Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-11-02

NIT to the Result Without Outside
/ vention--Liberals and conser.
natives Arrayed in Bitter Battle.
HAVANA, Oct 31--All Cuba is
awaiting in suspense the outcome OF
the great political battle to be fought
out at the polls tomorrow Never be-
fore in the history of the island re-
public have the issues at stake in a
campaign for the presidency been so
momentous and never before has the
feeling between the opposing parties
, been so high.
The election tomorrow will be the
second to be held by Cubans without
American supervision. The first cleo
ton, that of 1905, when Estrada Palma
was elected president for second
term, was accompanied by disorders.
followed by threats of revolution, cul-
minating in the outbreak of August,
1906, directed by DR.. Alfredo Zayas
and Gen. Pine Guerra, and precipi-
tated the second American interven-
ton. The next election was held in
1908, under American supervision, and
resulted in the choice of Gen. Joso
Miguel Gomez as 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 well
fare of Cuba at heart is whether or
not the republic can hold an honest
and orderly election for the presidency
with a loyal submission of the de-
feated party to the will of the major
iy. Many view the future with grave
forebodings, but the more conserva-
tive of all of the rival parties and po-
litical factions express the belief that
the republic will satisfactorily solve
her own problem and that there will
be no occasion for outside Intervention
The candidate of the Liberal party
for the presidency is Or. Alfredo Fay
as, the present vice president. The
standard bearer of the Conservative
party is Gen. Menocal. Both are able
men and each has large following.
DR.. Zayas is a journalist by profession
and is well known as an orator Mr..
Menocal is an engineer and disting-
uished himself as a military leader in
the war for Independence Four years
ago he was an unsuccessful candidate
for president in opposition to Gen.
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,
governor of Oriento province. The
candidate of the Conservative party
for second place is Enrique Jose Yer
ona, a philosophical writer, former ed
itor and at present a professor of the
National university of Havana.
Unprecedented observers of the sit
uation appear inclined to the belief
that Gen, Menocal wiz carry the cleo
ton, though the following of Vice
President Zayas is still strong. The
chances of Gen. Menocal have been
considerably augmented by his recent
alliance with the wing of the Liberal
" uliuti INC itctd0i olliP VI oNAi+ II
nesto Asbert. The latter was himself
a candidate for the presidency but
withdrew from the contest in faeor of
Gen. Menocal. Gen. Asbert is vastly
popular with the masses, having rison
by his own efforts from very humble
position in life to the high post he
now occupies as governor of Havana
province,
Both Conservatives and Liberals are
making srong bids 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
insurrection in Oriente, and the lat
ter seeking to placate them by prom
Uses of unconditional pardon to thous-
ands of negro prisoners now confined
in jails throughout the island.
Besides the president and the vice
president. there are to be elected to-
morrow thirteen of the twenty-four
senator's forty-nine of the ninety-fiye
representatives who compose the low
er house, the governors of the six
provinces into which the island is div
ided, and mayors, councilmen and
minor officials in ninety-hve municip-
alities.
During the closing days OF the cant
paign the opposing parties have reach
ed such a stage of rivalry that street
fights and incipient riots have been
frequent Today the cooler heads OF
both sides are counseling modera-
ton, and the unusual precautions TAX
en- by the authorities In Havana and
elsewhere TO prevent disorder at the
polls tomorrow have met with approx
AL Both parties realize that resource
to arms in the settlement OF election
difficulties will almost inevitably pro
cipitate American Intervention, but
grave fears are felt over the outcome
of, The election nevertheless. In the
present state of the public mind il
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