The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-23

Havana. Sept. 23.-It is felt general
ly here that Cuba is approaching q
crisis in its history as a republic. Two
serious questions occupy the public
mind:
Can Cuba survive the present state
Of her finances? Can she hold an hon.
est and orderly election for the presi.
dency with a loyal submission of the
defeated party to the will of the ma
'jority?
That the treasury is empty; that the
last dollar OF the SIG, 100000 Speyer
loan has been spent while the work
Of sewering and paving Havana. the
principal purpose for which the plan
was formulated has been almost stop
ped II not OF abandonment; that the
government is at its wits end to find
money to meet its vast expenditures
while receipts fro mcustoms and the
lottery have reached their lowest
point-all this is ASSERTED by the enc.
mics OF the govefnment and most Of
1t frankly admitted by all.
Last month the government default.
ed for the first time on the account
due to the sewering and paving con-
tractors for work done in July amount
&.SvsVuV. Inc govern
ment declared that 1t found itself un.
able to meet the bill simply because
1t had no move money. The con-
tractors appealed 70 the American le-
cation and sufficient pressure was
brought to bear to convince the gov
ernment that payment was imperative.
The following day the money was
Forthcoming.
There has been much speculation
as to whether the government will lie
able to satisfy the claims of the con-
tractors due toward the end of this
month, but there are indications that
PRESIDENT Gomez. realizing fully the
peril OF another default, has made an
extraordinary effort and will be- pre-
pared to meet the obligation and thus
tide over the crisis for another month.
The press continues to be filled with
pessimistfc articles bewailing the A.
naEcial and political perils that beset
the republic. Careful estimates show
that the Gomez administration has
spent during its two and a half years
OF power at least $140,O00,000. Ex-
perts declare that the only hope for
cuba lies in cutting down her expens.
es at least fifty per cent.
There is nothing to justify reason
able expectations that General Mario
SeSAA SdltS TIC 0l0CClOn, G9-
pecially as he has just formed an al
lance with the wing Of the liberal par
ty under the leadership of General
Ernesto Asbert, governor of Havana
province. The chances of Vice Presi-
dent Zaya's election appear to be df-
minishing, although his following is
strong.
Both conservatives and liberals are
making strong bids for the negro vote.
the former endeavoring to excite the
animosity of the negroes against the
liberals on account Of the fatalities to
men Of their race during the last in
surrection in Oriente, and the latter
endeavoring to placate them by prom
ises Of unconditional pardon Of thou
sands Of negro prisoners now confined
in jails.
The association of veterans under
the leadership Of General Emilio
uunez. which has hitherto stood fast
for non-partisan publication of the
government and the Contamination" of
the civil service. now seems to be in a
way Of being badly split along party
lines. but whether to the advantage Of
one side or the other does not vet an.
pear. The election is to be held No
vember l and the new president will
be inaugurated May 20.