Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-07-31
CUBAN ELECTIONS.
War Department Fears Result May
Lead 20 Revelation.

nicipal elections. feeling of uneas-
mess pervades the war department,
although every effort has been made
to conceal it. IL Is known that Sec
rotary of War Wright has had several
conferences with his predecessor,
Judge Taft, on the possibilities of an
insurrection in Cuba.
Reports from Havana state that
while at present there Is no indica-
ton OF revolution, everyone consid-
ers there will be trouble after the
elections, possibly after the munich
pal elections tomorrow, but more like
ly after the presidential elections.
The Miguelistas have openly said, al
though not recently, that II Zavas is
elected they will rebel. A Conserva-
tive victory through the splitting of
the Liberal vote will certainly cause
the Liberals to fight
| TomorTow's battle of ballots In
Cuba will combine provincial and mu-
nicipal elections, each province elect
Ing governor and eight councilmen
and the municipalities electing an
alcalde and a proportionate number
of councilmen. The governors will
hold Office until February "a, 1919,
and the mayors until August /, 1912.
Governor Magoon has decided not
to sign the decree authorizing the
construction Of the water works at
Cianfuegos until next week. This
has averted critical situation I'm that
city, where the people are bitterly
divided on the waterworks question.
This action, It is thought, will pre-
vent clash between the rival fac
tions, respectively and supporting
the Reilly contract.
According to present plans, the Gu
ban army of occupation is to be with
drawn on February next, but many
Washington officials acquainted with
the situation believe that conditions
at that time viii be such as to render
withdrawal impractieable.
Whether the spirit of unrest is due
to the preparation of certain Cubans
who hope to control by show of
force once the United States is out OF
the island, or whether foreign inter-
ests are encouraging plots so as to
compel the continuance of American
occupancy, is not definitely made
clear. The foreign interests, it is
well known, dread the restoration of
complete home rule in Cuba. They
foresee excessive taxation, and bur-
densome regulations placed on their
enterprises.
The ultimate aim and hope of
these foreign and American business
interests is to have this government
either take over the island or estab-
fish a protectorate. which will give
Cubans a certain amount of self-gov-
eminent but will promptly halt any
attempt at Observation-Disclosures of af-
fairs 1t Is an open secret that army
officers returning from Cuba are
bringing back disquieting tales.
A high official in the department
was asked II preparations were being
pushed for the withdrawal OF the
troops from Cuba on the date set
He declined to express any opinion.
but added that the troops might not
be embarked II there was any need
for them.
None of the offcials would ac-
knowledge, nor would they deny that
they had received advices that for
eigners In Cuba were subscribing to a
fund for the purpose of financing a
revolution. The revolution. accord
ing to these adyices, would be timed
for about the first of the year. In
that case the American troops. per
force, would be compelled to remain
In the island. Pressure would then
be brought to bear on Washington
to have this government take some
definite action toward insuring the
future peace of the republic.
The American army is we'll scat
tered over the island, ana while IL
consists of only 5000 troops, It is dis
tributed in such way that fair
sized body of trained regulars could
be modified at any point in the
island in a few hours, Two battalions
OF the Twenty-seventh Infantry are
stationed at Camp Columbia, near
Havana. as a reserve force which can
be sent to any part of the island
where trouble is likely to occur.
Contrary to what has been expect
ed. seems now that the provincial
and municipal elections win not in
dictate which OF the three parties. the
zayista, MigUellsta or the eonserva-
tive. will be the strongest in the next
general presidential elections.