Semi-weekly herald., 1912-11-04
FEEL ING INTENSE ON
EVE OF CUBAN EI. .ECTTDN

EN IL tB Iu BAN EL.It ZION
HAVANA, Oct. 31.-All Cuba is
awaiting in suspense the outcome of
the great political battle to be fought
Dut at the polls tomorrow. Never pc
fore in the history of the island re-
public have the issues at stake in
campaign for the presidency been so
momentous and never before has the
feeling between the opposing parties
been so high
Fears are very generally expressed
without serious disorders. All voters
will go to the polls armed.
The election tomorrow will be the
second to be held by Cubans without
American supervision. The first cleo
ton, that of 1905, when Estrada Pal
ma was elected president for sec
ond term, was accompanied by dis
orders, followed by threats of revolu-
ton, eliminating in the outbreak of
August, 1906, directed by DR.. Alfredo
Zayas and General Pine Guerra, and
precipitated the second American in
tervention. The next election was held
in 1908, under American supervision,
and resulted in the choice Of General
Jose Miguel Gomez rs president and
DR.. Zayas as vice president. The
election was marked by the absence
of any disorders.
The question now uppermost in the
minds of all persons having the wei
fare of Cuba at heart is whether or
not the republic can hold an honest
and orderly election for the presi-
dency with a loyal submission of The
defeated party to the will of the ma
jority. Many view the future with
farahnHi,frc hut tha
servative of all of the rival parties
and political factions express the be-
lief that the republic will satisfac-
torily solve her own problems and
that there will be no occasion for out
side Intervention.
The candidate of the liberal party
for the presidency is DR.. Alfredo Zay-
as, the present vice president. The
standard-bearer of the Conservative
party is General Mario NIenocal. Both
are able men and each has n large
following. DR.. Zayas is journalist
by profession and is well known US
an orator. Mr.. Menocal is an eng-
neer and distinguished himself as
military leader in the war for indie
pendence. Four years ago he was an
unsuccessful candidate for president
in opposition to General Gomez. For
several years past he has acted as
manager of one of the largest sugar
Plantations of Cuba.
The Liberal party candidate for vice
president is Rafael Manduley, govern-
or of Oriento province. The candidate
of the conservative party for second
place is Enrique Jose Varona, philo-
sophical writer, former editor and at
present a professor of the National
University of Havana.
Unprejudiced observers of the situ-
alton appear inclined to the belief
that General Menocal will carry the
election, though the following of Vice
President Zayas is still strong. The
chances of General Menocal have been
considerably augmented by his recent
alliance with the wing of the liberal
part under the leadership of General
Ernesto Asbert The latter was him
self candidate for the presidency
but withdrew from the conte3t iii ia
vor of General Menocal General AS
bert is vastly popular with the masses
having risen by his own efforts from
a very humble position in life to the
high post he now occupies as governor
of Havana province.
Both conservatives and liberals are
making a strong bid for the large ne
gro vote, the former trying to excite
the animosity of the negroes against
the liberals on account of fatalities
to men of their race during the last
nsurrection in Oriente, and the latter
saeking to placate them by promises
of unconditional pardon to thousands
of negro prisoners now confined in
jails throughout the island
During the closing days of the cam
paign the opposing parties have reach
ed such stage of rivalry that street
fights and incipient riots have been
frequent Today the cooler heads on
both sides are counselling moderation,
and the unusual precautions taken by
the authorities in Havana and else
where to prevent disorder at the polls
tomorrow have met with general ap-
proval. Both parties realize that re-
course to arms in the settlement of
election difficulties will almost newt
ably precipitate American interven-
tion, but grave fears are felt over
the outcome of the election neverthe-
less. In the present state of the pub
lie mind it appears to be likely that
many ON both sides would as soon
face another Intervention as to submit
to the rule of the opposition.