The Portland daily press., 1898-09-28
CUBAN PATENTS OF NOBILITY.
Titles That Will Disappear With Spanish
Sovereignty in the Island,


and counts, if they elect to stay in the is
land, will cease to have patents of nobili-
ty. The same is true of some of the lead
ing Spanish citizens who are grandees oil
S,ain. The distinction between the
spanish title and the Cuban patent OF
nobility has always been carefully MAIN
tanned. The Spaniards affected to desplse
lhe Cuban counts and marquisss, and
Che Cubans themselves were disposed to
make them ridiculous nevertheless
some of the titles held in old Cuban fam
lilies were respected, not because OF the
patent that conferred them, but because
of the patriotism of the men who bore
them. In the Ten Years War there were
Cuban counts and marquises among the
reyoIutionists, and in the late insurrec-
ton the same was true. One of the most
Jealous of the insurgents was the Marquis
de Santa LHcia.
One reason why the Cubans cared little
for the titles in themselves was the ten
dency of the Spanish Government to be-
stow them as a reward for political ser
vices. To the patriotic Cubans political
services to Spain could only be at the ex-
pense of their own island. Rafael Mon
toro was one of the notable men OF CUBA
rs a scholar, orator and writer. lie
shared the aspirations of his people Tor
free government, aud was one OF the
autonomists In an evil day the Canovas
Ministry made him marquis. This
followed upon his adhesion to the reforms
which were proposed by Canovas in lieu
of autonomy. From that day his iniu-
enoe was practically nothing. His
friends declared that the title had been
bestowed upon him unsought, and that
he despised it. Nevertheless he was called
the Marquis Montoro. and as such was
known in Cuban politics. When the
Autonomist Cabinet WAS formed last
January and the Sagasta Ministry made
him Secretary of the Treasury, 1T was
discovered in Madrid that whether under
a Conservative or Liberal ministry
MARQUIS Montoro was far less influential
than Senior Montoro had been. While he
is respected for his private character and
the Cubans speak kindly of him, Secre-
tary Montoro has not regained their con-
fidence. 1t is possible that when the new
government is formed and all titles are
lost, he may again, as senior Montoro,
take the place for which his talents ut
him.
MARQUIS de Apeteguia is another Gu
ban who has had a similar experience.
He was a delegate to the Cortes when six
wears ago the Queen Regent made him
Spanish grandee. Though a Cuban, he
was the head of the Conservative party,
which was Juade up largely of ultra loyal
Spaniards. 1t was hoped that the special
honors conferred upon him by the Queen
would increase his prestige among the
Spanish and enable him to influence the
Conservatives toward thu adoption of the
policy of autonomy, but when he returned
from Madrid the Marquis de ApezteSula
found that the Spanish were less suscep-
tible to the dignity and honors OF the
Grown than had been supposed. The
Conservatives would have nothing to do
with autonomy, whether brought them
by newly created grandee or offered
them by the Captain General. The Con-
seryatiVe party at its convention repu-
dated the policy. The Marquis de Apez-
teguia is president of the Sugar Planters
Association. He has extensive interests
in Cuba, and it is presumed that he will
elect to remain there when his title OF
marquis and his dignity as grandee OF
Spain become nothing more tn an reIM
niscences of a colonial epoch that has
gone forever.
The present m ayor of Havana has also
a title before hi name He is the Mar
quis de Esteaban. His family is an old
and honored one. He had not taken a
leading part in politics, but he enjoyed
the respect of all classes. The mayor of
Havana, even under autonomy, was not
elected by popular vote, but was desig-
mated by Captain General Blauco. The
Marquis de Esteaban succeeded a Conser-
yatiVe mayor who had been a drayman.
Many squibs were published when the
drayman mayor was replaced by the rep
rasentative of one of the old Cuban fami-
lies. However, this had no influence in
reconciling the Cubans in Havana to
autonomy The Marquis de Esteaban is
a large property owner, and on that &C.
count it is not doubted that he will re-
main and sacrifice his title to the new
regime. A few days ago the Havana
dispatches reported that he was In confer
ence with Cen. Rodriguez and others
who had been prominent in the insurrec-
tion, and would be influential under the
changed conditions.
Under the old order the government
blue book used to state that the nobility
in Cuba, "diG not constitute an element
of power. 20 This was true. because all
the power was concentrated in the Cap
tain General. OF the l24 Captains VINO
span The period from the appointment
OF Columbus syoyag companion, Don
Diego Velasquez, who was named in
1911, down to Don Ramon Blanco, Mar
quis of Pena Plata, large proportion
have held titles of Spanish grandees as
dukes, counts and marquises Gen. Wey-
Ter was Marquis of Teneriffe. Some of
the Captains General have earned their
patents of nobility by services to the
Crown while holding that office. Cap
tain-General Ooncha was made Marquis
of Havana in the ffties for his services
in crushing inoipient revolutions.
Among the nobility in the old days the
division was two-fold, the "dignitaries"
and the ''titled of Castillo" OF the dig
n1taries not military there were seven
gentlemen of the Grand Royal Cross and
the distinguished Spanish order of
Charles Ill, and thirty-fve of the Royal
American Order of Isabella the Catholic.
OF the Order of Charles III, without
wearing crosses there were nine, and of
the same class of the order of Isabella
there were sixty-three Of the "Cabal-
leros de Real" or royal gentlemen in tn
Order of Charles Ill, there vera forty
three, and in that of Isabella the Catholic
one hundred There were also four noble
.3a,oas of Maria Touisa Vhrra xDaro a