Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-14
Elections Now Impossible.


Elections Now Impossible.
There cannot be an election now. There
can he none for several months. be-
cause of peculiar conditions. There is at
present only one political party. The other
ORGANIZATIONS have gone all to pieces, and
II the people were called upon to vote today
there could he no fair expression of public
sentiment. Furthermore. the election laws
ar not effective. A new one is being
framed which will be Intended to prevent
a repetition of the frauds that have been
committed at previous elections.
In order to fulfill the conditions of the
constitution there must be four elections,
federal provincial municipal and congress
81 nal and. singular it may seem. there
IL law under which some of them can
be held. The Cuban congress entirely neg
l"rted this most important matter. There
has never been provincial or municipal
election in Cuba. Many of the officials
are holding over from Gen. Woods ad-
ADMINISTRATION. because the Cuban congress
neglected to define their tenure of Office or
provide means by which their successors
SlIpuld De. selected.
There are three political parties in Cuba
The mcderdtes who were supporting Presi-
Mt Palma. are utterly demoraliZed. Their
former leaders are dscredited and new
ones have not Vet appeared. An attempt
Il now being n.adv for reorganization and
consolidation with the national party
with new platform based upon a pro-
tt-f'iDfdte by inc | nlted States. | Will tell
You more about that in future letter
Tie nationals are not numerous. but they
com" from the most intelligent portion of
II" community. and have been growing in
strength for some years. They have no
particular principles except desire for
Office. and their Platform or program. as
They cal II here. is an eloquent series OF
pIatit,idrs- Their leader is Gen. Nunez.
who lived for many years in PHILADELPHIA
and was the representative of the revolu-
trniSts in that city. 1t due to him
t!a' the insurgents in the field were so
VII supplied with arms and ammunition.
The liberal party Is the largest of all and
is made up of what We call 1.-The masses"
Seventy per cent of the rank and file are
hiteraie negroes. but the white element
and the more intelligent portion has been
growing rapidly while il has been the party
or opposition. 1t has attracted all the dis
contented all the dissatisfied, all of the
critics of the government These recruits
have been the cause of weakness and dis
sension. The list of people who want office
Is so much larger than the list of offices
that they are beginning to quarrel amony
themselves and are already divided into
two stalwart factions under the leadership
of two determined candidates for the prest-
dency
II an election We're held at present II
would be confined simply to the two fac
lions of the liberal party. The rest of the
people would not participate. and hence the
provisional government will postpone II nm
I'll the other parties have had a chance to
an opportunity TO crystalline so as TO Sc
cure a fair expression of the will of the
people at the polls II is also desirable IL
not Imperative, TO postpone all political agi-
tation until the crops have been harvested
because down here politics are so absorbing
that the common people abandon every
thing else. There is necessity for an
election: the provisional government IL Civ
ing satisfaction to everyb body except the
politicians who would Ike to exercise its
power and draw its salaries. and the longer
II is continued the better II will be for
Cuba
Attitude of the Powers.
The foreign relations of the government
are conducted by Col Crowder but he has
very little to do in that line The small
diplomatic corps recognizes Gov Magoon
as the executive power of Cuba and treats
with him exactly as it did with Presi
dent Palma. No serious questions have
arisen. but his authority has been r,cog
nized by Great Britain France and Russia
I'm formal manner. Mr. Grant Dun the
pew minister from Great Britain presented
his credentials to Gov. Magoon the other
ltime-honored ceremonies in the old throne
,room at the palace. Until Mr.. Dufr's ar
rival the diplomatic well as the COM
lmercial interests of Great Britain were
hooked after by Mr.. Griffith, the vice con-
'Uul. Mr.. Dun was formerly In Mexico and
was recently married in Washington to
Miss Kathleen Clayton. daughter of Gen.
Powell Clayton OF Arkansas and sister of
The Baroness Moncheur. wife OF the Bel
Sian minister at Washington.
Senior Don Ramon Gaytan de Ayala y