The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-22
STUDYING PLANS
OF GOVERNMENT
With the View of Inaugurating
One in Cuba.
VOTERS BEING PREPARED
To Exercise Electoral Functions-Day
and Night Schools Conduc ed for
That Purpose-Objection to
Property Qualification
VOTERS BEING PREPARED

Havana, May 2l.-Senor Domingo Capote,
secretary of the government, has been
devoting considerable time to the study
of ELECTORAL laws of various nations with a
view to formulating plans for Inauguration
here.
Universal suffrage is considered advisa-
BILE in some respects, but it would have
many Objectionable features. On the other
hand. Senior Capote thinks, an educational
qualification would not prove satisfactory
unless sufficiently comprehensive to ex-
clude those taught especially for elections.
He says the Cuban League is doing much
in the way of preparing voters to exer-
else the electoral function. Day and night
schools are conducted in all the villages for
this purpose, the education being graft
uitous and the attendance being numerous
and enthusiastic.
The great objection of a property quail
fication is that majority of those in
cities, who formerly had property, the
Spaniards in particular, and many capable
Cubans, have been totally ruined during
the last three years and would not be just
ly treated were a property qualification to
be enforced. Senior Capote is carefully
considering the problem and will submit
about the middle of next month, when he
will ask for the issuance of such a decree
as he will have in readiness.
Major Eugene F. Laid, treasurer of the
customs funds, intends on July l to begin
new treasury system of disbursements
by checks as in the money transfers The
North American Trust company, acting as
depository of the revenues, will establish
branches in the principal cities and cor
respondents in others to facilitate carrying
out Major Ladd's plan. A number of per-
sons interested in the debtor and credi-
tor decree" attended the departure of the
five commissioners this afternoon for
Washington, where they hope to secure a
modification of the measure
DR.. Junco, head of the committee, said
this commission was one of great impor-
lance.
THE proof of what 1 say is seen in the
fact, he declared, that the day when
the decree was issued all loan transactions
ceased. The very next day the rate for
loans rose from to per cent. The BUSH
ness men consider that they have no Sc
curity in Cuba that is safe, and the people
in whose behalf the decree was most de-
sired are really the principal sufferers, as
with or without a decree an honest debtor
Will continue to pay interest upon mort
cages covering city property, while If he
needs money for Improvements in order to
get higher rent, he cannot find it now
except at the uSurerS. The dishonest debt
or, ON the other hand, will not try to inn
prove his property and will merely cease
to pay. Thus, the debtor enjoys the spolls
while the creditors may starve. This is not
a fanciful idea. 1t is what has frequently
happened and the reason why even hon
est borrowers cannot get the old rates is
that conference has been shattered
The special committee that has been in
vestigating the finances of Havana reports
that the bonded indebtedness of $9543 500
has been reduced $4,000 since January l.
The issues are made readable at any
time. The commission will later recon-
mend taking up the per cent. at s. and
possibly AZ per cent. The floating debt,
which is largely due to employees and con-
tractors under the Spanish regime, has not
been touched Probably the court of
claims will reduce the face of the claims
before it, now amounting to s250O,000 by
at least so per cent. Major General Lud-
low, military governor of Havana, will
postpone until autumn the projected new
bond issue for public works.
General Ludlow has revoked a concession
given in 1904 to the OReilly family under
which they were allowed to tax every
head of cattle slaughtered to the amount
of so cents.