THE CUBA REVIEW 13 



COMMERCIAL LAW 



In order to engage in business in Cuba, one must register in the mercantile register 

 Foreign firms or corporations wishing to estabHsh a branch in Cuba must file a copy of their 

 articles of copartnership or incorporation together with a certificate from the local Cuban 

 consul in the mercantile register, and give power of attorney to their representative in Cuba. 



POWERS OF ATTORNEY 



The ordinary American form of power of attorney is iiractically worthless. 



A representative who is not armed with a power of attorney can do very little in the Island. 

 Where the agent has a general power his authority is limited, unless it enumerates every 

 conceivable thing that you anticipate you may wish him to do. For example, you authorize 

 him to commence a suit, but unless you specify it, he may not discontinue or appeal it. The 

 power of attorney is an ancient and useful institution in Cuba, you can do almost anything by 

 proxy, including getting married. Young Spaniards go to Cuba, and after they have saved 

 enough, send for their sweethearts, first giving power of attorney to some trusted relative or 

 friend to go through the marriage ceremony in their name, and thus enable the young wife to 

 land without vexatious delay at the hands of the immigration authorities. So read vour 

 powers of attorney carefully before signing. 



PUBLIC INSTRUMENTS 



A public instrument is one executed before a notary with certain formalities. Excepting 

 purely commercial transactions, it is advisable always where the transactions or contract is of 

 any importance to have it in writing in the form of a public instrument. If the amount in- 

 volved exceeds 1,500 pesetas (.about $300) in order to prove your contract in court, it must be in 

 writing, and a public instrument has the advantage that it is proof of everything recited in 

 it, unles-s fraud or dure.ss be shown, and entitles you in a proper case to such provisional 

 measures as attachment, detention, etc. All contracts relative to real property must be in a 

 public instrument. 



THE PLATT AMENDMENT 



The so-called Piatt Amendment which forms part of the Cuban constitution and is em- 

 bodied in a permanent treaty between Cuba and the United States, provides that in case the 

 native government is unable to maintain law and order and protect life, liberty and property 

 in the Island, the United States shall step in and restore order. That the Cuban Government 

 has discharged its duty during the thirteen years of its existence is shown by the hundreds of 

 millions of dollars invested there by foreigners and natives in that time and the thousands of 

 immigrants that yearly come to its shores to make their home and fortune, and that there is 

 little emigration, either native or foreign. But in the improbable event that there should be a 

 breakdown in the native government, the power and enlightened policy of the United States 

 are behind the life, Uberty and proparty of ijevery foreigner and native. 



PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED Cuba y America, Illmtrated Review Havana 



-Sheet Metal," New York-A monthlv SiwTo^.onTS iTp'^^^^^^ 



trade, journal devoted to the sheet metal Quesld-f Gonzales de 



working and the warm air furnace heating \^ , rr- , r 7 • , , 



industries. Y?'}P?^, ^^ ^'^^ ^"'^^^ Magazine, ^Montreal, Can. 



The Produce Markets Review— Fahlished —<->"icial organ of the Canadian West Indian 



weeklv, London, England. League, i he iSIarch issue has several articles 



El Xuevo Promedio, Sugar Market Review— ^^ regard to the Canadian Governments pros- 



Cienfuegos, Cuba. pective abohtion of the Dutch test for dutv 



Refrigerating irorZd— Pubhshed monthly, assessment purposes. 



New York, N. Y. Has Spanish section. The Editor and Publisher — Issued every Sat- 



The West India Committee Circular, London, urday. New York, N. Y. 

 England.— The official organ of the West Outing, New York, N. Y.— Devoted to out- 

 India Committee. door sports. 



La Hacienda, Buffalo, N. Y.— Illustrated n^u i^^r'l!'^'^ P/actico, Guantanamo, 



monthly magazine, printed in Spanish. Cuba— Published under the auspices of the 



A ■ u 1 T,T Ti , 1 . ,. Provincial Council of Oriente and offical orff-in 



Agricultural News Barbadoes-A fort- of the Cuban Horticultural Societ ^ ^ 



mghtly review of the Imperial Department of p; j„..v„7/ ir -j x- x ,, 



Agriculture for the West Indies. %^ AgncuUor, Merida \ ucatan, Mexico. 



. TropM Lffe, LoMo. E.g.-A monthly S^S-'^^So^^-^^STS; 



journal, devoted to the interests of those hving, production "cvuteu 10 sugar 



trading, holding property or otherwise inter- Modern' Cuba, Havana, Cuba-Monthlv 



ested m tropical or sub-tropical countries. iUustrated magazine. lonrniy 



