The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-05-24
CUBANP0LITICSDULL
Little Enthusiasm Over the
Coming Elections.
LIGHT REGISTRATION THUS FAR.
General Wood MOdifies Election Law
In Havana In Favor Of the Minor
ity-BishOp Sbarretti Asks Mod
fAcatiOn In Marriage Law.

HAVANA. May 24.-Except among
Cuban politicians there is comparatively
little enthusiasm regarding the approach
ing elections. This is shown by the very
light registration. One of the worst fea-
lures of the situation is the fact that as
soon as Il party sees it is not likely to win
in Il particular quarter it withdraws its
candidate and declares that everything
has been arranged unfairly with view
of defeating them. The Democratic I'm
ion and the Republican parties have both
withdrawn their candidates in Havana,
leaving the election n practical wulkover
for the National party. On the other
hand at Matanzas and Santa Clara the
Republicans are likely to have easy victo-
ricS, the Nationalists there objecting to
the election laws Santiago will be con-
trolled by the Conservative party. of
which Demetrius Castillo is the leader.
l'inar del Rio has only National ticket,
and this only applies to the mayoralty.
General Wood has issued moditca-
ton of the electoral law for the city of
Havana so that among the councilmen
the minority will be represented The
city will be divided into six districts, each
allowed to vote for more than three can
didatcs thus assuring to the minority at
least six representatives. In view of this
arrangement another week will be allow
ed for nominations.
1t is now asserted that the only candi-
dates for the mayoralty will be General
Alexandra Rodriguez, representing the
National party, and Sen0r Estrada Mora,
who will run as an independent candi-
date. Many believe that the latter's
chances are very good as he made IA
vOrabe impression while assistant mayor
and afterward as acting mayor.
Mgr. Donate Sbarretti, bishop of Ha-
vana, accompanied by a number of
priests representing the clergy and by
lay commission representing the lay Cath
olics of the diocese, has presented to
General Wood petitions signed by 81 900
people requesting that the decree issued
by General Brooke while military gov
crnor Of Cuba ordering that only civil
marriages should be considered lawful
may be so altered as to allow marriages
celebrated according to the rites of any
religion to be considered lawful, provided
record of the ceremony is duly handed
in by the church or religious body for
civil registration within 80 days.
Mgr. Sbarretti delivered an address, in
the course of which he contcndcd that
General BroOke's decree was contrary to
the spirit of religious liberty and to the
freedom of conscience professed by the
American people and guaranteed by the
treaty of Paris.
The Patria, rcverting to the postal
frauds, observes:
THE Washington government entirely
controls the affairs OF Cuba. Therefore it
is quite right that Washington should
give account of the management of the
Cuban postal department TO the Ameri-
can and Cuban peoples.
president McKiney's attitude in de-
Gliding that the amount stolen must be
returned to the Cuban people is an act of
justice, not of generosity"