Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1902 — PALMA AT CUBA’S HEAD. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PALMA AT CUBA’S HEAD.

' <«> Formally Made President by the Electors of Havana. Presidential and senatorial electors chosen at the December election met in Havana M,#nday and formally elected Thomas Estrado Palma president, Luis Estevez vice-president and the member* of the Senate of the Island of Cuba. The result of the meeting of the electors was a foregone conclusion, as are the deliberations of the electoral college after a presidential election in the United States. The voters settled the question of who was to be-the head of the new government of the inland and who were to sit in the upper house of Congress Dec. 31, when representatives and governors of the provinces were selected, together with the presidential and senatorial electors, at a general election. The first Cuban Congress will be composed of sixty-three representatives and stwenty-four senators. Among the members of the house are one priest, two cigarmakers, four merchants, five editors, soldiers, fifteen planters and nineteen lawyers. The senators are nearly all planters and lawyers. Members of the new congress are nearly all in control of large interests in the island. Many arc men of wealth,

and it is chiefly on this account that the outlook for the government is hopeful. In the past the best citizens have had nothing to do with politics, and local interests have suffered in consequence. Much good to the vast interests dependent upon a sound government of the island is expected to result from the congress.

Each of the provinces will have four senators in the upper house. The six divisions of the island are allowed the following number of members in the house of representatives: Havana, 17; Santa Clara, 14; Santiago. 13; Matanzas, 8; Pinar del Rio, 7, and Puerto Principe, 4. There will be four senators from each of these provinces. Among the governors of the provinces recently elected President Palma will fiud the strongest kind of support. Five of the six governors were generals in the late war, and every one is a Palma man and will support him in his measures for elose relations with the United States. The majority of both branches of congress will do the same. The best class of Cubans are enthusiastic over the character of the men who have been elected to office.

The president is a wise and good man, who has time and again proved his friendship for Cuba. He owns thousands of acres of land along the Cauto river in the western part of Santiago province, but none of his possessions has been under cultivation in the last thirty years. He is land poor. He has been in charge of a school at Central Valley, N. Y., for

the last ten years, hut has devoted the most of his time to the interests of Cuba. His devotion to \iis country's welfare seems to have thoroughly \\*>n the confidence of the people. On account of his long residence in the United States he is familiar with the customs of both countries, and will be better able to discharge the important duties of his high office ou this account. Vice-President Esteve* is au attorney of Havana and formerly was secretary of justice of the island.

PRESIDENT TALMA.

PRESIDENT PALMA’S HOME.