THE CUBA REVIEW And Bulletin. 



13 



U. S. SECRETARY OF WAR TAFT IN HAVANA, APRIL 7, 8, 9. 



THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE AMERICAN ARMY 

 OF OCCUPATION. 



Despite the Cuban revolutionary commit- 

 tee's demand, Secretary Taft refused to fix 

 a date for withdrawing the army of occu- 

 pation. 



That the American occupation will last 

 for another year at least is the strong im- 

 pression created by remarks Secretary Taft 

 let fall. 



Although the conservative and industrial 

 elements are unwilling to speak, much less 

 be quoted, it can be said on information 

 given by Secretary Taft that there is a 

 unanimous opinion that the country will 

 be satisfied with a prolongation of the Am- 

 erican provisional government. On the 

 other hand, the radical elements of the 

 liberals want the Americans to quickly with- 

 draw, Loynaz Castillo being their mouth- 

 piece. 



WHAT BANKERS AND THE CHAMBER OF COM- 

 MERCE WANT. 



The bankers want the Americans to re- 

 main as long as possible, for their pres- 

 ence means public order. They also want 

 one or two years' notice before the hold- 

 ing of national elections, declaring that 

 otherwise the island's commercial condi- 

 tions would be disastrously affected. 



They also urged the Secretary not to 

 change the present currency to American 

 money, claiming that so to do would in- 

 crease the cost of living by 12 per cent. 

 The committee of the Chamber of Com- 

 merce addressed the Secretary in like vein. 



Secretary Taft told the bankers he un- 

 derstood that they preferred permanent 

 American control in Cuba, but that this 

 could not be, as "we have obligations to 

 the American people as well as to the 

 Cubans, and the matter must be consid- 

 ered in its political as well as its econom- 

 ical aspects." 



THE CENSUS AND PRELIMINARY ELECTIONS. 



Secretary Taft said that "the consensus 

 of opinion seems to be that it would be 

 wise, and even necessary, to take a cen- 

 sus before attempting to hold an election, 

 not only under the present provisional gov- 

 ernment, but under any subsequent gov- 

 ernment. It would be wise in order to 

 test the condition of the country and the 

 operation of the election law, to hold a 

 preliminary election, municipal and not na- 

 tional, and the national election should be 

 delayed until the results of the preliminary 

 election are seen." The census will take 

 about four months. 



Mr. Taft added that the Roosevelt ad- 

 ministration is perfectly satisfied with Gov. 

 Mago'on's conduct of affairs and that more 

 power will be given to him. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT ISSUED 

 APRIL 10 BY SECRETARY TAFT. 



When shall the elections by held? All 

 the parties, through the committees, have 



expressed the view that the wisest course 

 will be to hold a preliminary election to 

 test the electoral law and the tranquility 

 of the country. 



The liberals urge that this be for mu- 

 nicipal and provincial officers, while the 

 conservatives insist that it ought to be lim- 

 ited to municipal officers, but they agree 

 in holding . preliminary election. 



It is hardly necessary to reiterate that 

 the position of President Roosevelt is ex- 

 actly what it was when the first procloma- 

 tion was issued establishing a provisional 

 government under the Piatt law in this 

 island, to wit : That Cuba must be turned 

 over to a Cuban Government, fairly elect- 

 ed, so soon as the conditions of tranquility 

 in the country permit and the stability of 

 the government established shall be assured. 



I do not think four months a sufficient 

 time for the taking of a census necessary 

 for an election. All that can be done and 

 all that ought to be done is to declare that 

 the census be taken in as short a time as 

 possible, making the census thorough, fair, 

 and complete for electoral purposes, and 

 an announcement that the preliminary elec- 

 tion shall be held within such period there- 

 after as may afford a reasonable time for 

 complying with all the requirements of the 

 new electoral law. 



The municipal and provincial elections, 

 which, in a sense, are local, should be held 

 at the same time. 



Three months may not be su*cient tirne 

 in which to test the questions of tranquil- 

 ity and the success of the experimental pre- 

 liminary election, therefore, our declaration 

 should not Le more limited than that the 

 national election shall be held within six 

 months after the preliminary election. 



It is, of course, proper to comply with 

 the constitutional requirement regarding 

 an interval of 100 days between the Con- 

 gressional and Presidential elections and 

 the voting by the .electoral college, the as- 

 sembling of Congress, and the inaugura- 

 tion of the new President. The govern- 

 ment will than devolve upon the newly 

 ecected President and Congress. 



The carrying out of this plan, of course, 

 is strictly dependent on the tranquility of 

 the country, which must continue through 

 two elections, and which must be given as- 

 surance of the stability of the new gov- 

 ernment, because without this the United 

 States would not be discharging the obli- 

 gation devolving upon it by reason o'f the 

 intervention. 



It is in the interest of the business pros- 

 perity of the island that this plan be made 

 public. I have submitted the substance of 

 this letter to President Roosevelt. He ap- 

 proves it and has instructed me to direct 

 this communication to you. 



William H. Taft. 



