Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-26
GEN. PALMA IS ELECTED.
Cuban College Of Electors Meet
and Formally Elect First
President.
DR.. Luis Esteves Is Selected for
Vice President SO Senators
Are Also Chosen.
President of the Island Will Have
Loyal Support in the Cuban
Congress.

Havana, Feb. 26.-Presidential and
senatorial electors chosen at the De-
cember election met here Monday and
4 formally elected Tomas Estrada Palma
president, Luis Esteves vice president
and the members of the senate of the
island of Cuba. The result of the meet
in of the electors was a foregone con-
clusion, as are the deliberations of the
electoral college after presidential
election in the United States.
The voters settled the question of
who was to be the head of the new gov
! eminent of the island and who We're to
sit in the upper house of congress Dec.
| 81. when representatives and governors
of the provinces We're selected, together
with the presidential and senatorial
electors. at general election.
The first Cuban congress will be COM
posed of sixty-three representatives
and twenty four senators. Among the
members of the house are one priest,
| two cigar makers, four merchants, five
eQllOIS, seven SOldlGLS, llltSCA PidheCiS
and nineteen lawyers. The senators
are nearly all planters and lawyers.
Members of the new congress are
nearly all in control of large interests
in the island. Many are men of wealth.
and it is chiefly on this account that the
outlook for the government is hopeful.
In the past the best citizens have had
nothing to do with politics, and local
interests have suffered in consequence.
Much good to the vast interests de-
pendent upon a sound government of
the island is expected to result from the
congress. Each of the provinces will
have four senators in the upper house.
The six divisions of the island are al
lowed the following number of members
in the house of representatives: Hava-
ia, II; Santa Clara, 4; Santiago, ID;
Matanzas, 8; Pinar del Rio, z. and
Puerto Principe, 4.
There will be four senators from each
of these provinces.
Among the governors of the provinces
recently elected President Palma will
find the stronest kind of support FIVE
of the six governors were generals in
the late war, and every one is a Palma
IliaiIi VIII 'tpt'ei Aiiii - A'AN' AA'>r'f
ures for close relations with the Unit
ed States. The majority of both
branches of congress will do the same.
The best class of Cubans are enthusiast
tic over the character of the men who
have been elected to office.
The president is a wise and good man.
who has time and time again proved
his friendship for Cuba.
He owns thousands of acres of land
along the Cauto river, in the western
part of Santiago province. but none OF
his possessions has been under cultiva-
ton in the last thirty years. He is land
poor. He has been in charge of
school at Central Valley, N. Y, for the
last ten years, but has devoted the
most of his time to the interests of
Cuba His devotion to his country's
welfare seems to have thoroughly Won
the confidence of the people. On ac-
count of his long residence in the
United States. he is familiar with the
customs of both countries, and will be
better able to discharge the important
duties of his high office on that account.
Vice President E,steves is an attorney
of Havana. and formerly was secre-
tary of justice of the island. His wife.
Marta Abreu is the philanthropisto of
Cuba. She has given many thousands
of dollars for the maintenance of
island. Esteves and his wife are both
wealthy, their Joint holdings probably
amounting to s5,000,000.
The election In Cuba was one-sided
affair. There We're several parties in
the field at the beginning of the cam
raign, but 1t soon developed that the
Palma forces were much in the major
ity. The opposition, even by combin-
ing, could not make a sufficient show OF
strength to call 1t a contest, and did |
not allow the name of their candidate
(Maso) to go on the ticket. This made |
the election of Palma clean sweep.
Gen. Wood has issued an order stat
ing that, inasmuch as the financial |
condition of the city is such that the
state has to contribute to the mainte- !
nance of the various departments, the |
interests of the state demand that the
city income shall be promptly and hon
estly collected. 1t is we'll known that a |
number of houses in Havana are using |
city water and not paying for 1t. Gen |
Wood orders that all houses not hav-
ing water connection shall apply for
the same within ten days. under penal
ty of a fine. In order to facilitate the
and collection of this tax |
all property owners who have not filed |
declarations before the board of as
sessment shall do so before March TO-
under penalty of fine. The order also
provides that all charitable institutions
which receive any state aid can only