Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub

President.
Vice-President.

THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.
Capital, Havana.

Jose Miguel Gomez
.Alfredo Zayas

The island of Cuba, for four hundred years a Spanish colony, was relinquished by the Spanish government as a result of the war with the United States, under the Treaty of Paris of December 10, 1898. Thereafter for a time the island was occupied and administered by the United States through a Military Governor. Steps toward the formation of a native government began with the election of municipal officers on June 16, 1900. On September 15, 1900, delegates to a constitutional convention were elected, and on November 5, 1900, the convention began its labors. The work of the convention was completed on October 1, 1901. A general election for Governors of Provinces, Representatives in Congress and Senatorial and Presidential electors was held on December 31, 1901. The Presidential electors met on February 24, 1902, and chose Tomas Estrada Palma to be first President of the Republic of Cuba. Mr. Palma, who was at that time a resident of the United States, proceeded to Cuba in April, and on May 20 was formally inaugurated as President.

The American Congress having failed in 1901-'02 to pass any measure authorizing tariff concession on Cutan products in return for similar concessions offered by Cuba on American imports, President Roosevelt authorized the negotiation of Reciprocity, a commercial treaty with Cuba, which was signed in Havana on December 11, 1902. At a special session of the senate, called March 5, 1903, it was considered, and, with amendments, was ratified on March 19. The Cuban government ratified the amended instrument on March 28. (For full text of the convention see under "57th Congress, Treaties with Foreign Countries," Tribune Almanac for 1904.) By its terms the treaty was not to become operative until "approved by Congress," and a special session of Congress was called by President Roosevelt to give this approval. The House of Representatives passed on November 19, and the Senate on December 16, 1903, a bill affirming the treaty.

President Palma became in 1905 the nominee of the Moderate party for re-election. The Liberals nominated General José M. Gomez, but General Gomez subsequently withdrew, leaving a clear field for President Palma. The Liberal party contended that the election machinery was unfairly used by the Moderates to retain control at Havana, and after Fresident Palma's second inauguration popular discontent began to gather head. The Congress adjourned on June 30, and during July and August a revolutionary movement was started by the Liberal leaders. Small forces of insurgents established themselves in the neighborhood of the larger towns, and the government soon lost all control in the rural districts. Little fighting occurred, but the administration was paralyzed and could not raise sufficient troops to preserve order. On September 14 the Cuban Congress assembled in special session on a call from the President and voted him extraordinary powers, including the right to increase the rural guard to ten thousand and the artillery to two thousand. On the same day President Roosevelt decided to send the Secretary of War, William H. Taft, and the Acting Secretary of State, Robert Bacon, to Cuba to examine the situation and assist in pacification. They negotiated with the government leaders and with the insurgents and prepared a plan for compromise, which was, however, rejected by President Palma, who insisted on resigning and forcing actual intervention on the part of the United States. On September 29 Secretary Taft issued a proclamation declaring himself the Provisional Governor of the island, a post in which he was subsequently reieved by Charles E. Magoon, former Governor of the Panama Canal strip. An army of pacification was ordered to Cuba. and by October the insurgents had disarmed and tranquillity was restored.

The American provisional government maintained order throughout the year 1907 and undertook a new census on which to base new popular elections for Congress and a President. The cet:sus showed a population of about 2.048.980, 400.000 being foreigners and not entitled to exercise the franchise. On November 14, 1908, an election for President, Vice-President and members of Congress was held. General José Miguel Gomez, Liberal, was chosen President, and Alfredo Zayas, Liberal, Vice President. The Liberals carried both branches of Congress by large majorities. The Conservative candidates for President and Vice-President were General Mario Menocal and Rafael Montoro. The new insular government was installed on January 28, 1909.

Commerce between the United States and Cuba has shown a material increase under the operations of the reciprocity treaty. That instrument went into force on December 27, 1903, and therefore all the commercial transactions between the two countries since January 1, 1904, reflect the influence of the treaty and furnish a measure of its effectiveness. The following table gives the exports to the United States and the imports from the United States in the fiscal years from 1895 to 1909:

[blocks in formation]

Cuba's total foreign trade in the calendar year 1908 consisted of: Exports, $94,603,324; imports. $85,218,391.

[blocks in formation]

The territory of the United Mexican States (Estados Unidos Méjicanos) is divided into 27 states, 2 territories and 1 federal district, whose organization follows that of the American Union. The states, territories and federal district, with their capitals, areas and populations, are as follows:

[blocks in formation]

The exports to and imports from the United States for the fiscal years 18991909 were:

[blocks in formation]

On March 25, 1905, in accordance with the terms of the law of December 9, 1904, President Diaz established the guld standard, making the peso of 75 centigrams pure gold the unit of the monetary system, and closing the mints to free silver coinage.

President.

Capital, City of Panama.

.J. Domingo de Obaldia

On November 3, 1903, a revolution broke out in the City of Panama, which soon spread to other parts of the State of Panama, and resulted in the complete obliteration of Colombian sovereignty. Independence was proclaimed by a provisional junta, composed of José Augustin Aranjo, Federico Boyd and Tomas Arias.

One of the first acts of the new Panama government was to propose the conclusion of an Isthmian Canal treaty with the United States. A special commission, consisting of Federico Boyd, a member of the Provisional Junta, and Dr. Manuel Amador, Minister of Finance, was sent to Washington to conduct the negotiations. A canal treaty was drawn and signed in Washington on November 18. It was ratified by the Panama government on December 2, 1903, and was submitted for ratification, to the United States Senate by President Roosevelt on December 7. This convention, the full text of which can be found under "Treaties Ratified, second session 58th Congress," Tribune Almanac for 1905, was approved by the Senate on February 23, 1904.

page 87,

On December 13 the Provisional Junta published a decree convoking a national convention for January 15, 1904. This convention, elected on December 28, 1903, met in Panama, framed a constitution and elected Manuel Amador President of the republic. On July 12, 1908, an election for President resulted in the choice of José Domingo de Obaldia. His chief rival, Ricardo Arias, withdrew from the contest on July 5.

The republic has an area of 31,571 square miles and a population of 300.000. Of the commerce of Panama, which reaches a value of about $18,000,000 to $20,000,000 annually, the United States enjoys the lion's share. For the fiscal years 1903-'04 to 1908-'09 exchanges with the United States were as follows:

[blocks in formation]

COINAGE OF PRINCIPAL NATIONS, 1908.

(Prepared by the Director of the Mint.)

16,797,530

[blocks in formation]
[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]
[graphic]
« PředchozíPokračovat »