ociated himself with the
Moderados, or Conservatives as they are now known. This of course gave
great umbrage to the Liberals, which was greatly increased when some of
that party were removed from office because of their unsatisfactory
service and their places were filled with Conservatives. And this was
the beginning of the Liberal insurrection which led to the resignation
and death of Estrada Palma.

In the last days of President Palma's first term of office it was
discovered that Jose Miguel Gomez had Presidential aspirations. He not
only stated to the Moderate or Conservative party that he wanted to be
President of the Republic of Cuba, but he declared that he proposed to
succeed President Palma as such. This privilege was refused him on the
ground that the President, owing to his fair administration of the
government during the four years of his service, was entitled to a
second term. To this argument, General Gomez replied that if the
Conservative party to which he had pretended to belong would not make
him its Presidential nominee, he would go to the opposition and seek the
nomination. This he at once proceeded to do, and with the assistance of
Mr. Ferrara he persuaded the Liberals that, controlling the votes of the
Province of Santa Clara, he held the balance of power. He also prevailed
upon Dr. Alfredo Zayas to retire as a Presidential candidate, and to
acquiesce in his running for election on the Liberal ticket; promising
at the same time that, no matter what the result of the election might
be, Dr. Zayas should have the nomination and his support four years
afterward. It is interesting to observe that this promise was never
fully kept, and that the two Liberal leaders have ever since been bitter
enemies.

The Presidential nominees of the two parties, in November, 1906, on the
part of the Conservatives, were Estrada Palma, the President of Cuba,
and on the part of the Liberals, Jose Miguel Gomez, ex-leader of the
Moderados of the Province of Santa Clara. The Liberals, a few days
before the election, feeling apparently that it would go against them,
began the old tactics so prevalent in some South American republics, and
practised by Maso's followers in 1901, of proclaiming proposed election
frauds on the part of their opponents, then in control of the
government, and predicting all manner of illegal practices and
intimidation.

At ten o'clock on the morning of election day, telegrams, announcements,
and or