Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-26

guards. Gov Magoon has abolished several
hundred sinecures He dismissed more than
3OO employees of the house of representa-
tfves by single order. The members of
that body all resigned last September, but
the officers and clerks kept on drawing
their salaries just the same. He has re-
duced the pay roll in several other direc
tons, much to the disgust of the leaders Of
the moderate party, with whom, at pres
ent, he is very unpopular, for that and
similar reasons Every time a sinecure is
abolished a wall is heard at the palace
and the casual manner in which the liberal
leaders ask for the creation Of offices for
their friends shows how firmly fixed in
their minds is the Jacksonian principle
that ITO the victor belong the spoils."
Gov. Magoon, however, declares that in
all these struggles for office the insurgent
generals who overthrow the Palma govern
ment have asked nothing for themselves.
They have recommended Gen. Pine Guerro
to be commander of the rural guards, and
Gen. Betancourt to be chief of police of
Havana: they have demanded definite al
lotment of offices to their followers, which
they claim was promised them by Score
tary Taft, but, at the same time, Gov.
Magoon insists that they not so clam
orous as one would expect. They feel that,
having overthrown the government of the
moderate party by the revolution last sum-
mer, they are entitled to the fruits of their
victory. They were fighting for the offices
and consider themselves entitled to the
prize They have been informed that the
consider themselves the saints. They de-
mand that all the officials of the moderate
party be dismissed and replaced by men
from the liberal party. They demand that
all the liberals who held offices under the
several municipal governments and were
dismissed by the Palma government, so
that 1t could manipulate the elections, ba
restored at once.
Pact With Secretary Taft.
Secretary Taft promised the insurgent
generals that this should be done but ex-
planned why 1t could not be done by whole
sale, as they desired. He assured them
that Gov. Magooh would investigate each
particular case and do justice impartially
which he is doing just as fast he can;
but the number of complaints is SO large |
and he has so much. to do in connection
with the current business of the govern
ment. that he is not acting as rapidly as
they desire.
This the celebrated pact which |
Secretary Taft is said to have entered into
with the leaders of the revolution The
members of the moderate party and the |
critics of the provisional government gen
orally have denounced it as a compromise
with wrong, and as a precedent which will |
encourage future revolutions. But there is |
another point of view. which should also |
be considered. Nobody denies that the |
Palma government removed hundreds of |
officials In the municipalities and else
where simply because they were of the lib |
eral party, and appointed politicians of the |
moderate party in their places simply be- |
cause their assistance was necessary to |
carry the elections and that the elections |
were carried by the most astounding |
and preposterous frauds. Otherwise the |
liberals would certainly have elected their |
candidate for President and obtained con- |
troll of the government. Having been
cheated outra geously at the polls, they at |
tempted to secure the government by force, |
and If the United States had not inter- |
VeneQ. thew would have heap al
but the struggle would have been attended |
by horrible bloodshed and destruction, of |
property. With horde of 1900 semi bar |
barians at the gates of Havana Secretary
Taft and Assistant Secretary Bacon made |
the best terms they could and they prom !
ised that the liberals should have a share |
of the offices they We're fighting for
They also told the nsurgent leaders very
frankly that they would not do injustice |
TO faithful and efficient servants of the |
government. Secretary Taft admitted that !
offices in proportion to their numbers, but |
it was impossible to give 1t to them Off |
hand. He told them that corrupt and in |
competent clerks and officials would be dis |
charged as rapidly as possible, and liberals |
would be appointed to the vacancies, but |
they would have to be patient and receive |
their recognition gradually. This was the |
pact
Investigating Officials.
Lieut. Col. Billiard of the army has been |
travelling from place to place. making in |
vestigations and reports upon municipal af- |
fairs and Gov. Magoon is acting promptly |
upon them. Whenever a vacancy occurs |
in any Office a committee of liberal leaders
selected by the members of the party for !
the purpose, and Familiarity known as the |
job committee" is allowed to nominate
three candidates from whom Gov Ma |
COON makes his choice. The governor re- |
marked the other day that this is not an |
ideal way of conducting civil service but |
60aI rod 6n ic ha n,,1xr L.
the peace. The recent revolution was moth
ing less than a crusade for office The |
political parties Of Cuba exist for the pur-
pose of obtaining offices. Cuban politics
involves nothing else, and 1t would be alb
surd for the officials of the provisional gov
eminent during the short time they are