United States; and you request that I express my views on the questions raised. In reply I beg to state that the Amendment was carefully prepared with the object of avoiding any possible idea that by the acceptance thereof the Constitutional Convention will thereby establish a protectorate or suzerainty, or in any manner whatsoever compromise the independence or sovereignty of Cuba; and speaking for myself it seems impossible that such an interpretation can be given to the clause. I believe that the Amendment should be considered as a whole; and it ought to be clear on reading it that its well-defined purpose is to secure and safeguard Cuban independence and set forth at once a clear idea of the friendly disposition of the United States toward the Cuban people, and the express intention on their part to aid them if necessary in the maintenance of said independence. These are my ideas; and although, as you say, I cannot speak for the entire Congress, my belief is that such a purpose was well understood by that body."

This act of the Convention encountered the disapproval of the authorities in Washington. After several conferences between the President, Secretary Root, and Senator O. H. Platt and Senator Spooner, it was decided at a Cabinet meeting to notify the Convention that its action could not be regarded as a satisfactory compliance with the American requirements. Instructions were therefore telegraphed to General Wood to inform the Convention that it could not proceed with the work of establishing a government, and that the troops would not be withdrawn until the Platt Amendment had been accepted without qualifications. It was after this fashion that the United States made known to the Cubans that to which Senator Platt refers as desires" and "requests."

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Necessarily, the matter was reopened by the Convention, and two weeks more were spent in argument and discussion. On June 12, a motion for unqualified acceptance was voted on, and sixteen votes were cast in the affirmative against eleven

in the negative. One vote had been gained for the affirmative-Señor Ferrer, who gave as his reason that acceptance seemed "the best solution of the problem." Four members absented themselves, or were unavoidably absent. The long-disputed measure, unacceptable to the Cubans, had been imposed upon the Convention, and, so far as their acceptance was concerned, it became morally binding upon the new government to endorse the action.

CHAPTER XVII

STRUGGLE FOR TARIFF CONCESSIONS

In the spring of 1901, a Commission, consisting of representative Cuban planters and merchants, was sent to Washington to present the needs of the industries of the Island, and to request consideration of their relief through a readjustment of the commercial relations between Cuba and the United States. Unfortunately for the enterprise, the visit of the Commissioners was coincident with the activities of the discussion of political relations, and their errand was overshadowed by a question which the United States regarded as the more important issue.

At about this same period, also, the Military Governor publicly admitted the disastrous condition of the Island's industries. On his arrival in Washington, April 25, it was announced by the press that he had declared to the President, in very positive terms, that "the conditions in the Island demanded that something be done toward modifying the duty imposed by the United States on Cuban imports, and he made a formal recommendation that the duty on sugar and tobacco be reduced. His recommendation was made so strongly that it is said the President will urge upon Congress that some legislation be enacted looking to such reduction."

The same point of industrial stress and impending disaster was also made a leading feature of the errand of the Commission from the Constitutional Convention, and, whether

justified or not in so doing, the delegates returned to Cuba with a belief that an arrangement had been effected which would insure immediate attention to the industrial and commercial needs of the Island.

The agitation which followed led to the inauguration of a definite campaign whose object was to secure a more favorable entry of Cuban products, particularly sugar, into the markets of the United States. The sugar planters as individuals, and the Cuban Planters Association (Circulo de Hacendados) had been at work for many months in such directions as it was possible for them to exert influence. The tobacco interest had been urging its claims through other channels. During the month of August, the Association of Tobacco Buyers and the Cigar Makers Union held meetings and prepared memorials from their point of view.

The Military Governor also became actively concerned, and, with funds appropriated from the insular treasury, employed agents in the United States and in Cuba to carry on an energetic propaganda. October opened with a general exhibition of popular interest throughout the Island. The third day of October was made a general holiday, and people of all classes, bankers, merchants, planters, employers and employés, united in public demonstrations. A procession numbering 15,000 men paraded the streets of Havana, and marched to the Palace, where a committee presented a petition to the Military Governor, requesting the reduction of the United States tariff on sugar and tobacco. In Santiago, the Chamber of Commerce called a public meeting at which it was reported eight thousand were present, to endorse a similar memorial. Similar meetings were held in other cities. Telegrams were sent to Washington from cities and towns in all parts of the Island, urging the necessity for prompt attention to Cuba's economic condition.

During the months of October and November, the movement gathered strength and became more coherent. On November 24, there gathered in Washington a group of Cuban merchants, manufacturers, and planters. On the 26th, they called upon the President to pay their respects and to announce officially their mission. Several days were spent in conference with members of the Cabinet and prominent members of Congress. They were accorded a courteous reception, but were given little or no encouragement to believe that their requests would receive any immediate attention.

Close upon the heels of this committee, General Wood appeared, ostensibly to discuss with the Secretary of War the steps to be taken in the pending transfer of the Cuban Government. Whether or not that was the actual object of his visit, it is certain that every possible use was made of his presence to advance the interests of the Cuban cause, into which the President had plunged with characteristic vigor.

The annual report of the Secretary of War appeared during the last week in November. In that report, Mr. Root urged the wisdom and the necessity of granting tariff concessions to the products of the Island. He rested his argument in a special manner upon the ground of moral obligation and public policy. He said:

"Aside from the moral obligation to which we committed ourselves when we drove Spain out of Cuba, and aside from the ordinary considerations of commercial advantage involved in a reciprocity treaty, there are the weightiest reasons of American public policy pointing in the same direction; for the peace of Cuba is necessary to the peace of the United States; the health of Cuba is necessary to the health of the United States; the independence of Cuba is necessary to the safety of the United States. The same considerations