New-York tribune., 1902-05-06

-FOUR years. and this only be settled bv some
form of lottery. In the same way the term of
the members OF the House is four years. or equal
to that of the President of the republic; but
one-half will serve only two years This term
Of office for the Representatives and Senators
is one thing in which the Cubans did not pattern
after the United States
Among the Senators are some men who have
achieved prominence within the last two or
three years. Others owe their influence TO the
insurrection, while a few go back TO the Ten
Years War. One of the Senators from the
Province of Havana is Estrada Mora. who was
a candidate for Mayor year ago, and whose
defeat everybody afterward regretted. There
is also Alfredo Zayas who has studied closely
American political methods, and who is de-
nounced by his opponents boss"
The province of Matanzas numbers among its
Senators General Pedro Betancourt. who has
been Civil Governor since the occupation; Manu-
el Sanguily. educator and literary man.
Domingo Mendez Capote who has made various
visits to the United States. and Luis Forum.
All of them were members Of the constitutional
convention. Santa Clara is represented by Gen
eral Garlic. who very close to Maximo
Gomez during the instruction and noted
for his conservatism; General Montegudo. Marua
Delgado. who one of the moderate men in
the constitutional convention. and who is of the
the politics of the city of Cienfuegos Salvador
Csneros and Ramon Silva. who were among the
radical members of the constitutional cOnven-
tion, reappear Senators from the province of
Puerto Principe Bravo Carreoso and Eduardo
Tamayo. radicals from Santiago. graduated
from the constitutional convention into the
Senate
The editors make their appearance in the
House. Among them Mariana Corona, of
of Havana Enrique Viuendas who the
secretary of the constitutional convention and
its youngest member, appears a a representa-
tive from Santa Clara.
No limitation TO residence made in
the constitution when the qualifications for Sen
atOrs and Representatives were fixed A resi-
dent of Havana can he member from any
other province. This good provision. and
It helped to secure the election OF some men of
ability for whom there was no room at home.
At the same time the result is to give Havana
a paramount influence which may be too strong
for the good of the rest of the island. Fully
one-third Of the members of both branches of
Congress residents of Havana. Some Of
these We're chosen from provinces in which
they lived formerly. Others would need an in
PRODUCTION 10 the constituencies which elected
them.
TO MEET TWICE a YEAR.
While in general the Cuban Congress follows
closely the model of the United States. some
differences are TO be noted The Congress is
to meet twice a year. and to hold the semi
annual sessions for not less than forty days.
AS overlegisation is likely to he one Of the
early evils of the republic. 1t might have been
we'll If the constitution had said for mot more
than forty days" instead Of for mot less" An
effort is made to coordinate the functions Of
the House and the Senate by a provision that
permits all kind Of legislation to be initiated in
either body.
The functions of the Senate, which are SINH
lar to those of the United States Senate, will
nave to begin early. because there will be ap-
pointments to be confirmed and treaties to be
hdde-such as the treaty embOdying the Platt
amendment, and afterward probably the spe-
clal treaties with regard to naval and Coaling
stations A reciprocity treaty also may come
Mlthln this category; but the framing of the
Cupan tariff is a matter that the House
pects to determine very largely. just as the
house does in the United States.
Some OF the members say that this will be the
lTst lTst legislation that shall be enacted. Others
dissent and say that their first business will
be 10 pass a general law fixing their pay. They
are somewhat afraid of President Palmas de-
clared policy OF low salaries for all public OFF,
cials~ A few OF the Congressman, who are pro-
fesslonal men with large practice have declared
IN FAVOR or the English system of members
serving without pay This does not meet with
widespread approval. should IT, Cuba IS
poor in entering upon the experiment Of inde-
pendent government; but she is too poor
10 pay ner Congressman something. II she
should fail to do this, many really good men
would have to quit. If President Palma In
slStS the annual salary Of Senators and Repre-
sentatives may be limited to 5000 or 81, 800.
one OF the first general laws which the Con-
gress Will have to pass will be to provide for a
consular and diplomatic representation. though
there Is no hurry about most of the countries
IL is washington that is in mind when the
members of the new government saw that this
VIII be one of the first matters TO be dealt with
by the Congress. Gonzalo de Quesada who IS
to he the Minister to the United States is a
member Of the House from the province of
Pinar del Rio