Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-25
NEXT CUBAN ELECTIONS
Efforts of the Legislative Com
mission to Frame a Law.
FOREIGNERS WITHOUT VOTE
Proposed to Extend the Franchise to
Them. 80
OBJECTION BY THE NATIVES
Resemblance to the Noted Controversy
in the South African Republic
Color Line Being Drawn.
OBJECTION BY THE NATIVES
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

| effect the provisions of the constitution OIL
| the republic of Cuba as follows:
| /. An electoral law to regulate the exer
else of the franchise.
| 2. A civil service law to secure the en-
| forcement of the merit system in making
| appointments and removals among officials
| who are not elected.
g. A law to define the relation between the
several provinces and the federal govern
ment. which will be merely revision OF
| the only law of a constructive character
| enacted during the five annual sessions o,
| the Cuban congress.
| A. law to define the relations between the
municipalities and the federal and provincial
| governments and to regulate the organiza-
ton and administration of the cities and
| towns Of the republic.
| < law to reorganize the courts, to pro-
vide for the election of judges for life and to
revise the civil, commercial and criminal
| codes of Cuba.
The reports of the legislative commission
| are only provisional. They must oe .h ap-
proved by the governor general before tney
are effective, and that means the Secretary
of War and President Roosevelt
The Electoral Law.
OF all these propositions the first is the
most important and attracts the most pub
lie attention because the tenure of the pres
ent provisional government depends upon
1t. In his proclamation of September 20
last to the Cuban people Secretary Taft
said: The provisional government hereby
established by direction and In the name or
the President of the United States Will DE
maintained only long enough to restore
order and peace and public confidence. and
then to hold such election as may be neces-
sary to determine those persons upon whom
| the permanent government OF the repuoiic
is to be devolyed.'
In their report to the President concerning
their transaction and experiences In Cuba
last fall Secretary Taft and Assistant Sec
retry Bacon said: with the passage of
proper laws for municipal government, for
elections and for the independence of the
judiciary and with the holding of fair
election under the auspices of the United
States, We are very hopeful that the Cuban
republic may be restored on even a more
permanent basis than that which she en-
Joyed during four years of prosperity under
President Palma"
The members of the liberal party are very
anxious that this election should be held
as early as possible because they are conf
dent of their ability to capture the govern
ment, but there are several good reasons
why it should be post poned as long as pos
sible In the first place. all of the political
parties are demoralized except the liberals
who conducted the recent successful revO-
luton, and a fair expression of public opin-'
ion cannot be obtained at present. In the
second place, there Is no law under which
an election can De held.
AS told you yesterday. the Cuban con-
gress entirely neglected to enact an electoral
law and the recent elections were held I'M
der the provisions of military order issued
| by General Wood In 1901. 1t placed the con-
| troll of elections in the hands of the al
caldes, or mayors, the Oldest man present
| to be the judge, and the two youngest men
present to be the clerks, with other very
| loose provisions that offer easy opportuni-
| ties for such frauds as occurred at the re-
| oil when 40 00 votes were
returned than there are voters in the island
| although 1t is notorious that half the menu
bers Of the liberal party did not go to the
polls. Before an election can be held there
must be law that will secure an honest
vote.
Will Be Full Of Politics.
| Under the constitution members of the
| house of representatives and governors OF
| provinces are elected directly by the people
| for four years; the president and vice presi-
| dent are elected by electors chosen by d.
| rect vote of the people. as In the United
States and senator's for each state or prov
| ince are elected by senatorial electors
chosen in similar manner. The terms of
one-half the senators expire every four
years and one-half Of the representatives
every two years, SO that elections occur BIZ
ennially for one-half the house of repre-
| sentatives, and every four years for half of
the members of the senate There is no
provision of law for the election of munich
pal officials.
1t is considered expedient to keep the mu-
nicipal and national elections separate. so
that local affairs shall not become involved
in politics any more than Is necessary 1t
elections shall be held in July and the ma
tional elections several months later at the
beginning of November. just before the sug-
ar harvest begins, although strong pres
Welt to postpone them still longer. The next
and the first municipal election will be full
of politics, because both parties Will natu-
rally want to obtain control or the munich
pal machinery for the partisan use they can
make of It. 1t will also be important as q
demonstration Of the strength Of the sew
eral parties.
determined struggle between the members
Of the liberal party on the legislative COM
mission and the representatives of the mod
crate party to secure all the advantages
the American members Of the commission
have habitually found themselves voting
with the latter because they are naturally
conservative and desire to place every pos
sible protection around the polls.
The "outlander" Dispute.
The constitution gives unrestricted suf-
frage to all male Cubans and excludes all
foreigners, but, nevertheless. the most stub
born fight during the entire controversy has
been over a proposition to give foreigners
This would seem to be a direct violation Of
the constitution, but Col. Crowder. judge
advocate of the United States army. who Is
chairman of the commission, and his asSO-
ciates have Joined with the representatives
of the moderate party In contending that
the provisional government Is not bound
by the constitution. but is higher than the
constitution. and should exercise its powtf
| for the good Of the public. The membe/s
of the liberal party reply that they will be
satisfied with the same provisions and snfe-
guards that exist in the United Sites,
where none but natives and naturalized cit
liens are allowed to vote. They declare
that IL the responsible. educated classes
the property owners and taxpayers, who
are chiefly foreigners. have no voice in the
government 1t Is their own fault. There Is
| q naturalization law which confers Citizen
ship five years after application. and II any
foreigner wishes to participate In the gov
eminent he can take advantage Of 1t.
Electoral Qualifications Discussed.
Very few foreigners appIy for papers The