Evening star., 1901-05-18
Great Interest Taken in the NUM-
cipal Contests.
REGISTRATION OF TIE VOTERS
Issues and the General Outlook in
Havana.
INSTALLATION OF SEWERAGE
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

HAVANA, May 10, 1901
Cuba is in the throes Of a fierce political
campaign. 1t is all about the municipal
offices. Americans find it hard to under
stand why the choice of mayors and alder
men should overshadow the infinitely
greater question of the relations with the
United States and of an island govern
ment. But with the mass of the people
these municipal elections do overshadow
everything else One reason is that they
are so close at hand, while there is plenty
of leisure to discuss the action of the
constitutional convention with regard to
the Platt amendment.
The elections are to be held throughout
the island June 1. While they do not
directly affect the relations with the
United States or the future government,
they have real connection with those
matters. The officials who are chosen and
the political parties which succeed will be
the basis of the future administration and
also will have to meet a much larger de-
gree of responsibility than heretofore they
have been willing to accept. Whichever of
the political parties succeeds in Havana,
Santiago, Matanzas and two three of
the other large towns, will become the
party in power, and will be able to carry
out the measures and policies for which
it stands
1 suppose the excitement which is now
experienced in all the municipalities would
be taken in the states as sign of healthy
political activity. If the Cuban constitu-
tion should become effective these are the
last elections which would be held under
restricted suffrage, because that instrument
provides for universal suffrage. Under the
regulations of the American authority the
Australian ballot Is employed and the
franchise is restricted to persons who can
read and write, or who have $3.50 worth of
property, or who were enrolled as soldiers
i'll the insurgent army. These limitations
do not seem to have any deterrent effect
on the classes who are not allowed to vote
They show just as lively an interest as the
voters, and come out strong at the rallies
and meetings.
Registration of Voters.
Some of the Cuban politicians have OBJ
jected to the carefulness with which the
registration has been conducted, for no
person vote who has not been duly
registered. 1t has a familiar look to find
lists of electors posted around the city, so
that the registration lists may be purged
OF those who not entitled to vote The
preliminary struggle, as in the states, was
to get out full registration, and careful
'iie''S SO eiic iiItue III lO uTdW CCu-
clusions regarding the probability of sue
cess or defeat. The registration through
out the island is said to be between 15 and
20 per cent higher than for the municipal
elections year ago. Here in Havana
there are 2T,900 registered voters as
against 2f,O0O then. 1t is predicted, how
ever, that the aggregate ballots will be
considerably larger than in 1900, because
at that time many who registered did not
take the pains to vote but this year the
rivalry is so keen between the different
parties in most municipalities that a full
vote is assured.
The Contest in Havana,
In Havana the people choose an alcalde.
or mayor, a city treasurer and members
OF the ayuntamiento, or council. The cleo
ton regulations provide for minority rep
resentation, so that it is certain that one
party will not be able to elect all the mem
bers of the council. There are three can
didates for mayor. DIR. Miguel Gener is
the choice of the nationals, Estrada Mora
Is the nominee of the republicans and Car
los Garcia is the candidate for the union
democrats. The latter does not expect to
be elected. He is the son of General Ca
nXto Garcia, and is one of the few Cubans
who does not mind doing unpopular things
His party has put up full ticket in the
nope of getting few aldermen and #
may succeed.
The real contest is between Dr. Gener
ana ESTRADA Mora. Both are LAWYERS and
both have had experience as alcaIde Mora
hiied the position temporarily during the
early days of the American occupation. and.
Dr. Gener is now acting aicalde, having
been chosen by the council to fill the va
cancy caused by the resignation of Ale
Jandro Rodriguez, who became chief of
the rural guard. DIR. Gener until he he
came came acting mayor. was secretary of JUS
tee IN General Wood S cabinet, and he stip-
ulated that his successor should accept the
place temporarily, SO that in case of "A
slip in the municipal campaign he would
not be out of office. This is practical poll
Tics, put It is more open and frank than
practical politics in the United States
Chances of the Nationals.
AT the present time the nationals are in
control of the city government, and the
general belief is that being in power they
have better chance to perpetuate them
selves than the republicans have of gain
ing control. Estrada Mora, the republican
candidate. was beaten year ago by Ale
Jandro Rodriguez, but his supporters are
more numerous and better organized
than they were twelve months ago Tho
leaders of the republicans in the constjtu
tional convention are back of him, and the
movement Is to gain control of the Ha-
Vana municipality in order to dominate
the politics of the island
All the parties claim to represent tho
business interests, though the commercial
classes who are mostly Spanish. look as
kance at this claim. Neverth heess II means
something when the Cuban politicians re-
alize that there is such a thing as the bust
ness interests and admit that they should
be consulted in the choice of officials I
was told that the republicans made the
best showing on behalf of the business
men. because they had selected a number
of property owners as candidates for al
dermen.
or the sixteen aldermanic candidates
nominated by the republicans according to
their own statement, seven are property
owners. Five are lawyers, four are physi-
clans, one is a carpenter, two are tobacco
workers. one is professor of languages
one is pubicist and two or three are
simply clerks. 1t is set down of several of
them that they were officers in the Cuban
army. Counted by professions, the total is
| more than sixteen, but it should be under
stood that several of the candidates are
described as professional men and as prop
erty owners
The nationals claim that the majority of
their aldermanic candidates also are prom
erty owners though most of thor, prn