194 



CUBANS OF TO-DAY 



practice of the law in Havana where he won 

 early and notable success. 



When the Ten Years' War closed in 1878 

 and the Autonomist party was formed 

 Cabrera was one of its founders, organizing 

 the local section in Guines. In 1879 the 

 party elected him Provincial Deputy and 

 at the same time made him Secretary of 

 the Provincial Deputation of Havana, to 

 both of which offices he was reelected in 

 1883. 



In Guines he founded the newspaper 

 La Union which always maintained a high 

 reputation and under the inspiration of 

 Cabrera kept alive the fires of enthusiasm 

 for liberal ideas. 



In 1890 the Central Board of the Autono- 

 mist party presented him as a candidate 

 for the office of Deputy in the Spanish 

 Cortes and although he gained the majority 

 of votes he was defeated through the high- 

 handed procedures of the Spanish party. 

 He never again sought public office. He 

 had already lost confidence in any peaceful 

 development of Cuba under the sover- 

 eignty of Spain and when the Autonomist 



HISPANIC NOTES 



