The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-04-04
HIS VIEWS OF CUBA.
Bon. Green Dodd Speaks of His Cuban o
servatons--the Island Should be Annexed

Bon, Green Dodd Speaks of His Cuban OBJ
servations--the Island Should be Annexed.
Hon. Green Dodd returned Tuesday from
his trip to Cuba.
'What do you think Of the island and peo-
pie of Cuba, anyhow"
why, that island is the finest piece of
territory on the face Of the globe. 1t has
the best soil / ever saw, and L have seen
& great dcll of dirt IN my time. / saw corn
growing there that was only knee-hlgh
and right near by there was other corn
with the ears ripe for gathering. They
just raise it there all along through the year.
Out from the city u few miles l visited one
Of the pineapple farms and saw hundreds
of acres OF the fruit growing. But they are
still blowing with q straight beam and
long prong held in the ground by the dirty
er Of the OK. which was harne5sed by his
horns instead Of yoke about his neck.
All that country needs to become one of
the most prolific and profitable garden spots
on the face of the earth is the touch Of
American freedom and enterprise"
Cuba should re Annexed
What did you find the sentiment of the
people to be on the question of anneXation?
The native Cubans are the best people
on the island and they are almost to a man
in favor OF annexation. They arc impa-
tent to get from under the despOtiSn Of
Spain and the Spaniards who dominate the
country. These Spaniards are many Of
them very wealthy and are there for the
sole purpose of getting more wealth, with
the help of the home government, and they
care little for real Cuban interests. or for
the welfare of the native population. But
the natives are Il kind and peaceful people
who would thrive with astonishing rapidity
if they We're gwen the protection and free
dom of the American republic. AS it is
they are taxed to the utmost to support the
expensive government that Spain imposes
upon them and TO raise revenue to send
across the ocean to keep up the crown of
the infant queen. Over $4,000 900 are
annually eyacted from the Cuban people
for those purposes. And only the other
day the Spanish authorities repudiated some
$6o,00U,OOO of the paper money of Cuba
and thus entailed untold losses upon the
poor people who had not read the govern
ment notice in the official papers. 1t is a
very outrageous system of taxation that is
perpetrated upon the people. There are
seven kinds of taxes that must be paid and
one of them is tax that is required from
every woman that is suspected of being at
all disposed to immoral life. Taken as q
system, the taxation is the most oneroUs and
odlous that could be put upon Il people"
The Life of the CubaDs.
.Wh2t did you see of the ordinary life
of the Cubans?'
Il went about among them a good deal
and they talked to me very freely, seeing
that l was an American, for they all hope
TO be Americans themselves one of these
annex any country it is not Hawaii that we
ought to take, but Cuba. The necessities
of the people ere such that it is 30 wonder
that they are hot after money and that they
make heavy charges on all with whom they
have dealings. You have to pay exorbitant
prices for. good accommodations and ser
vice, and III Pills case the doctor charged
him $1,000 i'll Spanish coin for two visits a
day. when the ordinary fee should have
been $3.50. but it was 10 time with us to
debate that sort of Il matter with the man.
The classes of the population are distinctly
separate there, and the big. rich folks have
very little to do with the ordinary masses.
The streets of the city OF Havana are very
dirty, for they have not come 10 the
of the street and sewerage system that
use in this country but in the houses of
the well-todo people everything is kept Won
derfuly clean. They have from five to ten
servants to look after the courtyards, and
they look nice all the time. They have
some electric lights, few horse cars and
some other American improvements, but
what they need is general application of
the methods and machinery of American
life"
He Did Not See Any Fight.
Did you take in the bull ights!' asked
the reporter facetiously, knowing the sturdy
morality of the interviewed party.