Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-13
SPRING ELECTIONS
nor
A--Al
4ysf
Will Soon Take Place5i1 the Island of
CubaI5h.ss
EeSi
'HREEP0LIFICAL PARTIES RECOGNIZED
Not Many A'ca|dess Likely to Be
Reelected.
L b A r MI g POLITICS
Written for The Evening Star

Spring elections are coming on in Cuba
Inc uncertainty in the constitutional con-
| vent1on over the sending of a committee
! TO washington will not interfere with these
elections. They would have taken place
| Just the same If the convention had ac-
! cepted the Platt amendment and had for
mulated an electoral law for putting the
constitution into effect by choosing officers
| of the republic. 1t was not expected that
this machinery could be put in force in
ing that was ever committed to canvas has
are held under the regulations of the
American military authorities just as they
would have been held if the constitutional
| convention had completed it's work
The municipal officials to be chosen are
alcaldes and regidores, or mayors and
aldermen, as they would be called in the
| United States There are about 200 mu-
nicipal districts in the island. which Span
! iards Cuhans and Americans agree is too
many, but it has not been found practi-
cable to make numerous consultations dur
! Ing the American administration When
! the Cuban constitution goes into effect
| there is a provision under which the num-
| Der of municipalities can be reduced. The
! only persons opposing these reductions are
| village officials who object to losing their
! places.
Three Parties Recognized.
| Under the present condition the munich
! pal elections in Cuba are not exactly like
those in the United States, for there is no
| party in power and consequently, no
! chance for reaction, nor can it be said
! that there are well-defned local issues.
Some of the municipalities want the prohi-
biton of cock fighting removed, while
others want the law retained. That may
furnish the basis for some divisions, but
1t hardly become an issue.
The American officials themselves are not
fully satisfied of the wisdom of enforcing
the decree against a popular sport where
the prohibition is not backed by local SEN
timent and some of them favor recurring
to the old Spanish practice which permitted
the lidias de gallos. or cock fights, on ma
tional and church holidays.
1t is probable that. taken as a whole,
these municipal elections will furnish some
basis for determining the strength of po-
litical parties. At present these parties
continue pretty indefinite In defining their
own differences except that the republicans,
so-called, are opposed to the election of
Maxine Gomez as first president of the
Cuban republic, the nationals favor him,
and the union democrats are Indifferent.
Gen. Wood, in promulgating the electoral
conditions under the advice of his cabinet
has formally recognized the existence of
these three political organizations This Is
done by giving them representation in the
boards of registration, and also In the pro-
vision for minority representation. The
regulations differ from those under which
the municipal elections were held a year
ago in this specific recognition of political
parties, and also in the greater security
thrown around the ballot. The Australian
ballot system is in force. just as in most of
the states of the Union. and election
day no one vote who has not been reg
iStered.
Qualifications for Suffrage.
The qualifications for suffrage are the
same as those recognized year ago. The
voters must be able to read write.
have real or personal property to the
amount Of $3.50. or have certificates Of ser
vice in the insurgent army. In making up
the rolls of this insurgent army great lib
crafty was shown. and nobody doubts that
they were padded However, when the first
municipal elections were held few of the
ignorant classes who, under this provision,
were entitled to the franchise. cared to
avail themselves Of it. Later, when dele
gates to the constitutional convention were
chosen. and there were fierce contests be-
tween rival factions. good many of them
did vote or We're returned as voters. 1t was
a surprise to learn. in looking up the re-
turns of this election for members of the
constitutional convention. that total of
10000 votes was recorded throughout the
island.
The significance of the present regula-
lions Is in the chance 1t gives the union
democrats or conservatives to assert them
selves and make their influence manifest
II they SO desire If they fail to take adj
vantage Of the opportunity they will have
no further claim on the good will Of the
United States. Last year they Sulked be-
cause the election regulations were not
construed as to enable them to gain
power without exertion on their own part
One proposition which some of their leaders
seriously urged was that the privilege of
absentee voting or voting by deputy should
be allowed. When this was refused they
pouted and said they would do nothing
Their attitude was the same in the election
of members to the constitutional conven-
ton One complaint of the conservatives
was that they We're not given recognition in
the boards of registration. This complaint
cannot be repeated now for they IRE dis
tinctly recognized. and are In position to
see that the registry lists are not swelled.
Practical Politics.
In the first election the provision for real
or personal property ownership was met by
the registry boards controlled by radical
Cubans with the same liberality that would
be shown by politicians in the United
States. In fact, many of them had taken
lessons in ward politics in Florida or New
York. family watch or some other heir
loom would have the liberal valuation of
$3.50 given 1t, and 1t would be made to do
duty for a good many would-be voters
Sometimes also a roll OF $3.50 In American
currency would be shown by the elector
who wanted to be registered, and his pos
session of the money would be taken as
conclusive evidence that 1T was his own.
though the roll would do duty for great
This method was quite common in Havana
where there was q heated canvass for
mayor and where two rival factions were
struggling for the preliminary advantage
In a few instances 1t was claimed that the
temporary possessor of the money, after
being registered, refused to return it to
the ward captains or the primary workers,
bu: there was no public, scandal on this
account.
Being represented in the registry boards.
the union democrats or conservatives can
prevent such practices this year and can
make sure that the persons demanding reg
istry are bona fide electors. AS the Cuban
constitution is not in effect, and as the
Cubans who were naturaliZed as American
citizens have not yet been compelled to elect
to retain their American naturalization or
to accept Cuban citizenship, there will be no
bar to their voting at the municipal cleo
lions because their indeterminate status
was recognized year ago A good many
Spaniards who did not register as Spanish
subjects, yet who refrained from taking
part in the municipal and the constitu tionai
convention elections, may do so this wear
for they would be classified as Cubans.
Minority Representation.