Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-31
IN THE ISLAND OF CUBA
CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE
PEARL OF THE ANTILLES.
Blow America. method !, H.~. op.r.s-
ed In the DeveIOpme4t and Ad.
vancement of the Country.

A.
Cuba has been through TWO general eiec-
TONS The first held on June Is of the pres
ent year, was for the election of municipal
officers and municipal judges. On Septem-
Der Is general election was held to elect
members to the constitutional convention.
At this election thfrty-one delegates were
elected, together with their substitutes
This election while developing much
stronger political passions than the former,
nevertheless passed off without disturbance
or disorder. Out of the entire number Of
delegates elected only six or seven con-
tested elections resulted. These will be
settled by the members of the convention
themselves, 1t being the. purpose of the
military government to avoid any inter-
ference whatever either in the election of
candidates or for the settlement of dis
puted elections.
were under the control of representatives
of the different parties, and no American
officer, soldier or civil official was present at
any voting place in the island. The peo-
deep interest to the work to be done BIZ
the constitutional convention, and while
anxious to have the work proceed as rapid
ly as possible. are nevertheless patient.
They realize that 1T is a work of vast i'm
portance that it must be done carefully,
and that ample time must be taken to
properly consider the various important
features to be embodied in the new consti-
tuition.
The principal political parties in the is
land at present are the national, the re-
publican and the union Democratic. The
general object of all these parties is the
same, all desiring the establishment of a
constitutional government One Of the
great questions to be fought out in the
convention is as to whether Cuba shall
be formed into one or more states. This
20
Cubans, and there are strong opinions for
and against 1t.
The personnel Of the constitutional con-
vention as elected, represents fairly all
visions thereof. The same is true of the
substit elected. There is every indi-
cation that the convention will take up its
task with a great deal Of enthusiasm. There
of work necessary in determining the con-
tested election cases. After these have
been disposed of the regular duties OF the
will be taken up. Many OF the
members are at present investigating and
studying the constitutions of various coun-
tries. The general opinion Is that the con-
stitution adopted will be In it's general
features similar to the Constitution of the
United States. The personnel of the con
vention includes a number of very able
members of the judiciary as well as men,
bers of other learned professions. The civil
governors of four of the six provinces have
been elected. two members of the supreme
court and Others distinguished either in
the law or in services rendered the Island
There is no reason to believe that this con-
vention will be other &hM successful.
Prior to the municipal It was
freely predicted that gehefa& disturbances
would follow an attempt to hold general
elections. They passed eff without sin
gle breach Of the peace The same DUBIOUS
were heard Immediately pre-
ceding the election for delegate to the con-
stitutional convention, but this election also
passed off without the slightest disorder.
Educational Matters.
The greatest advance in Cuba has per-
taps been in public instruction. The old
system consisted Of a. university, located tn
Havana, under the direct control Of the
state, and supported largely II state funds
There was also an instituSS pr school for
higher instruction in each province, also
under the control of the state. These, with
the public. Schools which under Spanish
rule were limited in. number and very In
conducted, constituted the ma
chiuery of public instruction. Ay.,, - =. !.
The university has been thoroughly re-
organized. Many of the old professors
have been retired and placed on a moderate
pension. The Institutes have also been re-
organized, and in many instances re-
equipped with material and apparatus
The changes in these institutions, .nowever.
are insignificant in comparison with the
entire reorganization has been made. > Over
g. 100 schools have been established 5000
teachers employed and 10000 children are
in school. The number of pupils will
be increased to 100000, and probably 100000.
during the next six months. The expendi-
lures for public education for the present
school year will be not less than "a. 0O0,OUO.
During the past six months school material,
books, desks. ETC., for 100000 children has
been purchased, brought to Cuba and put
in schools. This order called for an expen-
diture of three-Quarters Of a million dollars,
and is probably larger than any single or
der for school material ever given in the
United States. Thirteen hundred and odd
teachers were sent to the summer school
at Harvard University, taken to a number
of cities and brought back to Cuba without
the loss Of a single individual and without
any serious accident. This expedition was
under the practical charge of Mr.. Frye, and
was ably conducted. The beneficial results
of this trip already apparent. as shown
by recent tour Of inspection throughout
the island. The interest in public schools
ds sincere. A new school law has been pro-
mulgated and Is becoming daily more eft1-
cient. The whole island has been divided
into school districts, and the law provides
in the greatest detail for the proper con-
duct and efficiency of the schools. The SAL
aries paid the teachers in the public schools
are higher than those paid teachers in any
portion of the United States for teachers
of corresponding grade, with the excep-
ton OF three OF our large cities.
From the eastern to the western end OF
Cuba the institutions of beneficence and the
hospitals have been carefully and systemat-
ically reorganized, and in many instances
renovated and re-equipped. Industrial and
manual training institutions have been es-
tabEshed and a new law governing the ad-
ministration Of charities and providing for
the care of orphans. indigents and insane
persons has been put into operation. This
work has been done by Colonel Greble, with
the very able assistance Of Mr.. Homer
Folkes of the New York board of charities.
In the past few months between fifty and
sixty Of the smaller asylums have been
broken up, improved conditions existing
throughout the island having made it pos
sible for relatives and friends to take the
children once more into their families and
provide for their support.
Modern plumbing and modern instruments
have been put into the larger hospitals, and
today the larger cities of Cuba and most Of
the larger towns are supplied with efficient
and well-equipped institutions Of this char
acter. :, -
Public Works.
Every energy and all available money
possible have been devoted to public works.
The reconstruction Of d bridges and re-
pair of old highways and the construction
OF new ones have been a2special feature of
this work. Roadmakins,i in Cuba Is expen-
sive. The work has to be fof, the most sub