The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-11

Junta.
WASHINGTON, April 1O-Senor
Gonzalo de Quesada, the diplomatic
representative of the Cuban insurgents,
today issued the following signed state
ment to show that the insurgents have
a regularly organized civil government
whose independence can be recognized:
1T is circulated by the enemies of the
independence that they have no gov
eminent or civil organization to recog-
nize 1t is admitted by all that there
Is a Cuban army, which has forced
Spain to confess her inability to re-
establish her control of the island; the
triumphs and hardships Of the Cuban
soldiers are written up every day, out
the more admirable example Of the viz
tue and capacity Of the people of Cuba,
the creation and workings of civil
organization are lost sight Of.
And yet there is no writer who has
visited the island, English or Ameli-
can, who has not told the world Of the
government of the republic of Cuba.
At this moment short sketch of the
laws and officers of the republic cannot
fail to interest the American people
and serve to dispel any doubt In the
mind of senators and congressman who
will be called upon to vote for a 1850
luton recognizing the republic.
From the very inception of the rev.
olution the CubanS provided for CIV |
power. The Cuban revolutionary par
ty, which prepared and directed the
movement, was a civil organization
headed by Jose Marti, most Jealous in
establishing the paramount Influence OF
the law over the sword.
Gen. Gomez, then and throughout
all the revolution, has shown himself
DESTROYS that the civil authoritfeS
should have the supreme power. When
he and Marti landed, their first ann
was to constitute a provisional gov
ernment. Gomez, as well as all the
other military leaders, recognized MaTti
as the civil head. After the meeting
of Gomez, Maceo and Marti at Mejo-
rama on May 4, 1895, call for the cleo
ton of representatives of the Cuban
people to form a civil government was
made, and Marti and Gomez marched
to the central provinces to arrange for
this important event. The DEGREES of
that time are laws signed by both
Gomez and Marti
The death of Marti postponed for a
time the selection Of representatives,
but in the beginning of September,
1895, the call previously issued was
complied with.
REPRESENTATIVES, from each of the
provinces Of Santiago, Puerto Principe,
Santa Clara and the Western part of
the island comprising the provinces of
Matanzas and Habana, making twenty
in all, were elected to the constituent
assembly, which was to establish a
civil government, republican in form.
the constituent assembly composed
of doctors, lawyers and distinguished
Cubans, met at lima guayu, in: the
province of Puerto Principe, on the
18th of September, 1895. 1t was duly
organized; it solemnly. declared the
independence of Cuba and its separa-
ton from the Spanish monarchy, and
confirmed the existence of the republic
of Cuba among the political divisions
of the world. The constitution based
on democratic and republican princi-
pies, was to be in force two years,
unless the freedom Of Cuba was obtain
ed previous to the expiration of that
time.
The First Officers.
'On the 18th of September, the fol-
lowing officers of the government were
elected by the constituent assembly. in
accordance with the terms of the con-
stitution:
President, Salvador Cisneros Betancourt, OF
Puerto Principe.
Vice president Bartolome Maso, of Man
Zanillo.
Secretary of war Carlos Roloff of Santa
Clara.
Secretary of the treasury, Severe Pima, Of
Sancti Spiritus. A7-'As'. 1885
Secretary of the interior, Santiago Garcia
Canizares, of Remedies ;7's -"a 5.'+s-
Secretary of foreign relations, Rafael NJ.
Pontuondo, of Santiago de Cuba.
Sub-secretary Of war, Marie Monoca, of
MatanZas.
Sub-secretary of the treasury, Joaquin Cas-
tiilo, of Santiago de Cuba.
C,,1~- - ,,,%4
bois, of Baracoa
ub-secretary of foreign relations, Fermin
Valdez Dominguez, of Habana.
1.-The installation of these officers
duly followed. The election of the
gene1al-in-ch and the second in
command, who is to bear the title OF
lieutenant general was then had, and
resulted in the unanimous election OF
Maxine Gomez and Antonio Maceo, re-
spectively.
ION the same day the constituent
assembly elected by reclamation as
delegate plenipotentiary and general
agent abroad of the Cuban republic
Thomas Estrada Palma.
During the two years Of the Cisne-
roS administration and up to the pres
ent time of MaSo's, the civil authori-
ties of the republic have exercised
their functions throughout the terri
tory controlled by the republic OF
Cuba, which is about three-fourths OF
| the island. There is a civil governor
| in every province who has his subor-
| dinates and employees. The provinces
| are divided into procedures, under the
supervision of the secretary of the in
terror. The duties of the projects are
various, and are subject to special
| laws. That these procedures are in
working operation. the official tele-
grams of the Spanish press afford in
| Vulnerable proofs. Gen. Blanco, in a
communication to his government. un-
der date of March -, published in all
the Madrid papers, says:
Havana Captain General to Minister
of War: In operations of columns in the
East, the military lines Of the enemy be-
tween Bayamo, Manzanillo and Canto were
broken. Also destroying the civil organiza-
ton which they had in that territory for
two years.
documents were filed before the
senate committee of foreign relations
last April, which were published as
Document No. 10, Fifty-fifth congress
first session, which provided that the
civil government legislated as to COM
merce, government workshops, manu-
factories, coast inspectors, postoffices
stamps have been issued, public
schools established, civil maria ges
provided, the public treasury is well
organized, taxes being collected and
amounting to hundreds of thousands
of dollars.
Civil Government Supreme.
president Cisneros, and afterwards
President Maso, issued state papers
as they became opportune. The mill
tary authorities are subordinate to the
civil government. In many documents
the generals SO declare it, and Gen
Gomez, the commander-in- chief, duly
took the oath to the cnnstftntin,, Il