The times., 1898-04-11

the erection was untrammeled by the mill
tary. In notable letter of General Ca
iixto Garcia. translation of which reach
ed President Mckinley. he told how in
Santiago de Cuba he gave his vote the
same as the soldier and the peasant. and
now inspiring 1t was to see the people ex-
ercise the right of suffrage in districts con-
trolled entirely by the republic.
1t was a brilliant congress which sat in
the month of October and November DR..
MendeZ Capote, eX-professor of law in
the Havana University. presided The out
gong secretaries of state submitted their
reports, which were examined and passed
upon by committees appointed for the pur-
pose. new constitution was adopted on
the 18th of October, 1897, which will be in
force two years, unless independence is
obtained beforehand when an assembly
shall be called to provide temporarily for
the government and administration of the
| republic, until definite constituent as
| sembly shall meet
The preamble says:
We the representatives of the Cuban
| people, freely meeting in constituent as
sembly convoked by virtue of the mandate
! contained in the constitution of the 18th
| of September. 1895, ratify our firm and
unShakabie resolve of obtaining the abso-
! lutte and immediate independence of the
! island, in order to establish in it a demo-
| cratic republic, and inspiring ourselves in
| the present necessities of the revolution
| we decree the following constitution:
| The constitution determines what is
called the republic. who are citizens. their
individual and political rights. the officers
! OF the government, their powers and pro-
Vides for the assembling OF the represen-
tatives. The principal articles are:
Article o. Cubans and foreigners will be
protected in their religious opinions and In
| the practice of their respective cults as
.E.Ar,a
moral.
Article g. Education is free in all the
| territory of the republic
| Article TO- The electoral right shall be
| regulated by the government on the basis
| of universal suffrage
Article IL. The administration of Justice
in reference to civil matters belongs to the
civil authorities and its procedure shall
be regulated by law.
Article 22 Besides the powers conferred
| upon 1t by other articles of this constitII-
ton. the government council has the fol-
| lowing:
| l. To make all laws and regulations re-
garding the revolution and the military
civil and political life of the Cuban peopIe
2 To resolve the petitions addressed ia
1t, ordering those which are not properly
transmitted to take their due course
.. 10 depose, for just cause and under
It's responsibility. any councillor or sub
secretary. This resolution shall be report.
ed to the first assembly and can only bf
passed Dy the affirmative votes of the -four
councillors.
4. To appoint secretary and srb-secreta
~ Tor the transaction of business in any
department when both positions sbaI
have been vacant for two months
.. 10 appoint and remove public frnc
tionaries of all classes in the manner pro
Vlded by law. ordering that they shall bc
4 tn t1a
! proper cases.
.. To determine the policy of the war md
the general lines of the campaign. and tt
intervene, when. in their Judgment tber,
be founded motive for it, in the miIitar,
operations, always by means of the gen
erals of the nation
l.. 10 raise troops to declare reprisals
ana to grant letters of mardue
3. To grant military ranks from sub
lieutenant to major general. in the form
established by the law of military orpani
zation. u "''-
y: 10 issue paper money, to coin money
hiking its kind and value
H. To contract loans determining yhc,
they snail become due, the interests dis
counts commissions and guarantees. ant
TO make all negotiations advised by TIA,
pubic veal, beng strictly res,ionsibI.
for the use it shall make of thes, facuI
{ ties ard of those provided in the previou!
article
Il. To levy taxes, TO decree The invest
, ment OF the public funds and tp ask .ant
approve the accounts of the same
, L. To determine the foreign policy an,
10 appoint and remu"e agents, reI,cesent
atiyes and delegates Of all classes.
IL. To grant passports.
IA. To issue the safe conducts neces
safy for the discharge of the functions
OF the Government
10. To make treaties with other powers
choosing the commissioners who are l.
celebrate them; but without being abI
TO delegate in them its final approval Til
|. one of peace with Spain must be rattle.
: by the assembly, and cannot be initiate,
but on the basis of the absolute and i'm
, mediate independence of all the Island o
l Cuba
Article 81. The secretary of war viii
be the superior chief in rank Of 5he arm
, Of liberty
In the additional articles as to militar
; organization the following are found:
no. D. Ihat the government c11 nam
and may freely separate the .,ei;cra!-in
D chief and the lieutenant general
2 NO T. That there shall be chief for ev
cry army corps appOinted by the govern
ment on the Information Or at the 2ro
posal of the generaI-in-chief as to the ms
r mentioned and bY the chief of depar,
e ments, through .Ee :e3eral-in CHIEF, TO
the seconds.
Pursuant to that constitution, which
published in document 129 of the Fifty
;, NTH Congress. second session. the ney
I government was elected as follows:
e President BarIoloma Maso: vice presi
= dent, Domingo Merdez Capote; secrctar
y OF war, Jose b. Al5tn4n; secretary of for
eign relations, AnLras Moreno de Latorre
e secretary Of the treasury, Ernesto Font
t Sterling; secretary Of the Interior. DI
= Manuel r. Silva; &uo-secretary of wal
t Rafael de Cardena5; sub-secretary % tn
| treasury, Col SatIrn'no Last:'t- sIIb. sec
retary of foreign relations, Nicolas Abe.
di; sub-secretary Of the interior. Pedr
Aguilera Kindeldn. The said governmen
council appointed Major Gen. Maximo Go
+ mez general-in-chief and Major Cen ,,a
lixto Garcia as lieutenant general
= a brief sketch Of heir lives viii rroN
the quality and character of The men com
posing the government ot the republic q
Cuba.
GONZALO DE QUESADA.
S GEN. LEES WELCOME.