50 THE POLITICS OF INTERVENTION
the economy's failure to meet expectations, for spending too
much money for public works in Havana, for being too polite
to Americans, for being too careful with its funds, and for
being insensitive to the patriots in congress.^52
Although there were many issues, the congressional elections
of 1904 were determined again by personality and region. The
parties reformed accordingly. The Federal Republicans be
came the Conservative Republicans, an alliance between the
followers of Ricardo Dolz (a conservative) of Havana and
the Miguelistas (followers of Jose Miguel Gomez, regarded
as radicals) of Santa Clara. The Nationalists became the
National Liberals, and ran with the blessing of Maximo
Gomez and against the Platt Amendment. The elections were
controlled by whichever faction held local power; fraud
was common.
The factions underwent even more radical shifts in 1905,
a presidential election year.^53 The Conservative Republicans
split in an argument on party organization, but the issue was
the candidacy. The Havana wing, under Dolz and Mendez
Capote, favored provincial representation. The Miguelistas
wanted the party controlled on the basis of the number of
representatives the party eleoted to congress, which would
have favored Jose Miguel's candidacy. Unable to reconcile
their differences with the habaneros, the Miguelistas joined
the National Liberals on the promise that Gomez would be
nominated. The new alliance, called the Liberal party, named
Gomez and Alfredo Zayas, the party president, as their slate.
One National Liberal, General Emilio Nunez, governor of
Havana, was unhappy with this move, as he too had presi
dential ambitions. Taking the label Nationalist, Nunez hoped
to win the election on the strength of his friendship with
Maximo Gomez and his own Havana following. The old
general's death in June, 1905, however, dimmed Nunez'
chances. He then joined the new Moderate party, formerly
the Conservative Republicans.
Hoping to continue his administration and to block the
Gomez-Zayas faction, which he considered unscrupulous and