The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-16
WILL A REVOLUTION
Follow in Cuba, Now That Elections
 In the Island Are OverP
iterary Digest.

In the Island Are OverP
 Literary Digest.
 American papers that the refusal of tieneral Maso and his party to take part In the Cuban election on Tuesday of last week will be followed by an attempt to reverse the result Cf it by force of arms. The Masofsts were the anti-Amcrican party, and withdrew from the campaign upon the ground that the American au- thorities in Cuba were using their in- fluerce for the election of Palma. A more potent reason, 1t is believed, was the probability that Maso had no chance of success anyway; but reading of the Cuban papers seem to show that there was some basis for the Maso charge. General Wood and the other Americans Tn Cuba do not appear to have interfered the Cuban office-holders. recording to
 La Lucha. paper that has been pretty favorable to United States interests, used their influence and money very freely. and without rebuke from headquarters, to advance Palma's campaign. The Ma sotsts also charged that the entire board Of scrutiny which had charge of the elections, was composed of Palma par tisans, and that the authorities refused to allow the Maso party a representation on the board. An extremely small vote Hac., was east trad,a and many papers think this
 'Only the strongest administration" remarks The iPttsourg Dispatch, "can succeed in establishing popular gov
 
 as the deliberate n-participation of a large proportion of the 'oters. who there by seek to reserve the right to make trouble for the elected officers upon any and all occasions" and it thinks unless Maso's strength is greatly overestimated President-to-be Palma will have a diff ticult If not impossible task" 1t seems the Masoists may very Hxely express their sentiments later in "the shape of disorderly violence" That is the reg ular South American practice" it says. and 1t will be no more gratifying than surprising should the Cubans fail to fol- low It." Maso's action, thinks The Bal timore Herald. 'reseSnbles the sullen not play unless he can be captain." and 1t considers the action a sign of ex- treyne political weakness. and one that Follows closely along the precedents the opposltion party is always the rev plntlonary party and ths, musings are hedgss: and s the most mos telling arguments Dispatch. too: regards 1t as 'by no means certain that the election of Palma will he gracefully aGquiesced in throughout ts island" and The Hartford Courant says: We wish Estrada Palma a more tram quil and happier administration than we can at present hope for him. The real test of his executive ability, and of the capacity of the Cubans for orderly self government under a written constitution will not come until the withdrawal of the American troops from the island There are indications that it will be a. severe test when it comes. The malcontent ex- generals. professional agitators. and of- fce-hungry demagogues are likely to make all the trouble they can. It Is hard fate that drags him, at his time of life. from that peaceful home in the shadow of the Ramapo hills to the pal- ace in Havana"
 Turning to tie Cuban papers, 8 sharp | division of opinion is apparent, although noIe of them goes so far as to advocate or predict q resort to arms. Fl Conner cio (Havana) says that in all the island there is not a place but feels and thinks | with Maso" but that "the Cuban sent | iment has been grievously wounded by l the frozen winds from the north" and 1t adds: "The republic of Cuba will be | founded. Certainly; but it will be simi- lar to any ayuntamiento constituted through the pressure of the boss of the
 town. but not with the will and CO., 1 operation Of the people themselves" La | Lucha Havana) says:
 Tt Is painful spectacle and causes | profound regret that by fraudulent and l coercive measures certain high Cuban | officials should cheat the wishes of the | majority of the voters of the country by
 strangbng the chances of their candi- | date, General MasU. The people do not understand that if by such devices and contemptble deception they succeed
 in defeating the candidate of the ma
 jority they are preparing for stormy | time for Cuba, and that the republic,
 born and branded with fraud, coercion
 and violence, would be an unstable reg tme, without bearings, and uncertain and l short-lived."
 The Union Espano,l tHavana) says | that the election shows how things are 1 going Americanism has invaded the
 social body, and all seems to conspire | tfat Cuba shall fall to the depths in
 dicated by the Monroe Doctrine" The l Repnblica Cubana lHavana) terms the
 election day "one of shame for the Gu
 bans" The Masoists, it says, are the
 last of the Cubans.' and it declares that
 they will keep up the fight, although it
 tria Havana). however, calls the cleo | ton "an immense victory for the peo- ple." and says that if the Masoists had
 gone to the polls. 1t would haze made ! lHavana) thinks, too. :nat the great ma jority of the Cuban people favor Palma, | and attributes the small vote and lack
 of enthusiasm to the certainty. of his | election. It foresees difficulty for the l new government however.
 l As in this country. the votes were cast l didates themselves. Fifty-hve Palma | electors were chosen and eight Maso electors. In addition there were chosen
 governors and councils for the six prov. Inces, the members of the lower House of | Congress, and the electors in each prov
 ince who will, jointly with the provin-
 cial councils. choose four national Sen ators for each of the provinces The
 electoral college casts 1t ballots Fehru- | ary "A. The term of the President, Vice ] President and Representatives IS four
 years, and that of the Senators eight.
 "The principal object of the Cuban | Republic should be. first of all. to secure
 the most friendly relations with the
 American people. who helped Us in our
 hour of need We will always bear in
 mind the work of the United States in | helping us to obtain our Independence
 from Spanish rule. At the same time. | we should try to secure from the | Washington government all the advant | ages possible for our products by reas- | onable reductions of the import duties. especially on sugar and tobacco, as this
 Is the only way for Cuba to escape the l absolute ruin of these two industries. 1 which are the basc7 Of Cuh4'S actual