Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-09-06
REVOLT Due TO
PALMA'S REIGN
Cuban President Said to Be
Partisan--Is Not Pop
ular Leader.

verts into false prophets the most
careful students Of the affairs Of the
island. says the New York Sun. Until
few months ago a revolt in Cuba
seemed as improbable as the cesses-
sion OF Vermont. Local disturbances
of no serious Importance have &C.
red from time to time, but Cuba is
today the scene Of widespread revolt
The cause Of the present uprising
may be told in single sentence. The
government has ignored and violated
both the provisions and the princt-
pies Of the constitution. For its offen-
ces the penalty Is now being executed.
The greater part Of the first three
years Of Cuba's experience as an inde-
pendent republic was. almost of ne
cessity. time Of adjustment to new
and unfamiliar conditions. Anything
even fairly resembling self govern
ment was unknown to the Cubans
until May. 1902. The government of
Intervention was more beneficent in
Its methods and more honest in its
condust than the government OF Spain
had been, but the system was the
same. 1t was controlled by a central
government vested with the power Of
appointment and removal and exer-
cising supreme authority through
out the island.
Cuba had her political parties dur
ing the Spanish regime, and there
were then well defined issues to servo
as basis Tor party platforms. These
may be defined broadly as reaction.
autonomy and independence. There
were parties during the Intervention.
out the issues were entirely artificial,
The leading parties--the national and
the republfcan-united in the choice |
OF Estrada Palma as president. Eve,
then there were no issues and II can.
not be said that there are any rea, |
issues today upon which parties NAV
or do rest their claims for control al |
lhoush there are differences of opin-
ION regarding governmental policies.
AFTER little the national party be-
came the liberal and the republican
party became the moderate. BY those
titles the parties are known TODAY
although 1t is difficult to see where
II either title Is particularly fitting as
u the aims and purposes of the re-
'pective organizations. A third and
'imilar party, known as the nationa,
LIBERAL. has some strength in the vi
Unity of Havana.
inc governmental machinery ran
ihoothiy enough for the first three
ears. The year 1904 developed a few
roubles which at the time seemed to
'e OF little or no importa C,e and OF
10 particular significance until. soon
fter the beginning of 1905, President
anna definitely allied himself with
ne moderate party. 1t is possible
ow' looking back over the time which ,
as elapsed since that occurrence RI
ee now number of incidents
ONE apparently trifling, and some .
erlous have united to form the cloud
'hich now hangs over the island |.
On April II, 1905. Senator Samue, :
one Of Cuba's ablest and !,
host respected public men. called NJ
ne palace and virtually charged Pres
lent Palma to his face with the use .
MS omcial position for the advan- ,
age OF mis- own and his carty's inter-
sts. In the evening Of the same dav
General Maxine Gomez presided NJ
n indignation meeting at the Liberal J
iub' In his brief address General
'omez said that he felt the beat NJ /,
eNoiutloh In the air." and that .'the :
me mad come to put a stop To the ,
buses of the government and e.
&c attempt to set up an oligarchy."
ne presidential campaign. in which
us was one Of the opening Incidents ,
as marked by many unfortunate az.
eriences. A town hall was burned
hrique Nieluendas was assissinataa
ected liberal officials We're rano,,.a
ON their places and moderates were
ppointed to succeed them until there
ere Few, If any, liberals left in office
IN government employment. Scores
liberal leaders were arrestad ~
~
arious pretexts and put in iail. The
'ua'ioh eliminated in the withdraw !.
OF Jose Miguel Gomez, the liberal /,
lhdioate. from a contest which under
'e circumstances. was evidently
,peless.
The island was ripe for revolt AT E
q. 'lhe. out the friends of Cuba held c
eir faith In her ability to null y
rough without conflict. Their 3
ith was justified. mainly by the at. I,
ude OF Senior Gomez. who refused ~
plunge his country into civil war. :,
was generally believed that the a
lcis was past. About three months "
o careful observers noted the re- n
pearance OF storm clouds but en-. =