The sun., 1900-12-08
Cuba's Political Parties.

As soon as the Americans assumed con-
troll Of Cuba the formation Of political
parties began. Gradually three emerged
from the confusion known as the Ma
tional, the Republican. and the Union
Democratic. In broad sense the Nation
aists and Republicans are tho radicals Is
and the Union Democrats are the con-
servatives.
The Republicans are really ultra radi-
Gals, and the Nationalist are radicals Of
less intensity. As they say in Cuba, the
Republicans are willing to fight all over
again, with the United States II necessary,
To secure full independence They not only
want to be self-governing but they want
no supervision of any kind by the United
States. The Nationaists want full sover-
eighty for Cuba but they are not willing
to fight for II. 1t is possible that they
would be willing TO accept some kind Of
disguised supervision Of their national
affairs by the United States and probably
in their hearts would be glad Of 1t, The
Union Democrats also assert that they
are believers in full independence Of Cuba,
but they make no secret Of the fact that
they would like this country to have SUPER
vision over Cuba's foreign relations and
also, in return for certain commercial guar
antees, to relieve the isand from the neces-
sity OF maintaining a navy and, to some
extent, an army. No formal party exists
Of those who favor annexation to the United
States, although. OF course. many Cubans
who have vast commercial Interests at
stake and long most for the prosperity
Of Cuba regardless of political theories, so
long as the general idea of self-govern-
ment obtains. think that annexation would
be for the island its best fortune
In the reangnment Of parties to be made
through the Constitutional Convention
il is likely that the Republicans will remain
the ultra radicals and that the National
ists will exercise a restraining influence
upon that wing. Tho Republicans, by
whatever name they may be called, will
want to have full diplomatic service and
n commensurate army and navy. The
opportunity Of serving as Foreign Ministers
and Consuls. or Of becoming officers in the
army and navy will appeal to thousands,
and expense will be dsregarded The
Nationalists will be willing TO accept
some modified form Of national sovereignty.
The battle for supremacy will lie between
these two factions Of radicals. The con-
servatives. now represented by the Union
Democrats, by the nature OF events. are
now the minority in political thought and
probably will long remain in that position.
Numerically they are few and their moder-
ate policy does not appeal to the majority
Of Cubans in their present radical mental
condition.
At present the nti-American spirit Ia
In direct control Of the convention. NIEN-
DIES CAPoTE. who has been chosen President
Of the meeting. belongs to the Republican
party Up to this time the Nationalist
seem to have been predominant In the
island. They won in the Havana election.
The Republicans won in other cities. but
they advocated precisely the same ideas
as the Nationalists advocated In Havana.
Probably one reason for the supremacy
Of the Nationalists. until the recent change.
was the very influential support of Gen.
GOMEZ. VINO aligned himself with that
faction. By nature he should side with
the Republicans. AL his utterances have
been Of the most radical character since
the war closed. He has been impatient
for the United States to fulfil the pledges