The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-07
AFFAIRS IN CUBA.
The Mayors of Havana Province Dis
cuss Municipal Matters.

HAVANA. March Ga meeting of all the
mayors in the Province OF Havana. called
by Civil Governor Nunez. was held here to-
day for the purpose of exchanging ideas
regarding municipal government. many OF
the mayors being ignorant OF adminis,ra-
tive affairs. The chief point discussed be-
yond the details OF administrative routine
was the question of autonomy for the re-
spective municipalities. The sentiment OF
all those present was opposed to the cen
/ tralization of power in the insuiar gov
eminent. Governor Nunez made Ii plain
that as long as the municipalities were de-
pendent upon the island treasury to make
up their financial deficiencies they could
not hope for home rule. He said IL they
would rule themselves they must support
themselves. He urged that TO accomplish
this end il would be good idea to estab-
lish a land tax on the basis of the value
OF the land instead of upon the income
therefrom,. as now.
majority of the mayors appeared to
agree with this suggestion. which was
good point. as this change is necessary II
the rural municipalities are to be put on
a self-supporting basis. AS a result of the
meeting many of the mayors returned
home determined to cut down the budgets
and to bring them as far as possible with
in the amounts raised by municipal taxa
ton in order to have stronger claim for
freedom from control by the General Gov
ernment
! The persistepcy with which reports OF
an impending revolt in Cuba are cabled
here from the Unified States is disagree
| able to both the Americans and Cubans.
| Certainly these reports do not originate
| from responsible sources. Talk OF this
| sind here is confined to harrooms. The
wasting much love on the Americans. and
I in some degree suspicious of the Admin
| istration's plans in the main. reiterate
their confidence in General Woods gov
| eminent They want independence, but
| do not want to fight for It. 1t is too soon
after their last bitter experience, and
there is too little sense of personal wrong
in their bosoms to make them leave their
families to starve while they shoulder
gun and go to the woods to be shot at.
They have now all the freedom that
American citizens have and their taxes
are lighter. No men are being stood
against walls and shot for talking. and
none is being imprisoned for political rea-
sons.
| All that they have not is a senti-
| mental republic. and this they expect in
| comparatively short time. Even the
! nossiest agitators have ceased now to talk
| OF taxing TO the woods. The falSe stories
| sent out from here by irresponsible per-
sons, or concocted in the United States for
| political purposes. are Injurious to the
Cubans and TO all Americans having busi-
ness in the island. The latest canard ca
bled here quotes one Gardinhire. who has
arrived in the United States from Ha-
vana. Who this individual is no one here
knows. The newspapers sniff at his sem
timents.
The "Patria" remarks sarcastically that
Cuba is not like Kentucky, where men
shoot on the slightest provocation. 1t ex-
presses faith in the joint resolution OF
Congress regarding Cuba and declares
that that resolution is not dead.
The 'manana" habit appears to have at
tackled Secretary of War Root. VINO again
today disappointed everybody by his non
arrival. 1t was expected that he would
reach here at about noon and crowds as
sembled to see him, only to be disappoint
ed. Ii was reported at the Palace this
afternoon that he would sail from Key
West tonight and that he would arrive
here tomorrow.