The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-09
A STRUGGLE FOR
SPOlLS Of OFFICE
cuBAks WILL ELECT A PREsL
DENT AND CONGRESS
NEXT SATURDAY.
CONSERVATIVES VS.. LIBERALS
Two Veterans Of the Revolution Aspire
70 the neutrality-suspicious.
Of Rival Parties are
Practically Alike.

Havana, Nov. 9-On Saturday next
elections will be held throughout the
island for president, vice president
senators and representatives in the
lower house of congress, to whom, ac'
oording to the present program, will
be committed the fate of the restored
Cuban government on the termination
OF the government of intervention,
January 2s, 1909.
The troops of the United States will
be withdrawn on that date, which is
three days in advance of the date
originally set, IN order that their de.
Darture may mark the anniversary OF
the birth of Jose Marti, the Cuban
patriot, and the great body of Cubans
have striven during the last few
months towards selection OF candi.
dates who will best realize their de.
sire for self-government
Preparations for the elections are
complete. All the election officers
have been appointed, the electoral
boards organized and the last ballots
distributed and the whole island is alb.
for supremacy. The Conservatives
are headed by Gen. Mario Menocal
and Dr. Rafael Montoro, the presiden'
tial and vice presidential candidates
respectively, while Gen. Jose M.
Gomez and his former bitter rival in
the party leadership, Alfredo Zayas,
are the nominees of the Liberal party,
the Miguelista and zayista factions OF
which finally united their forces In
support of Gen. Gomez, on the under.
standing that he would not be nom.
mated for second term.
There Is practically no difference In
the platforms OF the two parties, both
having as their chief planks the
preservation OF the republic, equal
rights for all citizens, the encourage.
nnent OF agriculture and commerce
and the maintenance OF friendly rela.
tions with the United States. The
struggle is, frankly, for the control OF
public patronage.
Both Gen. Gomez and Gen. Menocal
are veterans OF the revolution and
have a large following because OF theii
distinguished services In the field. DR.
Montoro is the foremost orator In
Cuba and was nominated In the ex
pectation OF his being able to control
the Spanish vote, but he is unpopular
with many Cubans on account of his
attitude during the revolution, when
he held Office In the autonomous gov
ernment in the last days OF the Span
ish regime.
Senior Zayas Is the idol OF a large
section of the Liberals. He was the
leader OF the last uprising against
President Palma, but his followers are
suspected OF giving but lukewarm sup
port to the candidacy of Gen Gomez
between whom and Senor Zayas there
was an implacable feud until II wal
apparent that the very existence o
the Liberal party was dependent up
on compromise, whereby Zayas with
drew his pretensions to the presi
dency. The two factions, however, dic
not actually fuse, but Zayas accepted
a nomination for the vice presidenc.
and the Zayistas promised TO aid II
the election of the coalition candi
dates.
The business interests and the larg
property elements are strongly Il
favor OF Gen. Menocal, but the resul
OF the presidential election will prob
ably be very close.