The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1913-05-22
Gen. Menocal Succeeds
Gomez as Head of
Government,
CAREER
Graduate of American Col
lege, He Fought in Revolt
ton, Cleaned up Havana.

49, I'1t'
dent, Cuban republic enters on a
new phase OF its existence in a spirit
OF high hopes for the preservation
of peace and the establishment OF
prosperity on the island.
Menocal was born 1866 in Matan-
zas province and his family soon
removed to the United States whore
he VAS graduated in the military
college at Washington and then at
Cornell from which he graduated as
4 civil engineer.
After working as an engineer
he joined the Cuban revolution
forces, where he made u brilliant
name for himself.
Narona graduated from the Uni
Versity of Havana and was Profess
sor of Philosophy and ethics in that
institution.
New President Popular.
Havana, Cuba.-Gen. Mario Memo
cal was inaugurated second president
OF the Cuban republic shortly after
noon today, succeeding Jose Miguel
Gomez, who had been al the head of
the government since the American
control of the insular affairs came to
an end on January %, 1909. The
new president received his education
in the United States and is regarded
as y warm friend of the great Ameri-
can republic. In his program he pro-
misses to cultivate closer relations
with the United States. and to seek
agricultural and industrial develop
mont.
The taking of the oath of office
was preceded by a parade OF regular
troops, civil organizations and the
rural guard. The chief Justice OF the
supreme court administered the oath
OF Office to President Mcnocal on the
balcony of the palace, in view of the
thousands of spectators who filled
the Plaza de Armas.
Gen. Menocal goes into power as
the leader of the conservative party.
and as Il result OF the decisive choice
of the Cuban people in the elections
of last fail. The retiring administra-
ton was controlled by the liberals.
In the new senate the conservatives
have a strength of thirteen mem
bers against an opposition of eleven.
In the lower house there are now
43 liberals and As who are listed as
conservatives. Five OF the latter, are
liberal "mugWamps" and they will
hold the balance of power.
President Menocal is a man of
high dials and enjoys the respect OF
all classes of the Cuban people. He
is a civil engineer. an agriculturist
and business expert, in addition to
being a soldier. His uncle, A%nisette
Menocal, was an American citizen, q
commander and engineer in the Unit
led States army. 1t was under his dir
cotton that Young Menocal was edu-
Gated. Since his thirteenth year most
of his time has been spent in the
United States. He graduated from
Maryland Agricultural college in
1884 and from Cornell university
four years later.
Began Surveying Canal.
Equipped with a splendid educa-
ton and with q perfect knowledge of
both English and Spanish, Gen. Mem
ocal's success dates from his first
work after leaving Cornell. His first
engineering work was done in Nicara
qua ON the survey for an %interocean-
ic canal. Before sailing from New
York on this trip he had to sign a
release to the company for any res
possibility for returning his body to
the United States in case of death.
The company would agree, however,
to return the body ON payment of
$3.50. to be deducted from the sal
AIRY of the employees in rather large
iin~stallments. Young Menocal decided
that such posthumus Injuries were
not for struggling engineers, so he
signed the release.
1t was in Nicaragua, whore he
spent two years, that Gen. Menocal
acquired the intimate knowledge OF
yellow fever and other tropical dis
eases that caused him to become one
of the most active agents in the
cleaning up OF Havana during the
American occupation.
In 1892 Gen. Menocal returned tic
Cuba. At that time he laid before
the Spanish city authorities "a plan
for cleaning up the city in the inter
est of the public health. No attention
was paid to the recommendations.
The military career of Gen. Memo.
cal dates from June >, 1905, wher
he entered the revolutionary army
as a private. His education and hi
Engineering ability made his promo
ton rapid. Moreover he met the diff
ficulties of a hard campaign with thu
same courage that he faced yellow
fever in Nicaragua. His command il
Camaguay and Oriente provinces
cleared that territory of the Span
iards. His storming of the fortified
town of Las Tunas was one OF thu
brilliant feats of the campaign.
A. ,n - ,,ll,
works under the American admins
tration Gen. Menocal was an import
and factor in the cleaning up of Ha
vana. Gen. Menocal left his position
as inspector general to take charg'
of the interests of the Cuban-Amer
lean Sugar Company at Chaparra
During the time that this great has
ienda has been under Gen. Menocal'
supervision ii his become the hes
sugar property in the world. The pro