Evening star., 1901-08-24

General Gomez and the moderate Cubans,
who want to elect their first president
without division ON the party lines, Just
as was done when Washington was elected
PRESIDENT Of the: United States. That ex-
ample mas more sentimental force than Is
commonly known.
One group of radicals has been advocat-
ing non n-participation in the election, be-
cause II must be held under what they
can the ominoils shadow" of the Platt
amendment This course Is the ''retrai-
m,ento or retreat from political responsi-
Dility. 1t is the DID,. old Spanish way of
the minority party, but is receiving little
announcement :. Several OF the radical pa
pers oppose such a course and are filled
with paragraphs saying that the retrai-
miento or failure to take part in the cleo
ton would be crime.
Even Juan Qua alberto Gomez, who thought
the sun had gone down forever on free
Cuba when the Platt amendment was ac-
cepted, mas failed to indorse the retreat
poicy. he made speech to the French
socletles OF Havana on the anniversary OF
the tall of the Bastille. The speech was
declamatory and limited at future revolu-
tons as possible in order to complete the
work Of past revolutions. The dissent
which these sentiments caused among his
own followers brought forth explanations
from him, and since then he has been more
moderate In his utterances. Gualberto
Gomez mas not declared himself yet In IA
vor either of Palma or Maso. He is hard
to satisfy, yet he expects to support one
or the other candidate.
Question of Coaling Stations.
1t may happen that the question of coal
ing stations will become something Of an
issue in the first election. The radicals will
seek to catechise Palma on that point I'm
like the American public, the Cuban public
sometimes anticipates an issue. A portion
Of it is not willing to let that subject
rest where 1t is left by the Platt amend
ment, matter for negotiation and settle
ment between the President and the future
Cuban government.
The radical press is still filled with car
toons representing Uncle Sam with his
hands and his feet on all the leading ports
or the island. One caricature represents him
as possessed of five points OF support,
saying that he is modest and does not wish
more. The Cuban people are represented
as replying that with one point Of support
Archimedes moved the world. Other. car
toons represent the Latin-American coun-
tries as watching jealously while Uncle
points Of support. These cartoons are
appeals to the Latin jealousy of absorption
They do not seem to be having pro
nounced effect, yet their continuance indi-
Gates a certain degree of distrust.
Another incident Of the coming campaign
is the appearance of the Cuban campaign
poet. He is more frequent IN the newspa-
pers of the provinces than IN the Havana
journals. A specimen which has been sent
me processes to voice the aspiration OF
the Cuban people One stanza declares that
Cuba recognizes her debt to the great ma
tion which, with wise Intervention, ended
her sorrows Cuba, this poet declares, Will
give flowers to the intervening nation and
her most faithful friendship, but never
theless he confesses some anxiety regard
ing the voice of free Cuba and the floating
Of the single star flag This poet also ut
ters warning against annexation and
reprobates 1.-The faction Of illusionists' who
cry out for 1t. He would say to the inter-
vening power, Very good, very good, ana
t. hoo
sought independence and nothing else. and
to be content with anything else would
be an insult to the memory OF Maceo.
Moreover. the birds in the palm trees, ne
declares, warble only the song OF tnde-
pendence.
From the poet ito the politician is a long
leap Both may be OF the same mind re-
garding neutrality-suspicious., but the
Cuban politicians are not listening to what
the birds in the palm trees say. They are
thinking chiefly Of their own future Com
ing back to the electoral law they have
shaped it chiefly with view to becoming
senators. JTe be Cuban senator is going
to be to occupy place of more power
than In the United States Senate. 1t is
assumed that the Cuban Senate VIII In eff
feet dominate the executive. This was one
thing that Palma meant In his first letter
when he made clear the necessity Of legis-
lative cooperation; with the executive
rather than legislative control. He said
In substance that he waBted or would want
q congress in harmony with the executive,
but he meant senate.
The Cuban Senate.
In it's present form the electoral law
will enable a majority of the members of
the constitutional convention to have them
selves chosen senator's Probably that
would have happened under any electoral
law that might De adopted. The senate
In its composition preserves the equilibrium
OF the provinces. each of them being en-
titled to four senators. This is one means
Of curbing the excessive power of the
province of Havana, which is dreaded by
the rest of the island.
The manner Of elacting these Cuban sena-
tors is somewhat peculiar. They are to be
chosen by senatorial electors, who are to
be voted for by the whole body of voters.
1t is like electing the full legislative ticket
for city or county in one >of the Ameri-
can states on blanket ballot. instead of
subdividing them into legislative or as
sembly districts. IN Havana province there
will be twenty-seven senatorial electors,
while in Puerto Principe. where the popu-
lation is sparse, the number will be eleven.
These electors will choose the full set Of
four senators. The original provision was
that an elector could vote for only three out
of the four senators, but this was changed
80 as to allow them to vote for the maxi
mum number. Thus 1t will happen that
in the province Of Puerto Principe eleven
electors will be enabled to choose four
senator's. Proporti onately, they will exer-
else even a greater influence than the
state senate in some Of the small states Of
the American Union, for these have only