The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-12

StlluliOn OF tne Onlted states. lnefe are
| some provisions from the constitution of
Spain in guaranteeing personal rights,
| these are meant to secure under the Span
| ish system of laws the same guarantee
that obtained under the American con-
| stitution through the common law and
| the bill of rights.
The Cuban constitution establishes three
| coordinate branches of government; the
| executive, legislative and judicial, on the
same lines as in the United States. There
is to be a congress, composed of two
| branches, the senate and the camara, or
house; a supreme court, with subordinate
| judicial tribunals. and president and
! vice president. There are also to be sepa-
| rate government for the six different
provinces, each of which shall elect it's
own civil governor But these provinces
do not fully correspond to states in the
American Union, because their powers
and functions are almost wholly execu-
| tive.
A general power of suspension is given
| all the executive officers, from the al
caldes or mayors, up to the president,
in addition to the regular veto power.
| This suspensive power relates to the acts
of executive officials as we'll as to the
| ordinances of the municipal councils, the
regulations of the provincial assemblies
and the acts of the congress. 1t is I'M
like anything in the American Constitu-
ton, and is subject to review by the Su-
| preme Court.
Cuban citizenship is not made difficult.
| Naturalization can be had after five
| years residence, the same as in the
| United States; but the Spaniards in the
| island, who, up to April, 1900, had not
! registered as Spanish subjects, may be-
| come Cuban citizens on declaration, and
| without having to wait the five years
| period for naturalization. However, only
native-born Cubans will be eligible to the
| presidency, to the Senate and to posi-
lions on the Supreme Court.
There is one exception to the eligibility
/ to the presidency. Any one not a native
born Cuban, who fought ten years in the
Cuban revolutionary army, is eligible
This is for the benefit of Maxine Gomez
who was born in Santo Domingo There
was a long struggle in the convention
and bitter one, because some of the
members wanted to exclude Gen. Gomez,
| but they were finally compelled to yield.
! The old General is now living quietly in
| Havana. He has often said that ne
would be satisfied to see Cuba free and
Independent, and wanted no office In the
republic; but 1t is not believed he viii re
fuse to become a candidate for the pres
| idency, when the popular movement in
his behalf has become strong enough.
Gen. Gomez is opposed by those who do
not want military chief to NIL the ex-
ecutive Office, and also by some on
the ground of personal enmity.
/ Estrada Palma who was for a time
president of the Cuban revolutionary re-
public during the Ten Years War, is an
other prospective candidate. He was the
president of the Cuban junta in New
York, and it's leading spirit In securing
| American Intervention during the last in
surrection. He is now living In the Unit
| ed States and has not visited Cuba since
| Spanish sovereignty was destroyed, but
| his friends have been waiting an oppor-
! tune moment to bring him to the island
! There is a possibility of the conserva-
tive Cubans uniting on Bartolome Maso
| as their candidate. He livec in Manza-
! Milo in the province of Santiago, and Is a
sugar planter. He took part in the Ten
Years War and was for a time vice
president of the Cuban revolutionary gov
| eminent in the last instruction. He has
the respect of the Spanards, and In the
| United States would be called the "busi-
ness mems candidate" Salvador Cisneros,
| Gen. Betancourt, the Marquis of Santa
| Lucia. who served as president of the rev.
| olutionary government In the Ten Years
War and in the last instruction, is also a
possible candidate. He Is noted for his
extreme ideas regarding independence
Mendez Capote the presiding officer OF
the convention, is considered possibility,
! IN case the young men should gain con-
troll. He was identified with the insur-
gent government in the last instruction.
and Is a lawyer.
Should a colored man be selected Juan
| Gualberto Gomez would probably be the
man He was educated In Spain and In
| France, and is noted as an author, news
paper writer and orator He was exiled
TO the penal settlement of Ceuta by Spain
during the last insurrection, having been
made a prisoner when the revolt broke
out. However. though the race OF color
constitutes one-thlrd of the population OF
Cuba and has to be considered In the
affairs Of the island II Is not likely to
press q candidate Of it's own for president
Charles VI. Pepper.
Havana, Feb. -. 1901