Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-25
ACUBAN CONVENTION
Plan Of Autonomy Rejected by Con-
servatives.
VAIN EFFORTS OF OPEZTEGUIA
Much Ability Shown in Pulling the
Wires.
NOVELTY ON THE ISLAND
Copyright, 1897. by Charles NJ PeppcrD
of The Evening Star.


HAVANA, December -. 1897
Political conventions in Cuba are not
common events. The institutions of the
island under the system of government that
has heretofore prevailed have not encour-
aged parties as they would be understood
in the United States. Nevertheless the
forms of party organization have obtained.
Once 1t was liberals ana conservatives.
Then autonomistas, reformistas and con-
servatives. The conservatives were the un-
changing element, the union constitutions
ais, they called themselves. bourbons they
would be called in the United States. tories
in Great Britain. Under these names the
Spanish classes in Cuba went through the
forms Of eiecting deputies TO the cortes in
Madrid. A few Cubans. men of intellectual
gifts. wealth and social position, took part,
but the masses of the perple were as little
concerned with these elections as with the
affairs of Greece and Turkey. The captain
general usually influenced the selection of
the deputies.
While the system of government gave
little announcement to popular interest in
parties. there organza tions had Il Frame
work. There Were local juntas or commits
tees, and '.junta directore," or central
committee. The latter was the vital organ.
II was All realty, dS wen as III name, the
directing force, g body of trustees which
formulated policies and defined the position
of the organization on the rare occasions
when definition was necessary. Political
rallies are unknown in Cuba. The nearest
approach to them was at the time when
the autonomist movement was at the
height of vigor and aggressiveness. That
was a genuine agitation in which colonial
hcme rule was sought. The Castilian
tongue had no word which exactly de-
soribed these gatherings. From the forII1a-
ton of the Black Eagle Society seventy
years ago, almost tc the present time
every movement for either independence or
greater freedom has had in 1t the element
of secrecy and, from Spans standpoint, OF
conspiracy.
No Sam Adams has been known in the West
India colonies, and there would have been no
place for him. The Antilles are thousand
years distant from the genesis Of the New
England town meeting. Having no word
to describe popular gathering, the Span
iards in Cuba took the English term and
called 1t meeting. A sense of reproach
and disapproval is given when using 1t.
The understanding of what makes a con-
vention is also indefinite. 1t is called an
assembly, aud it's functions are not inter-
preted as they would be in either the Unit
ed States or France.
All political organizations in Cuba have a
president He might be compared TO the
chairman of national committee II there
were similarity in political affairs But
the comparison would be lacking because
Of the essential difference In institutions.
The board Of directors acting through the
president Of the party puts in operation the
machinery Of the organization but the ma
chinery is so seldom used that this function
is Of little account. In the United States
the national committee knows its own ina
tility to shape party policy. and is usually
content to keep hands off. Here, as al
ready explained, the board OF directors
mold the policy.
The directors Of the autonomist party
net and by resolution accepted the de.
crees. The directors Of the reformista
party did the same thing. The Madrid
cabinet was notified of the action taken.
Congratulations were exchanged. Then the
steps were taken to merge the two organ
izations into one President Galvez. on be-
half Of the autonomists, and the president
Of the reformistas, Marqueso de Rabele,
conferred. The boards of directors con-
ferred. Conferences were held In the sick
ANoAu VI tHC AdIQutSO ue MOntOIO, leader
Of the historic autonomists. The fusion
was cemented. The reformistas, whose DO
litical existence was a protest against the
reactionary tendencies of the conservatives,
had begun by advocating reforms as an
aEtidote to autonomy. They ended by ac-
cepting autonomy and the offices that 60
with It, This fusion was as IL Chairman
Mark Hanna and the chairman of the gold
standard democrats. whose name escapes
me. had met after the election in 1896 and
arranged for the gold standards to have
the majority of President McKinley's cab
met and Of the administrative Offices
The union Of the autonomistas and re-
formistas is cited only because of it's apt
ness for illustration. 1t shows that the
American notion of popular government
has not fully blossomed here, though the
seed may be In the earth. No convention Of
either autonomists reformistas was CALI
ed to ratify the union and make IT binding.
Such q gathering would not be possible
for the reformistas, because they are not
numerous enough to hold a convention.
1t is impracticable for the autonomists
sc long as what was once the rank and file
of that organization remain in the field
with the insurgents. 1t develops the OBJ
stacle In the regimen OF autonomy when
the top downward, instead OF from the
bottom upward. The conservatives are
taking advantage OF the situation to show
that they are the only ones who are en-
titled to respect as representing the real
sentiments Of Cuba today. They have done
what the other organizations did not dare
to, attempt. They have held a convention.
Convention of Conservatives.
It was Of this convention that started
to write. The call" was regularly issued
by Marques de Apeztegua. president Of the
party, or by the central Junta through
him. Apezteguia Is of Cuban birth. Much
of his time is spent in France, where he
was educated. He is also frequent Wis
itor to the United States. as his wife Is n
New York lady. He was chosen the head
of the party several years ago. when IL was
split into factions. and the ultra Spanish
element felt the need Of renewing itself
through native blood.
Apezteguia Is president Of the Sugar
Planters Association. and his influence is
not therefore confined to political associa-