THL 

 CUBA RLVILW 



•ALL ABOUT CUBA" 



Copyright, 1913, by the Munson Steamship Line 



^^OLUME XI 



NOVEMBER, 1913 



Number 12 



GOVERNMENT MATTERS 



PRESIDENTS MESSAGE 

 COMPANY MATTERS - 



■ PRESENT POLITICAL DIVISIONS PORTS 



NEW PATENT MEDICINE REGULATIONS 



LIBRARY 

 N> W YORK 

 "• ' ANICAl. 



One of the most extensive 

 The documents ever addressed 



President's to a Cuban Congress was 

 Message President Menocal's annual 

 message on November 4th. 

 It gave a complete and detailed report of 

 the work and needs of every department, 

 and a summary of th€ acts of the admin- 

 istration. 



Regarding the foreign claims which were 

 left in abeyance during the summer, the 

 President states that they are now being 

 discussed through diplomatic channels with 

 the possibility of a favorable settlement. 



The State Department is at present 

 working' on the question of establishing a 

 parcel post treaty with each of the gov- 

 ernments of Costa Rica, England, Belgium 

 and Venezuela; commercial treaties are 

 being discussed with the Netherlands and 

 Chili. 



Consular incomes were $218,.js;!.r)0, an 

 increase of $24,1.'!.").22 over those of tlic 

 year previous. 



He urges a reform of the judiciary sys- 

 tem anfl calls attention to the fact that lay 

 members are appointed to posts as muni- 

 cipal judges with great detriment to the 

 cause of justice evidenced by the many 

 complaints received. Me suggests that 

 salaries be provided for these offices and 

 lawyers appointed to fill them. 



>Ioney for increasing the postal service 

 and the repair of the government telegraph 

 lines is urgently demanded. The telegraph 

 lines have not been repaired during the past 

 five years. 



He recommends the increase of the rural 

 guard with larger |)Osts in almost every 

 Ijrotection to the country dweller. 



The tariffs are assailed as being obsolete 

 town and district in the island to ensure 



and not in accord with the necessities of 

 present conditions. He also wants some- 

 thing done to reduce the cost of living. 



A trade balance of $32,870,443 is shown 

 to l)e in favor of Cuba after a comparison 

 of the imports and exports of the country 

 for the last fiscal year. 



Haniioiiy 

 Secured 



In October and early No- 

 vember the Cuban Congress, 

 incited by Lil)eral leaders, 

 refused to convene in extra 

 session to consider President -Menocal's 

 message urging a new foreign loan of $15,- 

 000,000. In this crisis the head of the re- 

 public issued an appeal to the Cuban people, 

 wherein he intimated the possil)ility of be- 

 ing driven to employ extraordinary meas- 

 ures if Congress continued causing the 

 grave confusion in public affairs. The ap- 

 peal had its effect, for on .November 0th 

 the Liberal Senators, in a private caucus, 

 decided to attend all the sessions and to 

 permit the majority to decide all national 

 questions. 



The House Liberals having made the 

 same agreement, tlie government will obtain 

 authority to negotiate its ])roposc(I loan. 



The ])olitical parties in 

 I 'resent Cuba are now divided into 

 Political four quasi organizations — 

 Divisions the remnants of tlie Con- 

 servatives, under the leader- 

 ship of Vice-President Dr. l^nrique Jose 

 Varona, the party of the President ; the 

 .Asbertistas, led by Provincial (Governor 

 .Alberto Asliert, now in jail awaiting trial 

 for the killing of (k-neral Armando de J. 

 Riva. late chief of the national jiolice ; the 

 Zayistas, under Dr. .Alfredo Zayas, ex-Vice- 



