The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-03-30
SITUATION IN CUBA.
Gen. Wood Urged to Tax Valuable
Properties Rather Than Sugar.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ELECTIONS.
senior Pierra Thinks Munictp ELITES shoutd
Not Have Uniim,ted Autonom, n, O,oe
A MeoLing for Universal Suffrage
Shiny A. tended.

Havana, March 26.-Gov. Gen. Wood
has recently had interviews with per-
sons of influence who have strenuously
urged the taxation of valuable prop
critics, rather than each bag of sugar
as it is manufactured. Those who
hold this view contend that under the
present system impediments are
thrown in the way of production.
They point out that many valuable
estates have been lying idle and UNI
productive for years, some even hav-
ing complete sugar plants. The own
ers, who are rich men, are living
in Paris, Madrid and other European
cities, quite untnXed for their prop
erty in Cuba. Gen. Wood feels that
if these properties are taxed, their
owners will be forced either to sell
the more to make them productive.
Senior Pierra, n member of the sub
committee who drew up the majority
report on the electoral commission,
discussing the matter yesterday, said:
IN our reports we have endeavored
to arrange for the elections in such
q way as to secure fair play for all
concerned. The plan proposed by the
minority report, drawn up by Senior
Tamayo and Gen. Rivera, which sug-
gests that the board Of registry be
elected by suffrage, has the drawback
of leaving too much power in the
hands of civil governors. Under the
minority scheme the civil governors
would nominate election officers in
the various provincial districts; these
officers, being charged with the con
duct of the elections would choose
the electoral boards of three. In
this way the civil governors would
have too much individual influence in
conducting the elections, as all the
officers controlling them would be
their nominees"
With regard TO the representation
| Of minorites, Senior Picrra said: AL
though no political parties have beer
'3rmed, there are two well marked
! political tendencies, the radical ant
the conservative. Moreover local in
terests will play prominent part il
! the elections. For instance, in Ila
vana, the principal issue will lie be
tween the workingmen and the lane
owners. The former are majority
| Nevertheless the committee has mr.
ranged so that the land owners will
not he left unreprcsented.
"T'he votes are TO be taken accord
ing to the ten existing sections into
which Havana is now divided.
PERSONALLY, ! feel that the munic
qualities should not have unlimited
autonomy at once, but only in tn,
course of time. At first there SHOULD
be a strong central control. There i
great difference between Cuba an,
the United States. Cubans have beer
accustomed to look to the centra
government for all initiative and ais,
for the support Of new enterprises
II wouId be impossible to change al
that in one day"
The recent interviews hctwccr
leading autonomists and the member
of the senate commission are still tn
subject Of comment. The autonomist
assert that the details have not bee
and win not be published, but the pa
pers keep on printing alleged nc
counts of what was said. The Nucv
Pals organ of the autouomists. i'm re
ply to an attack by the Discussion
says that none of the statements We
published represents the facts
The meeting called yesterday O
those favnring universal suffrage r,
suited in failure The only person
present were about 80 negroes an
several small boys,