Bisbee daily review., 1902-05-17
ACTUAL NUMBER PRINTED IO-D,Y. n5O.
CUBA'S CONGRESS.

The hrSt Cuban congress Is now Tn session at Havana This congress will not be clothed with law maki-s - CTS until after the transfer of authori- ty has been completed and the Uni ted States officials have withdrawn from their government functions. But the new congress at Havana has been passing on credentials and off cially informing the military govern ment as the personnel of the executive and legislative branches of the govern and legislative branches of the government. At the same time the meeting of the two houses is a forerunner of the complete independ- ent governmental activity under the new order and as such it has natural ly attracted attention. The congress now in session is, in fact. the first concrete outcome of the work of the constitutional convention and the cleo tion board, which were constituted last year. The first duty of the two houses will be that of verifying the elections of their own members. This will be followed by the official count of the electoral votes for president and vice president
 Of the two houses of the new con gress, the senate, following general precedent, has the smaller number of members, and its members have the longer tenure of office There are service is fixed at eight years. The representatives are sixty-three in number, and their term of office is four years. There is no limitation as to residence fixed in the provisions of the constitution regulating the eligibil ity of senators and representatives, and it is found that as a result the province containing the capital has rather more than its share of the mem bers of both houses. It is said, in deed, that a third of the new legisla- tors are residents of Havana, though in some instances they have been elected from some other district. it goes without saying that this situa- ton will result in giving a very con- siderable amount of influence to the residents of the capital city.
 The legislation of a formative pe- riod such as that which is about to begin in Cuba, is usually both abun- dant and important, and members of the new congress find plenty of hard work to do. The senate will have it's hands full in considering treaties and confirming appointments, two func- tions which fall to it under the new constitution, after the American pre- cedent One of the treaties will, of reciprocity, which involves consider ations affecting the tariff, and in ref erence to which the house will have much to say. Provision will have to be made by both houses for a diplo- matic and consular establishment, and for the compensation of executive and legislative officials. These matters are, under existing conditions, not free from difficulty, and it may re quire some time to reach satisfactory determination regarding them.
 The real session of the first con. gross of Cuba will be watched with great interest by the people of the United States. It will no doubt give a correct basis for the success of the new republic. The hope is for com pIete success in maintaining a credit able government, and one which will demonstrate that a people who knew SO well how to fight for liberty know as well how to maintain and preserve it.