THE CUBA REVIEW 



11 



Congress reconvened April 

 Cuban 5, the sessions of both 



Finances Houses being devoted to 

 Satisfactory, the reading of the Presi- 

 dent's message of 15,000 

 words long. President Gomez's mes- 

 sage was hopeful and encouraging. 



The message says that the condition 

 of the National Treasury is fairly satis- 

 factory. There was a balance on March 

 27 of $2,515,363, as against $2,809,479 on 

 January 27, at the end of American in- 

 tervention, but the comparison actually 

 is more favorable owing to the discharge 

 of heavy obligations and the inclusion in 

 the latter amount of certain balances not 

 actually available. The present obliga- 

 tions of the Treasury amount to $12,- 

 856,000, including credits granted under 

 President Palma and credits authorized 

 by the Provisional Government, the lat- 

 ter to the amount of $5,674,000. 



He believes it inadvisable to subject 

 the country to the heavy burden of a 

 bond issue of $16,500,000 authorized by 

 Governor Magoon to pay the contracts 

 for sewers and paving of Havana and 

 the water works at Cienfuegos. He ex- 

 presses full confidence that the customs 

 receipts will prove sufficient to cover 

 these obligations. 



The President makes an urgent plea 

 for a new commercial treaty with the 

 United States, favoring a reduction in 



duties on imports consisting of the 

 necessaries of life, for the purpose of 

 lowering the present high cost of living. 

 He also favors a reduction in the tariff 

 on machinery, especially agricultural im- 

 plements. 



Appeal 

 Against 

 Governor 



Asbert 



Three 'weeks ago the Ha- 

 vana Provincial Council 

 suspended its chairman, 

 Pedro Bustileo, and Gover- 

 nor Asbert replaced Bus- 

 tileo in his office, causing 

 intense friction. On April 14 the Coun- 

 cil passed resolutions to appeal to the 

 Supreme Court to decide whether the 

 Governor has the right to veto or sus- 

 pend the decisions of the Council and 

 to annul vetoes previously made by 

 himself. 



The Council agreed also to accuse the 

 Governor before the Senate of. having 

 repeatedly violated the constitution, and 

 will ask President Gomez immediately 

 to suspend the Governor for this same 

 reason. 



The national convention of Zayistas 

 and Miguelistas meet April 4 to com- 

 plete plans for permanent fusion of the 

 Liberal party on April 11. The Miguel- 

 istas placed themselves on record as 

 favoring complete fusion. It is believed 

 the Zayistas will take the same action. 



Francisco Cortes and his son Vicente, members of the Rural 

 Guard of Cuba, under sentence of death for participation in 

 the recent uprising. .\ popular appeal against the carrying 

 out of the sentence, by the press and people, was made to 

 the Supreme Court, which is now considering the case, and 

 will receive a report from the Attorney-General about April 15. 



