* vides for the immediate removal from office of all "guerrilleros" who are not protected by the civil service law. ** Those employees who are protected by the civil service law are to be suspended from their posts until a law can be passed which will effectually bar them from the public service. In return for these concessions the veterans pledge themselves to support the Government in case any disorders arise as a result of carrying out the agreement. * * * The Government has thus clearly complied with all the original demands of the veterans and completely receded from the resolute stand taken when the question arose. I have [etc.] * HUGH S. GIBSON. * * * DECEMBER 1, 1911. SIR: With reference to my No. 1207 of November 21 [etc.] I have the honor to report that despite the apparently satisfactory settlement reached by the veterans and the Government a disposition not to accept that settlement seems now to prevail in the councils of the veterans, and the situation has again become quite as serious as ever, if not indeed more so. While the Government agreed to remove from office, or allow to resign, employees and officials of "objectionable war antecedents" who hold office under Executive appointment and whose tenure is not subject to provisions of the civil service law concerning the classified service (a relatively unimportant number) the status of those affected by these provisions was tacitly recognized as not subject to administrative action without an appropriate amendment of the civil service law. A day or two before that a bill had been introduced in the Senate-which was subsequently passed by that body-to amend that law in the sense of excluding from public employment men of the character whom the veterans are attacking. * ** This bill has however met unexpected opposition in the House and the present outlook is that it will not pass. This afternoon Mr. Sanguily, Cuban Secretary of State, told me in the course of a conversation at the Department of State that in the opinion of all the members of the Government the situation was now more critical than ever before. * * * * * * SIR: With reference to my dispatch No. 1225 of the 1st instant [etc.] I have the honor to report that a bill signed by Messrs. Freyre Andrade, González Lanuza and other Conservative members has now been introduced in the lower House of Congress to repeal in their entirety the civil service law drafted by the late Provisional Government and the complementary and promulgatory act of January 18, 1911. I have [etc.] HUGH S. GIBSON. File No. 837.00/513. [Telegram.-Extract.-Paraphrase.] DECEMBER 8, 1911. (Received Dec. 9.) The veterans now demand dismissal of "traitors" from judiciary and elective offices as well as from the civil service. Bill to suspend the civil service law has passed the House and will probably pass the Senate to-day. 1 The Speaker, Ferrara, in answering the argument that the bill was contrary to the Platt amendment, claimed that as Cuba had adopted the amendment under coercion it was not binding upon her. GIBSON. File No. 837.00/517. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DECEMBER 14, 1911. The Senate amendment removing the exception of the judiciary from dismissal has been accepted and the amended bill goes to the President for signature. File No. 837.00/522. * * [Extract.] GIBSON. DECEMBER 16, 1911. No. 1255.] SIR: * I have to report that the suspension act, as amended by the Senate and sanctioned by the President, reads as follows: All laws which guarantee the irremovability of public officials and employees are hereby suspended, in such part as concerns said irremovability, for a period of eighteen months. The original measure contemplated the suspension of the civil service law alone, thus affecting only civilian employees of the classified service; but as finally enacted it affects the judiciary and military as well, whose tenure is protected by other laws containing provisions of a character similar to those of the civil service law. The President issued at the same time a decree prescribing regulations purporting to construe the spirit of the law as enacted and facilitate its execution. *** To pass upon charges brought against such officeholders provision is made for the appointment of a body to which the press promptly gave the picturesque name of "decapitating commission ", composed of four members-one to be designated by the Liberal party, one by the Conservative party, and two by the veterans-and a chairman to be chosen by the President of the Republic. This commission is charged with the further duty of appointing to every vacancy arising from the removal of an officeholder accused before its bar a person belonging to the same political party as the one discharged. Although it was the obvious purpose of the President in issuing this decree to provide a workable means for carrying out in good faith the terms of the agreement between the Government and the veterans the veterans have flatly refused to have anything to do with the designation of the two members of the commis * * * 1 Referred to in the dispatch of Dec. 4. * * sion allotted to their organization. They contend that the voices of their representatives would be smothered by the two political members and the partisan chairman appointed by the President. To sum up their attitude, they make no effort to conceal their distrust of the President, although he has lately shown a disposition to please them in every way possible. Otherwise there is no change in the situation. I have [etc.] * * HUGH S. GIBSON. The American Minister to the Secretary of State. File No. 837.00/538. [Telegrams.-Extracts.-Paraphrases.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, January 11, 1912. The House yesterday passed a resolution accusing officers of the Army and of the Rural Guard of pernicious political activity and participation in seditious manifestations; calling for a statement from the President of steps against them, and information as to whether he had dealt with Monteagudo1 for violations of military law. The newspapers regard the situation as critical. File No. 837.00/541. BEAUPRÉ, JANUARY 15, 1912. The President on the 15th issued a decree forbidding officers of Army and Rural Guard from participation in politics; this was already forbidden by military law. The decree also forbids their attendance at meetings of the Veterans' Association, whose leaders declare that unless the decree is revoked they will go to any lengths to obtain their end. I earnestly suggest advisability of a decided stand at this time on our part. Should our intention to support the President be made known it would probably have a discouraging effect on those wishing to provoke intervention. Threatening speeches made by prominent veterans. Situation now more alarming than at any previous time. BEAUPRÉ. File No. 837.00/541. The Secretary of State to the American Minister. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 16, 1912. After handing to the President the following unsigned note you will also make it public: The situation in Cuba as now reported causes grave concern to the Government of the United States. 1 The general commanding the Army; he had issued a general order forbidding soldiers to take part in the veterans' movement to form a political party. That the laws intended to safeguard free republican government shall be enforced and not defied is obviously essential to the maintenance of the law, order and stability indispensable to the status of the Republic of Cuba, in the continued well-being of which the United States has always evinced and can not escape a vital interest. The President of the United States therefore looks to the President and Government of Cuba to prevent a threatened situation which would compel the Government of the United States, much against its desires, to consider what measures it must take in pursuance of the obligation of its relations to Cuba. ΚΝΟΣ. File No. 837.00/545. The American Minister to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.-Extract.-Paraphrase.] HABANA, undated; received January 17, 1912. Those of the opposition who want trouble are saying that the second paragraph of the note I handed to the President yesterday means a demand by the United States for a complete return to the status quo ante by immediate repeal of the new civil service law amendments. The President answers that it means merely that he shall not revoke the decree forbidding officers attending Veteran meetings, and court martial for the disobedient, with no further unlawful concessions to the Veterans. He earnestly requests that Department let him know if he is correct. File No. 837.00/545. BEAUPRÉ The Secretary of State to the American Minister. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 17, 1912. The retroactive measures were not contemplated by the second paragraph referred to, which is too clear to call for any interpretation. Without detailed instructions the Legation should be able to prevent its distortion for political purposes or to the detriment of our relations with Cuba. KNOX. File No. 837.00/549. The American Minister to the Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, January 20, 1912. There was a meeting at the Palace tonight at which an agreement was signed the terms of which will be made public tomorrow after obtaining a few additional signatures. The agreement reads as follows in translation: 1. The Association of Veterans of the Independence will confine its activities to the ends and limits set forth in its by-laws. 2. The National Council of the Veterans of the Independence will choose between the cessation of the functions of the Revisory Commission, with consequent transfer of those functions to the Executive departments, and a coutinuance of the Commission. 3. Whichever of the alternatives stated in 2 is decided upon, a term shall be set for terminating said functions with the settlement of the cases in hand, which term will expire February 24, 1912. 4. At the expiration of this term the suspension of the civil service law shall cease by virtue of a resolution of Congress upon request of the President. 5. The leaders of the Cuban revolution this day assembled in the Palace and the members of the local organizations of the Veterans of the Independence pledge themselves to be the guardians of the moral and material peace by assisting the national Government in maintaining it. 6. The Government of the Republic shall publish this agreement so that all may know that those who sacrificed themselves to Independence are the most stable support of the Republic, and that law and order and the stability of our institutions are henceforth guaranteed and peace assured; wherefore there will be no justification for any intervention in our internal affairs by the United States, to whose honor and loyalty as well as to its own patriotism the Cuban people trusts its peaceful development. It will be noticed that the agreement, in providing for the repeal of the suspension of the civil service law, goes farther than was demanded by the Department's note. The Sub-Secretary of State assures me that complete accord prevailed at the conference and that the terms of the agreement would undoubtedly be complied with. BEAUPRÉ. NEGRO UPRISING-ATTITUDE OF THE UNITED STATES-PROTEC- The American Minister to the Secretary of State. File No. 837.00/561 No. 71.] AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: I have the honor to invite the Department's attention to Mr. Jackson's despatch No. 672 of March 10, the Department's instruction No. 263 of March 20, 1911, and prior correspondence relative to the "Independent Party of Color" (Partido Independiente de Color) of Cuba. It was announced at that time that the party intended to send a delegation to Washington for a presentation of grievances. The leader of that party, Evaristo Estenoz, called at the Legation two days ago and stated that the party had decided to send to Washington "as soon as the present cold weather in the north should let up a little" a delegation of six, one from each province. He said that the principal grievance which among others it is intended to bring before the President of the United States is that, preceding the elections held in the fall of 1908 under the Provisional Government, their party was duly recognized and given standing as a political party by Governor Magoon in a formal decree; that, in contravention of the proclamation which made all acts of the Provisional Government binding upon the Republic of Cuba, the Gómez administration through the bipartisan electoral boards has refused to recognize the standing which had been accorded them by the Provisional Government; and that in the approaching electoral period they have reason to believe that they will be similarly debarred from placing 1 Not printed. 1 1 |