The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-21
CUBA'S MARRIAGE LAWS
Natives Said to Be Opposed to
Present Regulations.
The Only Ceremony Recognized M
Legal by the Authorities n Civil
One-ReliEioGs Rites Alone Not Re
;cnrded ms Sumcicnt-PetitiOn for
Change Being Circulated.

NEW YORK May 2O-From letters re-
ceived In the United States by officers Of
the Federal Government and by private in
divduals in this city and elsewhere from
correspondents in Havana, it is learned
that there is great discomfort in the Island
of Cuba over the present laws concerning
marriage. These laws were enacted at the
instance of the officers of the American
regime, and have become intensely odious
to the native Cubans and to most OF the
American residents of the island of what
ever religious creed.
AS the situation now stands, and as 1t
has stood for nearly year. no marriage
by priest or other minister Of the Cos
pei is valid. the only legal marriage recog-
nized by the authorities being civil one.
One of the first questions which the new
ly appointed Bishop of Havana. Monsgnor
Sbaretti, took up was that OF the present
state OF the marriage law on his assump-
ton of the duties of his see. He found
that the agitation in favor of a repeal of
the law was almost universal on the ISL
and, and that both the clergy and laity
were endeavoring to bring such an appeal
about by petition and otherwise. one of the
most earnest in advocating an immediate
repeal being Rev. W. A. Jones, OF the Or
der of st. Augustine, an American priest,
who was sent to Havana to take charge OF
the only English speaking Catholic Church
in that city.
1t was on May 81. 1899. that Gen. John
R. Brooke, U. s. A., then exercising the
office OF Governor General OF Cuba. d.
rected the publication Of an order purport-
ing to be a new marriage law for the ISL
and of Cuba 1t was said that General
Brooke issued this order at the instance OF
Senior Lanuza, formerly Secretary OF
Justice and Public Instruction. known as
a bitter enemy CT the Roman Catholic
Church. The substance of General
Brooke's law is as follows:
Hereafter civil marriages only shall be
legally valid. The contracting parties may
conform to the precepts Of whatever re-
ligion they may profess in addition to the
formalities necessary to contract the civil
marriage
THE officials in charge of the execution
of the laws respecting marriage shall not
accept as legal the written license or con-
sent of the parent, when the same shall
have been taken before an ecclesiastical
notary. nor shall any such certificate be
accepted which is not attcsted by the
civil functi0naries."
Secretary Root had his attention called
to the feeling on the question of the new
marriage law during the course Of his re-
cent visit to the Island of Cuba, and. 1t
is said, discussed the matter with Gov
ernor- General Wood. Strong efforts are
on foot to get Governor General Wood to
modify the law and a petition containing
more than 30. 900 signatures locking to that
end has been prepared for presentation to
him.
The Rev. Father Alexander p. Eoyle. OF
the Pauiist Fathers. who is deeply inter
ested in the situation IN Cuba, and who is
in constant correspondence with Iepresen-
tatives Of the Catholic Church in Havsns,
had this to say yesterday concerning the
Cuban marriage law:
Il do not believe that General EroO'e is
personally responsible fer that iniqritous /
marriage law in Cuba l believe that the !
general tried to be perfectly hcnelt and |
square in his difficult task of admin teiiny |
the law at time when everything was in |
a state Of fiux. Still, when the matter is |
looked at in the light CT healthy Am rican |
sentiment. it is simply Astounding that |
under the protection of the Anne rican flag !
such savage attack should be made on
the free exercise of religion Senior La |
nuza is. of course, the perpetrator Of tie |
attack. The enactirg Of this law was I'M
fortunate because before tie Cuban peop.e |
the American authorities appear as perse |
cutoTs of the Church. am quite sure |
General Wood, whose high ins:iEcts of |
honor have already made him a successful |
ruler in Cuba sees the fatal mistake tat |
has been made ard is only itoo anxious to |
repeal the odiOus law T