New-York tribune., 1896-12-27
BEAUTIFUL CUBA.
x.rr-p.1. ADVANTAGES WITH WHICH
THE WARswEPT ISLAND 10
ENDOWED.
WHAT IT OFFERS IN THE WAY OF siGHrShh'No
FOR THE PEACEFUL TRAvELI.ER-A MAeNif-

,C-rNr DOMAIN IF RULED WISELY
,s. awaits the visitor 10 Cuba in these
davs II he has looked upon the isia"' as ~ ""
. haIf-decade ago Then. despite bygohe reNoi''oS'
despl,e Spanish misrue and despite the m"''e's'
~ f,,u-e trouble the island was beautiful peacelu
sru,nr and prosperous. Now almost no one goes 10
Cuba unless he is a newspaper correspondent CT u'
less he wants 10 write book Five years ago II was
puite different Many Americans yeary ndue III,
.lsrjmace. 10 bask for winter under the senai
mn Of the Antilles. for the attractions 'hd' '"'"
,ad TO offer many and unique.
The climate is delightful in the winter months Al
Havana It seldom rains while the temperature never
varies above IS degrees and below ~ degrees fahieh
heii To lie sure The hotels are not elegant Du' 'heh
The weather is so mild that the tourist enjoys Knock
ing about a bit. He does as the Cubsns do-takes
things easily and doesn't There IS plenty ior
him 20 see and do. Havana on the northern coast
ard Santiago, Cienfueg0s and all those cities on the
southern coast, founded long ago by the conquering
Spanards are distinctly foreign as any cities IN
Europe And though they do not possess the artistic
interest. they have character OF their own that is
Just absorbing to the rowing American The
medieval Spanish and the native life have grown up
IN them together. Al first one looks out upon the
decayng and fading civilization of the Old World
upon tawdry and tatieed grandeur OF the waning
Spanish influence. One on this side and on that
palaces Of enduring marble. The contrast. however
is startling turns 10 the narrow wretchedly
paved which mark a land that has never been
anything bNt nan savage. traces or tne native ne
are visible on every side, and cropping up between
the old Indian and the domneerins Spanish grandee
comes the new race. the amalgam that IS fiercely
pushing its way 10 the front.
JUST FAR ENOUGH FOR \ DELIGHTFUL SAIL
One of the chief reasons. undoubtedly. OF Cuba's
popularity before the war winter resort for
Americans was 1t: accessibility. one might leave
New-York by steamer Saturday afternoon and
reach Havana. after delightful trip. on the next
Wednesday. Or II he a poor sailor. he could
reduce The voyage to twenty-four hours by
making Tampa. Fla. the starting point Most
American tourists three years ago would have been
glad they could have had before them Murdt
Halstead's recent book Cuba. Mr. Halstead tells
you in a few. crisp words just what kind Of life
you will lead wher YOU rea n Havana and go TO
your hotel. Mr. Halstead has just been there In
war time. but life in Havana proper has not great
ly changed from what ii used TO be You must get
up fairly early If YOU travel with Mr.. Halstead at
least ne says
one must testify the regularity of the habits OF
the Cubans There is sonstiveness 10 uniformity
in the servants That gives one hint of Chinese
OF the bed a. o'clock in the morning. and feei
boarSld r,end @ appears in 10 seconds puts in
grim face on which there Is no trace of smile,
man and say Good morning" Five minutes pass.
there IS light knock and man. dressed In under
silver waiter silver pots. one with the handle
for the rich, hand. holding black coffee and one
There is a small roll of delicious bread and
smaller roll Of good butter. and they never vary
hairs breadth: two oranges all the juicy cells
opened by the keen knife that has shaved the skin
away. and not shed a drop OF orange blood
THE SILVER QUESTION IN CUBA
Do you want 20 shopping or curo-hunting?
II So il is essential first give careful study 10
the currency problem. which is complicated enough
to make even Boy orator tremble. Here is what
Mr. Halsiead makes of il:
There are three money standards IN this country
American gold. Spanish gold ana silver and there
newly arrived American citizen in a cafe. treating
tions and partaking or his own hospltail'N. ana
you will observe this means four drinks. payment
was made with an American hVe-dolar gold piece
and settling the account. he received in change
fve-dollar Spanish gold piece ana 10 cents.
this h:9 time saying With the spanish gold piece
his change was five silver dollars and 40 cents.
thing and Saa get y Hr sche%S /! there IS
money to be made by taking TO drink The The more more
liquor buy, the more money I've got. This must
be the double standard"
There was 2 per cent premium on American gold
compared with Spanish. and % per cent on Spanish
gold compared with silver so my friends CON- o o
in drink and still had s. so in silver.
TAWDRY BRIGHTNESS OF HAVANA
Havana certainly has its drawbacks. The har
bor into which pours all the filth of the city IS
notorious for its unsavorness and illness generally
prevails in TIE streets ;he short. The pro-
voking part is that the city is situated that
IL could be readily and cfcctlNelN drained Yet the
Spanish policy of corrupt do-nothinsness has AL
lowed the sanitary conditions 10 grow worse each
year Further up IN the town however. things are
better and there IS certainly plenty 10 interest the
onlooker
"There is said l. y. Ford in a series Of letters
TO The Tribune few years ago "fulness Of life In
this Cuban capital. with cxuberance of animal
spirits and light hearted gayety. There are few
careworn faces to be seen in the crowded streets
the busy arcades and the spacious pazas. The
cafes and restaurants are thronSed day and nlShi
with a pleasure-loving. rolickng population
Around the shabby little statue OF Isabella gathers
nightly motley concourse, joyous in mood ana
mercuriai in temper listen TO the feeble murmur
OF Spanish band. to traffic in lottery tickets
and to laugh and chatter by the hour over frivolous
tests Wha' Paris IS 70 France, Havana is to Cuba
II is the centre OF tho islands life. activities and
recreation The times may be hard. but TO the
Ivd,an measures of their favorte and characteris
tic city Cubans disport themselves with intensity
of enjoyment Here are the only good theatres OF
the island. and two opera companies can draw
crowded houses on the same night Here are the
hest Spanish clubhouses. and play runs high in
ruded gaming houses. Here is the hustle caused
bv the daily movement Of population of 10000
and under the glare of electric light the city loses
the sspect of faded grandeur and is again the most
brilliant ana gayest capital of Spanish America
"Tha bull-ring remains. as in former years the ia
vorite amusement of the Cubans but the perform
ances are less frequent and the sport IS poorer
The cockpts are the cheapest and most popular
entertainment. and Sunday would be incomplete
ona dull v,ithout many Of these revolving exhib
t,ons The spectators become fairly deirious with
excitement as the battle proceeds. Betting on the
result runs high and many poor monteTo has
ALL that he has IN the world staked upon one bird
or the other. passion for gambling is the herl-
,age # the Spanish blood-like administrative cor
ruption The popularity OF the lottery is explained
nv the same race instinct In other Spanish Ameri
can countries the lotteries are conducted for the
benefit of churches and hospitals; but here the
Government monopolizes the business as per
c,a,anr source of revenue"