New-York tribune., 1901-06-01
CUBAN CITY CAMPAIGNS
THE NATIONALS LIKELY TO WIN IN
HAVANA AND THE OTHER
LARGER TOWNS.
Havana, Cuba Nav d

islaho VIII eio' Ahen II VIII be possible to form
better judgment Of the future The officials
TO be CHOSEN are alcaldes, or mayors. town treas
urers and aldermen. Last year the correctional
judges, or justices Of the peace, and police mag
istrates also were elected. The plan did not
work WELL and now these magistrates are nom
mated by the audiencios, courts, to the mill
itary governor, who exercises a right Of revision
before making the appointments.
These municipal campaigns have afforded
some interesting illustrations OF Cuban cba--
acter IN its conception of political duties They
furthermore have shown how large an element
relies on the American authority as the steady
ing force in the government OF the island In
some of the communities party excitement has
been worked up to an intense pitch Vet taking
in their entirety the two hundred municipalities
which have TO choose their local officials prob
ably there is no more bitterness than is shown
in any OF the States during a similar period.
Everywhere the issue is largely a question of
who shall control the Offices though in some OF
the towns and villages the conservative infiu-
ences have arrayed themselves against the rad
icas. Service in the insurgent army has not
beel- so much requirement of candidates as
was the case a year ago. Those who have mil
itary records, more or less genuine. are still in
the front yet they have not been allowed to
monopoze the placeseeking. The ambition with
which Of the local leaders We're filled TO
become town treasurers chilled by a rigid
order Of the military governor providing specif-
icaly the bond, which must be made and
accepted before these officials would be allowed
10 take Office. Some of the candidates thereupon
chose to for alderman. which position does
not call for bond.
In the contests of the various factions it is
significant that generally the radicals are the
ones who lean most heavily the American
military authority. Troops at the polls has
not become an issue. Yet in Santiago. where the
conditions notoriously are bad, il the fac
tion Of Bravo Correoso and Rafael Portuondo.
two Of the most violent opponents Of the Platt
amendment, that appealed for the supervision
Of the military officials. In this, in other in
stances General Wood was careful 10 have it
recorded that it the Cubans themselves who
were asking this kind of intervention. All il has
amounted to has been that the American Of
fcals have watched the registration, and on
election day wherever there is danger of riots
they viii do police duty at the polls. The Cuban
policeman is not a very efficient guardian of
order when disputes Of this kind happen He is
sure to be identified with one faction or the
other and while he may be willing spare his
friends, he only clubs the enemy when they are
in a hopeless numerical minority But the
promise is for orderly elections in most of the
towns and villages.
THE HAVANA CANVASS.
In Havana the municipal campaign has been
heated one. though the popular interest is not
so great as last year. What the issue is il would
be hard for g stranger 10 determine Some
aspects Of the canvass have been more like a
village contest than struggle for the control
Of a big city. The candidates are Acting Mayor
Gener who stands for the Nationals: Estrada
Mora who is the choice OF the Republicans, and
Carlos Garcia who was nominated by the Union
Democrats. In spite OF what is said about them
by their opponents, all the candidates are good
men. Carlos Garcia is the only one who has
claim to the support of the revolutionary ele-
ments by a record of actual service in the in
surrection, and that chiefly in honorable
but inconspicuous positions as the son Of Gen
eral Calixto Garcia. One Of the amusing features
Of the campaign has been the efforts Of the re-
specrive partisans Of Gener and Mora to make
them out valorous revolutiOnists. Conversely
each has been attacked for his alleged acqul-
escence in Weyler's measures. 1t is a sign OF
the change which is going on in the public MIND
when the Havana community takes little inter
est in the question whether either caholuaCe
was an insurgent sympathizer or a spanish
sympathizer. ,uo.,,,,
ana has the advantage OF the patronage, pul
from the fact Of being in power il also sulleio
some disadvantages. When il gained control or
the municipality last year almost every one IN
the party expected an office Though the
ayuntamiento. council, mulupled the oilceS
freely. a large number or onlceseeheIs were uio-
app0inted. Most Of these have gone over 10 the
Republicans Dr. Gener, as acting Mayor alSo
becomes the target against which everybody
Is permitted TO throw handful or mud. his
opponents charge him with many helhous ~ oL-
fences One Of these was winning az games
Of chance which were started up without --e
vig5lant police seeking them. A more serious
offence was alleged interference with the lree-
dom OF speech by prohibiting the meeting OF To-
bacco workers in the cigar factories. II was
asserted that at the request Of the manager he
merely directed the enforcement or an order' Dut
since these tobacco workers were Tor ksuada
Mora and since the wOrkingmens vote IS 1 coiit-
ing TO be a potential element, Geners opponents
rather had the better Of him in this ahar.
Mayor Gener's graVest annoyance mas peeh
in the disposition Of the pubic 10 laush al @ IA"
attempt to eVade his responsibility as u N -.
Der 0f the Constitutional Convention ihdt az
heart he favored the Platt amendment was wen
known but some Of the radicals among @ ms oNn
followers We're against il, and the hep epupcs,Iio i
were pressing him hard. His way OF dodgihs
has been 10 declare that he is party man. pe-
lieves in party discipline and abides by parry
decisions. This has not helped him WIN eilher
faction.
WARD RALLIES NO NOVELTY NOW.
The ward meetings or rallies have not been
great successes Last year these were largely
attended Their novelty an attraction
This year with the novelty gone the voters
have refused to get excited, and all the can9i- i
dates have made a stillhunt campaign. sun
hunt" has become an addition to the spanish
language spoken and written an ma NNh,
though IL NAV be some time before the MoIu
finds recognition in the dictionary OF t4e l1 olIIi
isb Academy In the absence of deep popular
interest in the addresses Of partisan orators, an
effort is made 10 influence the puDiIc pS
Shower Of manifestoes, and the way 'lls @ aai
comes down this season MAKES d shos.II'
whether literal or fguratiVe, no nght Hattei'
Immense posters all over the CITY also l.Nile we
the attention Of the public 20 the merltst or the