The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-03-16

thirty electoral votes, were carried by
Menocal; two, with forty -four electoral
votes, were carried by Zayas, and two
Santa Clara and Oriente, with twenty
eight electoral votes each, were in
doubt. SiXty-six votes were neces-
sary to a choice so that Menocal had to
get both doubtful provinces if he were
to win. The Liberals carried the con-
tests in certain districts to the Su-
preme Court, composed of four Con-
servatives and one Liberal, and the
Supreme Court decided in favor of
Zayas, one of the few instances in
Latin-American history where the
courts have decided against the party
in power.
Leaders Disappear; Many Arrests.
Reviews were impossible in some
districts, however, because the ballots
had been lost or destroyed. Menocal
ordered new elections in these dis
tricts, the election in Santa Clara to
take place Feb. IA and in Oriente on
Feb. 21. Santa Clara was carried by
the Conservatives after terrific cam
paign. During the following week,
preceding the election in Oriente, Lib
eral leaders began to disappear. They
dropped out of sight in Havana, where
Menocal was in control. Other towns
lost their leaders and people wondered
Then a plot to assassinate Menocal
was divulged. More arrests follow
ed.
1t is upon these disappearances and
these arrests that Mr.. Kings informa-
tion bears. In his opinion they were
preparatory to coup d'etat by which
Menocal hoped to retain the Presiden-
cy. This alleged purpose was
thwarted by the refusal of certain
military commanders to obey his or
ders.
General de Mola, the military COM
mander of Santiago, told me-" said
Mr.. King, chat he had received from
President Menocal an order to arrest
certain men. A list of names was
supplied and in every case they were
those of Menocaps political opponents,
upon whom Zayas was relying to car
ry Oriente for the Liberals.
"De Mola learned that similar lists
had been sent to other military COM
manders. He fatty declined to make
the arrests on the gorund that they
were illegal without the sanction Of
the courts, that they were in contra
vention of the Constitution, and that
the loyalty of the military comman-
ders was to the Constitution rather
than the President. He declared
there was no revolt against the Con-
stitution, but only against a Presi-
dent who sought to violate it. He
told me that if President Wilson sent
a commissioner ITO Cuba with in
structions to ascertain from both par
ties the facts in the case he and other
revolutionists would lay down their
arms, vote peaceably and abide by
the result.
Believes He Seeks Dictatorship.
II found this to be the position of
the substantial citizens with whom |
talked. They think that Menocal is
not playing the game squarely. They
believe his purpose is to establish a
dictatorship similar to that of Diaz
in Mexico and they will not stand for
that. They say his triumph by force
of arms now means revolution after
revolution until the rights of the vo-
ters are secured. Menocal has turned
a treasury deficit into a surplus, but
he is apparently oblivious to the need
of public improvements. The Cubans
want to see money in circulation. They
want new roads, systematic railroad
and a general eXploita-
ton of their vast resources.
"The danger of delay in solving
their problem lies in the fact that the
railroads cannot operate while fight
ing continues and that the banks cam
not obtain currency. 1t follows that
the sugar mills cannot get their sup
ply of cane and cannot pay their
workmen. The usual results in such
cases is that the disorderly element
gets beyond control and cane field
and mills are likely to be burned.
Even if this does not happen the cane
VIII not be gathered before the rains
begin, and there will be suffering
among the working classes and con-
siderable increase in the cost Of sugar
here in the United States.
"a have been in Cuba many times,
and my opinion, supported by the
L. II