THE CUBA REVIEW. 



11 



In submitting to Provis- 

 Tlie Cuban ional Governor INIagoon the 

 Civil draft of a civil service law, 



Service the Cuban Advisory Com- 



Lazv. mission reported "the non- 



existence, so far, of a law 

 of this nature, has presented oppor- 

 tunities which unfortunately have been 

 excessively availed of for the passion 

 and vehemence of political strife." That 

 much of the turbulence of the Cuban 

 Republic has been due to the desire for 

 office is undoubted. One of the chief 



to the Cuban Republic a legacy, which, 

 if cherished and faithfully observed, will 

 prove an effective safeguard against self- 

 ish partisan domination. — Good Govern- 

 ment. 



The Custom House collections for the 

 port of Havana for the month of July for 

 the last four years are as follows: 



1909 $1,509,947.37 



1908 1,313,839.41 



1907 1,623,661.82 



1906 1,534,538.38 



A view of the picturesque surroundings of the 

 Justo Garcia Velez. It fronts on Havana's harb 



Una vista del bonito panorama que rodea el 

 Cuba, Sr. Justo Garcia Velez. Esta frente a la 



difficulties which beset the provisional 

 government was the insistent clamor of 

 the various political factions for their 

 share of the patronage. 



The provisions of the law are, in gen- 

 eral, comprehensive and rigorous, and 

 the law is as excellent an act as any in 

 the United States. A strict sysem of 

 competitive examination, both as to ap- 

 pointment and promotion, is established 

 for the national, provincial and munici- 

 pal governments, and embraces the great 

 majority of the public offices. Political 

 assessments are prohibited, as is also 

 political activity in the discharge of of- 

 ficial duty. No removals may be made 

 for political or religious reasons, and the 

 civil service commission is given power 

 to set aside any removal so made. A 

 civil service law in Cuba, to use the 

 phrase of the Advisory Commission, 

 is a "very substantial innovation," and 

 the law was therefore drawn with much 

 attention to detail, and includes a great 

 many regulations as to general admin- 

 istrative procedure not usually found in 

 other civil service laws. 



In decreeing so wise and thorough a 

 law, the provisional government has left 



building occupied by Cuba's Secretary of State, 

 3r. 



edificio ocupado por el Secretario de Estado de 

 bahia de la Habana. 



Cuba 



Needs 

 America. 



Sefior Orestes Ferrara, 

 Speaker of the Cuba House 

 of Representatives, on his way 

 to Europe, was' interviewed in 

 New York, July 14, and said: 



"President Gomez nullified the contract witk 

 the United States dealers," said Senor Ferrara, 

 "because the models submitted did not come up 

 to the standard of the Cuban government. Any 

 rumors that we expect war with the United 

 States are unfounded. Among the majority of 

 Cubans there is absolutely no feeling against the 

 United States. We wanted our independence, 

 and now we have complete government for our- 

 selves. We think of the United States as a bene- 

 factor. We know that the United States desires 

 our independence, for you have demonstrated that 

 twice. Our prosperity depends upon our favor- 

 able commercial relations with your country." 



Insubordination of the en- 

 Cuban listed men, especially the 

 Army negroes, in the recently es- 

 Trottblcs. tablished permanent army of 

 Cuba, and bickerings between 

 the officers, are considered serious. Charges 

 against Gen. Rovas, Col. Valiente and other 

 officers brought an order for a court mar- 

 tial, which was countermanded by Presi- 

 dent Gomez on July 29. He also pardoned 

 the enlisted men imprisoned for insubordi- 

 nation. The army opinion is that the Presi- 



