hold
Iair elections until a census had been taken ana
this view has been strengthened by assurances
from all political parties All the parties
through their committees have expressed the
view that the wisest course VIII be 10 hold a
preliminary election 10 test the electoral law
and the tranquility of the country
The Liberals urge that this be for municipal
and provincial officers. while the Conservatives
insist II ought 10 be limited to municipal Off
GERS, but they agree in holding a preliminary
election. The Liberal party expresses the view
that census can he completed in four months,
and that provincial and municipal elections
may. therefore be held in September.
The Conservative party expresses no opinion
as to the time required for the taking of a cen
sus, but it insists upon great care and that the
registration lists founded upon the census
should he subjected 10 a severe and impartial
judicial scrutiny, proposed by the advisory
commission. and that the preliminary election
shall be held a reasonab b4e time after the com
pletion of the census. The Liberal party, hold
ing that the preliminary election should take
place in September recommends that the Presi-
Dental and Congressional elections be held the
3lst Of next December and that the regular
constitutional period shall elapse thereafter be-
fore the reassemhllng OF the electoral college TO
name Senator'S and the President. The mem
bers of this college will be elected at the gem
eral elections. According to the constitution
these electoral colleges viii not convene until
one hundred days after the general election.
The Liberal party suggests that the new Con-
greSs shall meet To receive the vote OF the cleo
tiOn for President in time TO permit of his
Inauguration May 70, 1905 the anniversary
Of the inauguration of the first Cuban President.
The Conservatives insist that this preliminary
election is in the nature of an experiment. and
that three months is not a sufficient interval 10
determine whether this experiment has been a
success and they recommend thdt not less than
six months elapSc between the preliminary and
the Presidential and Congressional elections.
PRESIDENTS POLICY UNCHANGED.
Ffrst-It is hardly necessary to reiterate that
the position OF President Roosevelt is exactly
what it when the first proclamation was
issued establishing provisional government
under the Platt law in this island. TO wit that
Cuba must be turned over to Cuban govern
ment. fairly elected 50 soon as the conditions
OF tranquility in the country permit. and that
the stability of the government established be
assured
Second-I do not think four months a suhl-
cient time for the taking Of 2 census necessary
for an election. II would Ia most unWise.
therefore, TO fix definite date for the holding
of a preliminary election. All that can he done,
and all that ought 10 be done. is 10 declare that
the census be taken in short time pos
sibie, making the census thorough. fair and
nouncement that the preliminary election shall
be held within such period thereafter may
afford reasonable time for complying with all
the requirements Of the new electoral law.
Third-The municipal and provincial elections.
which in sense are local, should be held at the
same time l have already expressed the opln-
ion that the elections by which the present pro-
vincial authorities were brought into power
were attended with such irrcguarity that the
designations Of these officials should be at the
service Of the government, although the present
conditions Justly the maintenance Of the de
facto status of these officials long as they
conduct themselves properly rather than an
indiscTiminate removal of them, with the pos
sible excitement and controversy likely 10 at
tend the election Of their successors still the
question Of the proper policy 10 pursue in re-
gard to the present provincial officers is n mat
ter which is in your hands for decision. but It
is certain that the present condi-
tions to provincial officials can be cured by
election that election should be held. ana
therefore both municipal and provincial cleo
tions should be held as preliminary elections
II is true that at the provincial elections pro-
vincials will be elected constituting one-thlrd OF
the electoral college 10 vote Tor senator's Dut at
the national elections there will be elected two
thirds OF the members Of this same college, ana
therefore the selection Of a provincial council
viii have comparatively little bearing on the
national election.
Fourth-Three months may not be sufficient
quillity and the success of the experimental
preliminary election; therefore, our declaration
should not be more limited than that the ma
tional election shall be held within six months
after the preliminary election.
Fifth-It is. Of course. proper to comply with
the constitutional requirement regarding an IN
terval Of one hundred days between the Con-
gressonal and Presidential elections ana the
voting by the electoral college, the assembling
Of Congress and the Inauguration or the new
President. The government VIII thsn dtVolNe
upon the newly elected President and Congress
Slxth-The carrying out of this plan; or course
is strictly dependent on the tranqulilly OF lhe
country. which must continue through two elec-
tions and which must give assurance or the sta
bility Of the new government. because without
bfe fbo Unit would
the obligation devolving upon II by reason OF
the intervention.
prosperity of the island that this plan be made
public. / have submitted the substance OF thlS
letter 10 President Roosevelt. he approves IT,
and he has instructed me 10 direct tIIs com
municatjon TO you WILLIAM H. Lar
Immediately after the giving out of this com
r,unication Mr.. Taft went on board the May
flower. accompanied by Governor Magoon Min
lister Morgan and Consul General Steinhart As
soon as the Governor and his party left the
Mavaower that vessel steamed out Of the har-
Dor bound for Porto Rico
MIR. TAFTs BUSY DAY.
The Secretary had another busy morning
receiving committees. Among the callers were
a number of merchants Of Pinar del Rio. who
asked the Secretary TO order the payment OF
money and provisions which they had ad-
vanced TO the Cuban government troops IN the
last rebellion.
General Rodriguez. chief of the Cuban forces.
ziscussad with Mr. Taft for hour the ad-
Visibility Of an increase Of the strength Of the
rural guard 10 10000 men
S. P. McGivney. a contractor Of New Jersey
who for several years has had $I3.OOOOOO
contract for sewerng and paving in Havana,
Was received by Mr.. Taft this morning and
asked that the matter be settled. Mr.. McGiv-