Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-03-28

ital, and OF the consequent prosperity
which had come to Cuba during the
four years OF his incumbency as presi-
dent. He manifested an intense in
terest In the large balance which there
was In the treasury" said Secretary
Taft, "and the greatest regret that
the balance was likely to be reduced
by the extravaganza OF expenditures
In the efforts made and making to sup
press the insurrection. He said that
he had insisted upon the maintenance
of all the guarantees of civil liberty
under the constitution, and had declin-
ed to suspend them until the insur-
rection had proceeded to a point
where 1t could not be avoided; that
for Elk months he had been aware OF
the plotting that was going on against
the government, but SO great was the
prosperity and the comfort OF the peo-
Pile. and So successful had his gov
ernment been In the arts of peace,
that he declined to take rigorous steps
against the conspirators. for he had
supposed that such an 'insurrection
was impossible. He deplored what he
regarded as lack of gratitude and
patriotism on the part OF those who
were supporting the insurrection, and
gave us a number OF instances tend
ing to show that Its leaders we're NOV
ed only by the basest purposes, by
pecunlary greed and by lust for office.
His demeanor was dignifled and earn
est. the evidence OF his sorrow was
touching, and what he said made a
deep impression upon u.s."
This quotation gives a correct por-
trayal OF the character of the late
president of Cuba, but there Is another
side to the story. President Palma
was not entirely frank: he did not
disclose the real reason for the insur-
rection, which was the successful at
tempt of the moderate party, under
the leadership OF General Freyre An
drade, a member of his cabinet, to
-e-elect him and his administration
and to secure a majority in congress
by the most unblushing frauds. in
timidation and unlawful manipulation
OF ballot boxes that was ever known
outside OF Mississippi. The liberal
party would not submit. nor would
any self-respecting community in the
United States have submitted to such
an outrage upon the sacred rights of
representative government.
One Of the Havana newspapers In
an article under the title painful Fig
ures," remarked that "the election
leaders have shown such little brains
in conducting their schemes that they
have made themselves ridiculous and
foolish, The sechemes referred to
were nothing more than to gain a vic
tory at all hazards. which could have
been gained without going beyond the
limits Of probability. According to the
returns, 1t appears that 432.313 per-
sons voted in Cuba. That is SO per
cent of the population Of the repub-
lie. which. as every one knows. is
100000. 1t is monstrosity. the
paternity Of which should be denied
by Its various perpetrators, because
1t gives them the title of idiots and
bars the doors to further political as
pirations."
The military government establish
ed by the United States in Cuba after
the Spanish war. In compliance with
the pledges contained in the Teller
amendment, turned the authority over
to President Palma and duly elected
congress In May. 1902. Upon his In
stallation In office President Palma
who had been unanimously elected.
occupied an independent position and
invited into his cabinet men without
political affiliations or without obliga.
ton to the parties to which they be-
longed. This non-partisan. or bi-parti-
san, government continued until the
spring OF 1905. when President Palma
sought the support OF the moderate
party, which had majority In con
gress, to secure much needed legisla-
ton. AS consideration for this sup
port he dismissed his Independent ad-
visers and appointed a cabinet com
posed entirely Of moderates, active
| and sldllful politicians. It was known
as the "Cabinete de Combate," be
cause the members were veterans OF
the war OF independence. They pro
ceeded forthwith to change the per
sonnel Of the municipal governments
, the police, the rural guards, the en-
ployes in every department, and to
manipulate the boards OF public works
and other branches Of the government
so as to secure political control OF the
island. Every liberal on the govern.
ment pay roll was dismissed from
office and his place filed by poll
tcian of the moderate party.
When the election occurred the re-
suit Of this arrangement was plainly
apparent. 1t Is asserted that there
were 100000 more ballots found In
the boxes than there were voters in
the island. For example, the Tenn
plete ward of Havana. which has 431
electors. including the president of
the republic, returned 1881 voters.
Paula, with 867 voters, returned 1.348
votes; the Arsenal ward. with $50
electors, returned 1858 votes; San
Nicolas. with I'll voters. gave Palma
1,5G1 votes. and In San Lazaro, where
there are $40 electors. he received 800
votes. In this ward the polling must
have been at the rate OF six votes
minute in order to accommodate