THE CUBA REVI EW 



On April 19 the Cuban Senate approved 

 the House bill suspending the collection of 

 an export duty on sugar, tobacco and 

 liquors. On April 22 the president signed 

 this law. The export duties thus suspended 

 are on sugar, five cents on each bag of 

 weight up to 350 pounds ; on cigars, $1 on 

 each 1,000 cigars, weighing up to three 

 pounds ; on cigarettes, ten cents on each 

 1,000 cigarettes, weighing up to three 

 pounds, and on liquors, twenty cents on 

 each bottle. 



A bill was introduced April 30 in the Sen- 

 ate providing for an annual appropriation 

 of $4,800 to be devoted to the education of 

 Cuban children and children of Cuban par- 

 ents residing in Key West, West Tampa 

 and Ibor City. 



The Perez bill providing for the creation 

 of a legation in Rome and for other ampli- 

 fications of the diplomatic and consular 

 service, at an estimated cost of $48,000, was 

 approved April 29. 



The following laws have been approved in 

 the House of Representatives since the open- 

 ing of the Legislature on the Sth of April : 



Reform of the municipal law given by the in- 

 tervention in the sense of reducing the powers of 

 the mayors respecting the appointment of munici- 

 pal employes and granting them to the municipal 

 governments. 



Law authorizing cock-fights and abolishing all 

 the prohibitions in force. 



Granting an appropriation of $20,000 to the ex- 

 ecutive for private expenses. 



Law organizing a permanent army and appro- 

 priating $500,000 for this object. 



Law of interior budgets of the House and the 

 Senate. 



Appropriations for the widows of the patriots 

 Bonaehea and Bbsa. 



The laws authorizing bull-fights and the lottery 

 are in the committees. 



In the Senate the following laws have been 

 approved since April 5 : 



By majority and as urgent the bill granting an 

 appropriation of $500,000 for the organization of 

 the permanent army. 



Ditto an appropriation of .$25,000 for private ex- 

 penses of the executive. 



Granting an appropriation of $150,000 to pre- 

 vent the periodical inundations of the Roque. 



Ditto for studying the cocoanut palm disease. 



Ditto for the committee of economic corporations 

 that will meet in Washington. 



Other bills have passed to the study of the 

 committees. 



Vice-President Zayas an- 

 Pcrmaiicnt nounced May 5 his party's de- 

 Fnsion sire for the fusion of both lib- 

 at Hand, eral factions, this being also 

 President Gomez's greatest 

 wish. Both believe such a fusion would be 

 highly beneficial for the country and the 

 present government, avoiding future politi- 

 cal discomfort and uneasiness of the public. 



A bill has been prepared and 

 Crude Oil will probably be taken up by 

 for Fuel, the House, which provides for 

 the free entry of crude oil to 

 be used for fuel purposes, this product novt 

 only being allowed to enter free when im- 

 ported for gas-making purposes. "Once 

 introduced free crude petroleum would 

 hold a commanding position over the 

 native product of alcohol," says the 

 Havana Post, "because of the installment 

 of furnaces specially devised for the con- 

 sumption of petroleum, at considerable 

 cost, making the consumers reluctant to 

 discard them for those suitable for al- 

 cohol. Importers of coal would also see 

 in crude oil a dangerous competitor." 



"Perhaps at no time before has 

 Havana's the condition of public order in 

 Dangers. ;he city of Havana been so de- 

 ranged as it is at the present 

 time," says La Lucha. "So notorious has 

 the inactivity of the police become that 

 criminals walk the principal streets rob- 

 bing pedestrians at all hours of the day 

 and night, without fear of detention by 

 the bluecoats, who appear to be utterly 

 indifferent to what is daily transpiring 

 about them." 



Ricardo Arnauto, a confidential employe 

 at the president's palace, Havana, was in- 

 dicted April 16 on a charge of rifling the 

 trunk of Jose Cisneros, a prisoner, charged 

 with shooting at General Emilio Nunez. It 

 was over the proposed appointment of 

 Arnauto as chief of the secret police 

 that President Gomez and Vice-President 

 Zayas had a serious disagreement. 



Lincoln De Zayas, a member of the Cuban 

 Cabinet under the Palma and Magoon ad- 

 ministrations, is under indictment, charged 

 with padding the pay-rolls in the Depart- 

 ment of Public Instruction. He was re- 

 leased April 12 under $2,000 bail. 



A tuberculosis hospital in Santiago is 

 asked for by the provincial council. A bill 

 authorizing the expenditure of $20,000 for 

 such purpose was introduced April 30. 



The Cuban government has raised the 

 rank of its office in St. Louis to a full con- 

 sulate, and has appointed Ernesto Casaus 

 for the place. 



Work has commenced in the port of 

 Sagua la Grande to dredge the channel. 



Havana, May 9. — The Executive Com- 

 mittee of the Miguelistas resolved not to 

 accept the modifications of the terms 

 proposed for the fusion of the two 

 branches of the liberal party. 



These modifications had been made by 

 the Zayistas, and after deliberate disciission 

 were deemed unacceptable by the Miguel- 

 istas. 



