The times., 1898-04-11
THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA.

all that there is Cuban army. which
has forced Spain to confess her inability
to re-establish her control of the island;
the triumphs and hardshps of the Cuban
soldiers are written up every day, but
the more admirable example Of the virtue
and capacity of the people of Cuba, the
creation and working of a civil organiza-
ton is lost sight of And yet there is no
writer who has visited the island, Eng
lish or American, who has not told
| the world of the government of the Re
public of Cuba. At this moment a short
| sketch of the laws and officers of the Re-
| public cannot fail to interest the Ameri-
can people and serve to dispel any doubt
| in the mind of senator's and congressman,
who will be called to vote for resolution
recognizing the republic.
From the very inception of the revolu-
ton the Cubans provided for a civil
| power. The Cuban revolutionary party,
which prepared and directed the move
ment, was a civil organization headed by
| Jose Marti, most Jealous in establish
1 ing the paramount influence of the law
over the sword. General Gomez then and
| throughout all the revolution has shown
| himself desirous that the civil authors
| ties should have the supreme power.
| When he and Marti landed their first
aim was TO constitute a provisional gov
! ernment. Gomez, as well all the other
military leaders, recognized Marh as the
| civil head. After the meeting of Gomez,
| MaceO, and Marti at Mejorana. on May
4. 1895. a call for the selection of repre-
Sentatives of the Cuban people to form
| a
and Gomez marched to the central prov
inces to arrange for this important event.
The decrees of that time are always sign
ed by both Gomez and Marti.
The death of Marti postponed for time
the selection of the representatives. but
in the beginning OF September. 1885, the
call previously issued was complied with.
Representatives from each of the prov
inces of Santiago, Puerto Principe, Santa
Clara, and the western part of the island,
comprising the provinces of Matanzas
and Havana, making twenty in all. were
elected to the constituent assembly,
which was to establish a civil govern
ment. republican in form.
The constituent assembly, composed of
| DOCTORS lawyers and distinguished Gu
bans, met at Jimaguayu, in the province
of Puerto Principe. on the 18th of Sep
tember, 1885. 1t was duly organized; 1t
solemnly declared the independence of
|
ish monarchy, and confirmed the exist
ence of the Republic of Cuba among the
political divisions of the world. The con-
stltuton, based on democratic and re-
publican principles, was to be in force
two years. unless the freedom of Cuba
was Obtained previous TO the expiration
of that time.
On the 18th OF September the following
officers of the government were elected
by the constituent assembly in accord
ance with the terms of the constitution
President, Salvador Cisneros Betan-
court, of Puerto Principe: vice president
Bartolome Maso. of Manzanillo: secre-
tary of war, Carlos Roloff of Santa
Cara; secretary of the treasury, Severe
, Pima, of Sancti lSpiritus: secretary of the
interior. Santiago Garcia Canizares, OF
Remedies; secretary of foreign relations
Rafael NJ. Portuondo. of Santiago de
| Cuba; secretary of war. Mario MenocaI
I of Mantazas; sjib-secretary of the treas
ury. Joaquin Castillo, of Santiago de
I Cuba sub-secretary of the interior, Car
los Dubois, of Baracoa: sub-secretary oi
foreign relations, F'ermin Valdez Dom
inguez, of Havana
The installation of these officers duly
e followed. The election of the general.
y | in-chief and the second in command, who
is to bear the title of lieutenant-generaI
, was then had, and resulted in the unani
tonic Maceo respectively.
On the same day the constituent as
s sembly e~ted by acclamation as dele
f gate plenipotentiary and general agen
abroad of the Cuban Republic Toma!
Estrada Palma.
During the two years of the Cisnero!
administration, and up TO the presen
1 time of Maso's, the civil authorities o
: the republic have exercised their func
e tions throughout the territory controlled
i by the Republic of Cuba, which is abou
. three-fourths of the island. There is ;
civil governor in every province whC
has his subordinates and employees. TIL,
n provinces are divided into prefeStures
+ under the supervision of the SECRETARY
: of the interior. The duties of the pre-
fects are various. and are subject t,
special laws That these procedures ar,
in working operation, the official tele
grams of the Spanish press afford in
Vulnerable proofs Gen. Blanco, in
y communication to his government, unde
date of March u. published in all tn,
Madrid papers, says:
Havana
Captain General to Minister of War:
I'm operations of columns in the east
Il the military lines of the enemy between
Bayamo, Manzanillo and Cauto wer
= broken; also destroying the civil organ
Q ization which they had in that territor,
. for two years"
Documents were filed before the Senat,
4 Committee of Foreign Relations las
r April, which were published as Docu
ment No 10. Fifty-fifth Congress, frs
( session, which proved that the civl
government legislated as to commerce
government workshops. manufactures
coast inspectors, postoffces, that stamps
y have been issued, public schools estab
e lished. civil marriage provided for; tha
n the public treasury is well organized
e taxes being collected and amounting t.
j. hundreds of thousands of dollars Presi
n dent Cisneros. and afterwards Presden
S Maso. issuing state papers as they be
I came opportune. The military authorl
I ties are subordinate to the civil govern
s ment. In many documents the generals
r so declare it, and Gen. Gomez, the com
the constitution. In July. 1896 he pub
lished the following circular:
Headquarters of the Army of Liberat ton
J. (Circular)
This headquarters being informed O
the unworthy proceedings of some chief
and officers of the army with regard t.
y the civil authorities of the republic. an
:. resolved as it IS not to consent in an.
II case nor by any person that the sacre
principles of discipline, subordinatior
a and morality of the revolution should b
is | disregarded, but that respect should b
/ rendered to the majesty of it's demerrati
J. institutions, it reminds all chiefs and OF
ficers of the inevitable duty which the
have to respect the functionaries of tn
civil government, accord%; to thei
rank.
- "The military authorities are obige
- to give the decisive protection of thei
force to the civil authorities, for tn
i better fulfillment of their duties.
Al 1.-The chiefs of the corps, divisions an