THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. Jose Miguel Gomez esident. ce-President. The Island of Cuba, for four hundred years a Spanish colony, was relinquished by e Spanish government as a result of the war with the United States. under the eaty of Paris of December 10, 1898. Thereafter for a time the island was occupied id administered by the United States through a Military Governor. Steps toward e formation of a native government began with the election of municipal officers June 16, 1900. On September 15, 1900, delegates to a constitutional convention were ected, and on November 5, 1900, the convention began its labors. The work of the nvention was completed on October 1, 1901. A general election for Governors of ovinces, Representatives in Congress and Senatorial and Presidential electors was ld on December 31, 1901. The Presidential electors met on February 24, 1902, and ose Tomas Estrada Palma to be first President of the Republic of Cuba. Mr. Palma, o was at that time a resident of the United States, proceeded to Cuba in April, and May 20 was formally inaugurated as President. The American Congress having failed in 1901-'02 to pass any measure authorizing riff concession on Cutan products in return for similar concessions offered by Cuba on American imports, President Roosevelt authorized the negotiation of eciprocity. a commercial treaty with Cuba, which was signed in Havana on December 11, 1902. At a special session of the Senate, called March 5, 03, it was considered, and, with amendments, was ratified on March 19. The Cuban vernment ratified the amended instrument on March 28. (For full text of the conntion see under "57th Congress, Treaties with Foreign Countries," Tribune Almanac 1904.) By its terms the treaty was not to beconie operative until "approved by ngress, " and a special session of Congress was called by President Roosevelt to give is approval. The House of Representatives passed on November 19, and the Senate December 16, 1903, a bill affirming the treaty. President Palma became in 1905 the nominee of the Moderate party for re-elecn. The Liberals nominated General José M. Gomez, but General Gomez subseently withdrew, leaving a clear field for President Palma. The Liberal party conided that the election machinery was unfairly used by the Moderates to retain conat Havana, and after Fresident Palma's second inauguration popular discontent gan to gather head. The Congress adjourned on June 30, and during July and Aust a revolutionary movement was started by the Liberal leaders. Small forces of surgents established themselves in the neighborhood of the larger towns, and the vernment soon lost all control in the rural districts. Little fighting occurred, but administration was paralyzed and could not raise sufficient troops to preserve der. On September 14 the Cuban Congress assembled in special session on a call m the President and voted him extraordinary powers, including the right to increase rural guard to ten thousand and the artillery to two thousand. On the same day esident Roosevelt decided to send the Secretary of War, William H. Taft, and the ting Secretary of State, Robert Bacon, to Cuba to examine the situation and assist pacification. They negotiated with the government leaders and with the insurgents prepared a plan for compromise, which was, however, rejected by President Ima. who insisted on resigning and forcing actual intervention on the part of the ited States. On September 29 Secretary Taft issued a proclamation declaring himf the Provisional Governor of the island, a post in which he was subsequently reed by Charles E. Magoon, former Governor of the Panama Canal strip. An army pacification was ordered to Cuba. and by October the insurgents had disarmed and nquillity was restored. The American provisional government maintained order throughout the year 1907 undertook a new census on which to base new popular elections for Congress and President. The cer:sus showed a population of about 2.048.980, 400.000 being eigners and not entitled to exercise the franchise. On November 14, 1908, an ction for President, Vice-President and members of Congress was held. General Miguel Gomez, Liberal, was chosen President, and Alfredo Zayas, Liberal, ce President. The Liberals carried both branches of Congress by large maities. The Conservative candidates for President and Vice-President were Gen1 Mario Menocal and Rafael Montoro. The new insular government was installed. January 28, 1909. Commerce between the United States and Cuba has shown a material increase der the operations of the reciprocity treaty. That instrument went into force on cember 27, 1903, and therefore all the commercial transactions between the two mtries since January 1, 1904, reflect the influence of the treaty and furnish a measof its effectiveness. The following table gives the exports to the United States and Imports from the United States in the fiscal years from 1895 to 1909: Year ending June 30. 40,017.730) Year ending 8.259,776 1905 Exports Imports to U. S. from U. S. $52,871,259 18,406,815 15.232.477 9,561,656 1906 27,377,465 38,373,600 Exports Imports from U. S. $62,942.790 $21,761,638 76,983.418 86,318,601 84.979.831 46.377.277 Cuba's total foreign trade in the calendar year 1908 consisted of: Exports, $9 603,324; imports. $85,218,391. Vice-President.. Ramon Cor The territory of the United Mexican States (Estados Unidos Méjicanos) divided into 27 states, 2 territories and 1 federal district, whose organization f lows that of the American Union. The states, territories and federal district, w their capitals, areas and populations, are as follows: 76,226 12,619,949 13,545, The exports to and imports from the United States for the fiscal years 18 were: ;900. $46,470,876 | $45.756.1 50,965,177 58,182,2 57,233,527 66,248.0 46,945,690 47,712,214 55,509,0 49,793,3 On March 25, 1905, in accordance with the terms of the law of December 9, President Diaz established the gold standard, making the peso of 75 centigrams gold the unit of the monetary system, and closing the mints to free silver coina Ident........ Capital, City of Panama. .J. Domingo de Obaldia On November 3, 1903, a revolution broke out in the City of Panama, which soon d to other parts of the State of Panama, and resulted in the complete obliteration olombian sovereignty. Independence was proclaimed by a provisional junta, comof José Augustin Aranjo, Federico Boyd and Tomas Arias. One of the first acts of the new Panama government was to propose the conclusion 1 Isthmian Canal treaty with the United States. A special commission, consisting ederico Boyd, a member of the Provisional Junta, and Dr. Manuel Amador, Minof Finance, was sent to Washington to conduct the negotiations. A canal treaty drawn and signed in Washington on November 18. It was ratified by the Panama rnment on December 2, 1903, and was submitted for ratification to the United 8 Senate by President Roosevelt on December 7. This convention, the full text of h can be found under "Treaties Ratified, second session 58th Congress," page 87, ine Almanac for 1905, was approved by the Senate on February 23, 1904. On December 13 the Provisional Junta published a decree convoking a national ention for January 15, 1904. This convention, elected on December 28, 1903, met inama, 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 baldia. 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 00,000 annually, the United States enjoys the lion's share. For the fiscal years '04 to 1908-'09 exchanges with the United States were as follows: Trade Between Panama and the United States. COINAGE OF PRINCIPAL NATIONS, 1908. (Prepared by the Director of the Mint.) |