Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-01-21

temporary constitution in September,
1895, at Jimaguayu, and that it has regu-
larly-accredited representatives in the
United States, among these Mr.. Palma
and Senior Gonzales tie y Quesada, the
latter the secretary of the unrecognized
legation.
The revolutionary party was founded
under the leadership of j ose MART, and
began it's warfare against Spain Feb
ruary "A, 1895, when the people of Santl-
ago, Santa Clara and Matanzas took up
arms. A call was at once issued for
the selection of representatives of the
Cuban people to form a civil govern
ment, but Marti, the leader of the
movement, was killed at the head of
his troops at Boca de Dos Rios, May 10,
and this postponed for time the selec-
ton of civil representatives. On Sep
TENDER 10, however, representatives.
were chosen in many communities to
form the nucleus of constituent as
sembly who, together with represent
atives from the five patriotic armies
then in the field, met at ,Jmaguayu,
where on September 16, 1895, a tenn
porary constitution was adopted which,
like our own Declaration of lndepend-
ence, was signed by every delegate
present. The constitutional! assembly
met two days later and organized the
republic of Cuba with Salvador Cisneros
as president; Bartolme Maceo as vice
president, and Thomas Estrada Palma an
foreign representative.
A new assembly of representation is
to be convened September IS of this
year which may modify the original
constitution to meet all requirements.
The constitution now in force places
the supreme power of the republic in
a council of ministers, composed of y
president, vice president and four Sec
retarics, for the dispatch of business of
war, of the interior, of foreign affairs
and of agriculture. The attributes of
the ministerial government are to die
tate all the relative dispositions of the
civil and political life of the republic;
to receive contributions; to contract
public loans; to issue paper money;
to raise troops and to maintain them;
to declare reprisals with respect to the
enemy and to ratify trsaties, except
the peace with Spain; to submit judi
cal authority to the president, and to
approve the law of military organize
ton and ordinances of the military serv-
ice as drawn up by the commander in
chief.
| The ministerial council can take part
in military operations only when, in
their Judgment, it will be absolutely
necessary. The executive power rests
with the president, or, in default, with
the vice president. All outside arma-
ments of the republic and the direc-
ton of war operations are under con-
troll of the head of the army. All pub
lie debts contracted since the actual in
itiation of war, the constitution pro-
vides, shall be paid by the republic"
The insurgents, through their agents,
claim that every provision of their con-
stitution has been kept inviolate, and
that the civil government has followed
up the army and established schools,
churches, hospitals and systems of tax
alton wherever the patriots are in
power.
Senator Cameron claims to have proof
that the scheme of government here
outlined is giving satisfaction to two
thirds of Cuba's population, and points
out that the president of the republic,
Salvador Cisneros, marquis of Betan-
court, is an old Spanish nobleman whose
character is beyond reproach and who
represents the best element in the
island.
Yet Secretary Olney persists in as
sorting that the insurgents are without
a recognizable" government, which
proves one of two things: Either
the Cubans are as able liars as the Span
iards, or our secretary of state closes
his eyes when he should have them wide
open. q. W. wEIPPIERT.
Time IS always too short to peopA
who improve it.