THE CUBA REVIEW. 



CUBA IN PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE. 



Dec. 3, 1907. 



A YEAR ago in consequence of a revolu- 

 tionary movement in Cuba wliicli 

 threatened the immediate return to 

 chaos of the island, the United States in- 

 tervened, sending down an army and es- 

 tablishing a provisional government under 

 Governor Magoon. Absolute quiet and 

 prosperity have returned to' the island be- 

 cause of this action. We are now taking 

 steps to provide for elections in the island 

 and our expectation is within the coming 



year to be able to turn the island over 

 again to a government chosen by the people 

 thereof. Cuba is at our doors. It is not 

 possible that this nation should permit Cuba 

 again to sink into the condition ifrom 

 which we rescued it. All that we ask of 

 the Cuban people is that they be pros- 

 perous, that they govern themselves so as 

 to bring content, order and progress to 

 their island, the Queen of the Antilles ; 

 and our only interference has been and 

 will be to lieln them achieve these results. 



GOVERNMENT MATTERS. 



The new electoral law on 

 The which the commission of 



Government's which Col. Crowder is the 

 Election head, have been working for 

 Program. months now only awaits the 

 approval of Governor Ma- 

 goon before being promulgated, so that 

 if tranquillity is maintained nothing stands 

 in the way of carrying out the present 

 program of the government, which is to 

 hold the municipal elections in May or 

 June, and the presidential election in the 

 following December, thus paving the way 

 for the inauguration o'f the Cuban president 

 in May, and the withdrawal of the Ameri- 

 can troops in July, if conditions should 

 then make it certain that their presence 

 was no longer needful. 



On November 30 all of the 

 The Five $5,000,000 loan offered by the 

 Million Provisional Governor to 

 Dollar Loan, bankers for the crop necessi- 

 ties of the plaiiters had all 

 been taken up. When this loan was first 

 offered there were many objections made 

 to the conditions of the loan, and it looked 

 at one time as though it would remain in 

 the treasury uncalled for. The wisdom of 

 Governor Magoon in providing this timely 

 financial assistance, and relieving the situ- 

 ation is widely appreciated and commended. 

 Among the important firms taking loans 

 were Upmann & Co., $1,600,000; National 

 Bank, $500,000; N. Gelats, $500,000; Dal- 

 ctlls, $225,000. Later the Spanish Bank, 

 the Bank of Nova Scotia and others pre- 

 sented applications also. 



The government is secured 

 A Benefit from loss, for banks must 

 to the deposit collateral to the full 

 Country, amount deposited. The bank- 

 er is benefited for he has the 

 use of a good deal of money for eight 

 months without interest, although, of 

 course, exacting interest from . other bor- 

 rowers, and agriculturalists secure needed 

 funds at low interest to make their crops. 

 The deposits must be returned to the gov- 

 ernment by July 15 next, but if not returned 

 6 per cent, interest charges are imposed 

 thereafter. 



The holding of the elec- 

 Election Must tions will be the most im- 



Be Above portant step for the future 



Suspicion. of the island, says the New 

 York Tribune. They must 

 be held at such a time, in such circumstances 

 and in such a way as to assure the fullest, 

 freest and most honest balloting, and to 

 command for the result the greatest possi- 

 ble public confidence. The troubles in the 

 island arose largely from disputes over the 

 legality and integrity of elections, and the 

 elections, whenever they are held, must be 

 so conducted as to be above suspicion. 



At present it is believed that the ma- 

 jority of Cubans are content to let Governor 

 Magoon proceed according to his own judg- 

 ment. That is something which he ought 

 to do. The United States did not send 

 him do'wn there for his health, but to put 

 the insular government back upon a satis- 

 factory footing. 



La Lucha, La Discusion, El Diario de la 

 Marina, influential papers of Havana, are 

 all opposed to precipitate action in the matter 

 of elections, urging delay until "Cuba proves 

 her ability for self-government." 



The telegraph line between 

 Nezv Buenventura and Consola- 



Telegraph cion del Norte, forty miles 

 Line. away, was completed No- 



vember 30. bringing both 

 cities in direct telegraphic communication 

 with the whole island. 



Governor Magoon issued a 



Work of the decree December 18 author- 



Agrarian izing the newly appointed 



Committee. Agrarian Advisory Commit- 

 tee to propose such laws or 

 modifications of the laws already in force 

 as they may deem convenient, in view of the 

 present stringent economical and agricul- 

 tural conditions. 



The members composing this committe are 

 as follows : Sr. Rafael Fernandez de Castro, 

 president of the Agrarian League, and 

 Messrs. Gabriel Casuso, Manuel Froilan 

 Cuervo, Leopoldo de Sola, Eduardo Dolz 

 Arango, Claudio G. de Mendoza, Luis S. 

 Galban, Jose Maria Espinosa, Luis Marx, 

 Lorenzo D'Beci, Juan Maria Gabada, Rob- 

 ert B. Hawley, Miguel Macbado and Ga- 

 briel Camps. 



