New-York tribune., 1891-02-20

the cheapest and most popular entertainments and
Sunday would be incomplete and dull without
many Of these revolving exhibitions. Tie siec-
tators become fairly dcliriOuS with excitement rs
the battle proceeds Betting on the result runs
high. and many poor montcrO has all that hc h's
in the world stakcd upon one bird or TIE Otii,r'
passion for gambling is the heritage Oi III" Spll-
ish blood-likc administrative corruption. lhe
popularity Of the lottery is explained by the same
race instinct. In other Spanish American countries
the lotteries conducted fer the IHuriit "l
churches and hospitals: but Eerc the Government
monopozes the bushes, as permanent sour ..
revenue. There is public faith in thc honesty
Of the drawings and methods OF administering tc
Havana lottery, and certainly the GCNcruhent
has reason for acting otherwise. since II proilS
handsomely by thc enterprise. Tickets are diVldci
into fOrticths and sold for a Cuban pau@r doHlt
about 80 cents. II the number draws a pf.zc
each coupon is good for fOrticth Of II. buSihc'S
houses subscribe regularly for a ar3c share pl
the tirkcts: the remainder are hawked about the
streets by men, women and children ~ an ai-
vance Of ten cents snarc-a selling commission
cuual to four cents. Thousands Of these scream
ing vendors employed IN this war night ana
day in placing tho shares Of The Havana ana
Madrid lotteries. TEc drawings are male every
month in public sight, the lucky numbers coming
from one wheel and Tho balls corresponding -
the prize from another. II tie business bc honestly
conducted, il is probably the only stralghtiorw"rI
function Of administration known on the iSland
Corrupt and incapable administration has al
ways been Il Spanish characteristic 'uua NJ
been reduced 10 its present cAtseniteS I"rgcIy
through the rapacity Of the governing ciasS
in former years. II there has been marker
improycmcnt during recent years so that tle
Capt1iu-Gcucral now expects 10 return 10 HpaIu
only with what ne has saved from his SilaiH,
and the burden of direct taxation has been &C.
creased rather than increased, IL IS because the IL
duslrial resources 0l thc lHlan' nave u|trh zen w w.
haustcd through Old-timc methods OF piuhocr-
ing the population and systematic violation oI
the economic laws of exchange. The oranGe mas
been pressed dry; even Spanish administration
does not attempt to squeeze The S"cd' rcliioiH
ing in the spongy pulp For this reason sugar
pIantcrs and tobacco farmers are now frank IN
admitting that the direct taxes on their Iand
and industries are not undulY high. II = thc
burden of indirect taxation by when III" cost
of living and of production is heavily increased
and the cNchancrlblc value Ot sugar ana 10
bacco corrcspondingiY reduced that Is orcrWheim-
ing this wonderfully fertile island with rum
The country is poor and Impoverished: inc
palaces of the mobiles are deserted; there mas
hcrn an extraordinary shrinkagc ol real cs'",'
valua.ions tie Treasury is exhausted WIN cN.
trayagant payments for an n1ClCnt ana coIIuP'
civil service. and Tie intcrcS: on the war IcDl, ,
which is held in Spain: and the municipalities
are without means for ordinary public llmproNf
mrntS and enforcing sanitary regulations. iaN;'ia
iS cnnobIc of becoming what Humboldt found II
i'm his day-Onc of the most brilliant ana Ii"po"
ing capitals Of the world. The old city WIS
well built Of enduring stone, which only Sro"s
harder with the lapse of time. Inc tAlicf'4;
CHURCHES and public buildings wcrt iasiinhcl
M n time when severe and simple ~ hltc''uIc
without mcrctriciouS ornamcniailon was IN Nos"'
in Spain. Even the great prison. Wilrh iS ,"i>>
| most promircnt object from The harhor, J, n''
| v-ithout rood lines The newer portions oi ihc
| town are well laid ont with broad: shaded ave
nues. frequent squares and hTcalhlns p!'c'S, -
| snacious alameda and fire botanical eaiucl
| odiniIiur the Captain-Gcncrals country sea,
| Fvcn in il, ruined estate. where public grounds
| are neglected street paycmcnS IN great need "l
, rcpair and the whole town i'i'iN lfIiNiiiuH iu m
| acl; of fresh paint, poor, faded Havana hlS IN
| air of distinction and even grandeur:
| With good administration the city could be