THE 

 CUBA REVIEW 



"ALL ABOUT CUBA." new yo^. 



BOTANIC A. 



Copyright, 1907, by the Munson Steamship Line. 



(iAj^DE/N, 



Volume VL AUGUST, 1908. Number 9. 



CUBA'S AUGUST ELECTIONS. 



Surprising Gains of the Conservative Party — The Combined Liberal Vote Much 



Larger — A Fusion Necessary — Alfredo Zayas Withdraws as 



Candidate for President. 



Cuba's first step along the path which is expected to lead to the re-establishment 

 next winter of the republic, was taken on August 1, when provincial and municipal 

 officers throughout the island were elected. The elections were orderly and a fairly large 

 vote was polled. Apathy on the part of those most interested vv^as marked, despite the 

 exceeding importance to the country of the outcome. About 50 per cent, of the registered 

 electors voted which would indicate a still smaller vote for the presidential election, for 

 in the August voting, which was solely for provincial and municipal officials, local issues 

 predominated, and, therefore, more likely I0 arouse interest than national policies. On 

 August 11 complete returns showed about 265,965 votes out of the 420,000 registered. 

 Of this number the conservatives received 105,718, the Gomez liberals 94,241, and 

 the Zayas liberals 62,600, leaving about 170,000 who had not voted. 



The eighty-two municipalities of the island were divided into about 1,500 voting 

 districts, giving each polling place about 200 voters. The si.x provinces chose a governor 

 and eight councillors each. The municipalities elected 81 mayors and 1,248 councilmen, in 

 all more than 3,000 officials. The governors will hold office until February 24, 1913, and 

 the mayors until August 1, 1912. 



Polls opened at 7 a.m. and dosed at 6 p. m. The presidential elections will be held 

 next December. 



While the election law worked admirably, so far as the casting of the ballots was 

 concerned, it did not serve to insure a prompt count of the returns. The slowness in getting 

 the count is attributable to the unfamiliarity of their duties of the local electoral boards 

 and their disposition not to accept responsibility and to stickle over the interpretation of 

 the letter of the law. 



Early returns, however, foreshadowed conservative gains all over the island. The 

 party's strength came as a great surprise, and its success was attributed in many localities 

 to the irreconcilable feud between the liberal factions, and to the recognition by the people 

 in the past two years that politicians had caused the intervention and that personal greed 

 had alone actuated them. They elected thirty mayors. The Miguelistas got thrity-four and 

 the Zayistas eighteen. The Conservatives also elected three provincial Governors, thus, 

 p-; acquiring vast patronage. Hitherto they have not had any. 



"" Newspaper comment was to the effect that the conservative success was a protes^ 



"- against the United States intervention. The moderates, now the conservatives, have always. 



believed that in 1906 Secretary Taft and the administration should have recognized them 



instead of the Liberals, and this election gave them the first opportunity of voicing their- 



displeasure. 



Their success alarmed the liberal factions and a re-union has since been earnestly^ 

 advocated by General Gomez and others, with some chance of fulfillment. General Gomez^, 



