THE CUBA REVIEW 



The Coui't of First Instance 

 Ports in Havana, on June 16th last, 



Company decided in favor of the Ports 

 Decision Company in the suit which 

 that concern brought to have 

 its bonds declared vahd. The court directed 

 the Cuban Government to tm'n over tonnage 

 dues to the Ports Company which had been 

 withheld pending a legal decision as to the 

 company's contract. 



The court also directed the cmpany to 

 continue paj-ing the interest on its bonds 

 and to extend its mortgages to cover lands 

 reclaimed from the sea. The land is valued 

 at about $3,000,000. 



The Senate passed a biU on June 30th 

 authorizing the President to use 50% of 

 the special port taxes to continue the harbor 

 improvements by public contracts, and 

 devoting 51% for a settlement in the best 

 manner possible with the bondholders of 

 the defunct Ports Company without recog- 

 nizing the legality of the company or the 

 interests of the stockholders. 



Pressure for foreign banks and investors 

 is said to have been responsible for this 

 move by the Senate. The Ports Company 

 people say the Government will have to 

 recognize over .$7,000,000 bonds of the 

 company at a price above par. 



The biU was then sent to the House, 

 which body simply held up the measure 

 sending it to seven different committees for 

 report; those on accounts, codes, way and 

 means, sanitation, public works, budgets 

 and agi'iculture. It was also resolved not 

 to discuss the bill until each of these com- 

 mittees had made a report. 



President Menocal gave an interview to a 

 representative of the Lucha, on July 5th, 

 which in part is as foUows: 



"So opposed was I to same (the Ports 

 Company concession! and so opposed am I 

 to it, owing to the immense harm it causes 

 Cuba, that my first steps in the Government 

 were taken towards freeing my country 

 from such an onerous charge. 



"The promoters of this big deal had only 

 left one loop hole through which they could 

 be attacked; that consisted in the errors 

 of form into which they incm-red \\hen the 

 Port Company of Cuba was incorporated. 



"It was there that we looked for the 

 necessaiy point to attack and make that 

 immense monster roll to the gi-ound." 



He furthermore states that he knew that 

 the decree wliich I had signed was not 

 sufficient for the pm-pose that I had in mind 

 and which I .stiU have as the principal object 

 of my administration, ,i. e., the killing of the 

 'dragado,' and that not one of the proposi- 

 tions which were presented by the repre- 

 sentatives of the Port Company of Cuba 

 were worthy of our consideration; because 

 I am not trying to liquidate this deal with 

 a group of gentlemen whose interests are 

 absolutely indifferent to me, my interest 

 being to obtain that my country should not 

 be expoliated and that its money should not 



serve to fatten traffickers of a more or less 

 elastic conscience." 



The Ports Company of Cuba was a coi'- 

 poration organized during the administration 

 of President Jose Miguel Gomez, to clredge 

 and improve Cuban ports. In return the 

 company collected a surtax upon all imports. 



It had the indorsement of the Cuban 

 Government, through Congi-ess and the 

 Supreme Court, and the concession had been 

 passed favorably upon by the United States. 

 Acting upon this assurance .$10,000,000 worth 

 of bonds were sold to English investors. 

 Shortly after the inauguration of President 

 Menocal he dissolved the company and 

 returned the concession to the Cuban Govern- 

 ment. The case went to the courts, and the 

 first decision was favorable to the Govern- 

 ment. The second decision of the courts 

 favored the company as stated above. 



"Regarding the House of Representatives, 

 I think that they were in their perfect right 

 to send this matter to as many committees 

 tliat they thought it convenient to have it 

 properly studied. I camiot make myself 

 an echo of certain imputations which I do 

 not believe are taken seriously even by their 

 authors. 



"My work hes in another sphere, as is 

 that of a man who is convinced that he is 

 performing his duty from which there will 

 be derived positive benefits for the country 

 which he rules. 



"If the Senate bill becomes a law, I shall 

 do strictly that which I believe is my duty 

 without going one single inch out of the road 

 which shall lead me to the desired end, but 

 as you wiU understand that I am not ready, 

 in order to satisfy the curiosity of some or 

 the vanity of others who undoubtedly 

 imagine that they can demand of me an 

 account of what I intend to do, to show them 

 my hand. * * * * j gi^^n repeat that 

 which I said before. I have confidence in 

 myself. I know what I want. I know 

 where I am going. No one has a right to 

 have any doubts because I have not given 

 them anv reasons to have them." 



BADLY TREATED IN HAVANA 



Government authorities are investigating 

 charges that the Havana police have been 

 guilty of too severe handling of American 

 sailors during the visit of the battleship 

 Connecticut early in July. The situation 

 reached a crisis after a number of jackles 

 were unceremoniously tin-own into jail for 

 mere boyish skylarking. United States 

 Minister Gonzales brought the matter to 

 the attention of the officials, and the blue- 

 jackets were released when it was intimated 

 American sailors would not be given shore 

 leave at Havana if they were not accorded 

 better treatment. 



Havana iiolice force will be increased by 

 three hundred men. The city is gi'owing 

 rapidly and requires more police supervision. 



