The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-06-12
AN ADVOCATE OF FREE CUBA
ADDRESS AT EEPUBLICAN LEAG UE
BY 4. z. G. HENRIQUE

Suba-lhtereStlnS Il acls ABOUT the StfuS~
Cling Island and Its People-The Flag of
Free Cuba Displayed-Mr. Henrique
Closely Connected with the Cuban JuntN.
A most interesting talk on Cuba was
given at the Republican league build
ing last evening to an audience COM
posed of prominent gentlemen of this
city by A. p. C. Henrique, formerly
United States consul at the port of
Cardenas in Cuba.
Mr.. Henrique was introduced by Her.
bert e. Benton, president of the club.
He stated at the beginning of his talk
that he had been twelve years on the
island and that what he related was
what he had personally observed. He
said that fifty years ago if a Cuban
sent his son to the United States to be
educated he would be inCarcerated, so
strong was the feeling of Spain against
the Cubans and her dread of the liberty
of the United States.
Mr.. Henrique then spoke of the pre-
ViouS attempts of Cuba to gain her in
dependence, and related many interest
ing incidents connected herewith.
Among the incidents related was one
in connection with the celebrated Viz
ginius case, in which the steamer Nir-
ginius was overhauled by a Spanish
Warship and about forty Americans
and Englishmen We're summarily put
to death without q trial. Mr.. Hen
rique was then at st. Thomas, from
which port the Nirginius sailed, and the
evening before she sailed he attended q
ball given on board the ship. When
they sailed he with another gentleman
remained on board, but were sent
ashore few miles along the coast. 1t
was only a few hours later that the
vessel was captured and nearly all on
board executed
He then spoke of the government of
the island, and said every one on the
island over the age of fourteen years
are taxed S. annually, whether or not
they own property. All who have at
tanned their majority are allowed to
vote for aldermen in the towns and
cities. The aldermen elect an alcade or
mayor, and before he can accept the
office he must be sanctioned by the
captain general, and if he is dissatisfied
with the choice of the aldermen he can
appoint whom he pleases
OF the $50 members of the house of
deputies in Madrid, Cuba is allowed
twenty seven. OF these twenty seven,
only seven are necessarily residents of
Cuba. The remainder may be Span
iards, and so all propositions in favor
of Cuba which come up in the chamber
of deputies are easily voted down.
When the reciprocal treaty with the
United States was put into effect the
customs duties were of course lowered
and Spain, to get the same amount of
revenue, raised the taxes
Since January in 1891 each Cuban or
ganization in the United States has
paid twenty-five cents a week for
revolutionary Sund.
The Spanish ministry finally agreed
to the demands of Cuba that she should
have thirty members in the house of
deputies, but it was stipulated that only
fifteen of these should be elected by the
Cubans. while the other fifteen should
be appointed by the queen. The Gu
bans were to elect in all thirty, and
! from these the captain general was to
select fifteen to represent Cuban Vot-
| ers.
! In the war of 1870 the Cubans had an
army of 10000 men. When the present
war started they had an army of $4,000
| men. and have to-day 10000 men under
arms In the war of 1870, with an army
| of only 10000 Cubans, Spain lost 100000
men. We hear that the Cubans are all
negroes, but Mr.. Henrique says this is
not true They have intermalTied with
| Americans and have built up the state
of Florida to what it is to-day, and
| have there demonstrated that they are
capable of governing themselves.
While three-fOurths of the population
of Cuba can read and write, only one
third of the people of Spain have ac-
quired that art, and of these one-third
over one-half are women. Out of the
| S68 900. 900 in taxes which Spain annual
" collects from Cuba, only $500 Is
appropriated to the island for educa-
tional purposes, less than the amount
| annually appropriated by the city OF
| Waterbury. Since 1868 Mr.. Henriquc
| asserted, not one Spaniard in the Unit
ed States can be cited who was a pro
fessional man, while hundreds of Gu
. bans in New York city alone are law
yers, doctors and engaged in other pro-
fessions.
On every circular and advertisement
used in Cuba a stamp must be placed
! Every person who registers there in 6
hotel must have a stamp opposite, anc
If one wishes to communicate with {
| government official he must use paper
on which is a So cent government STAMP
and must also enclose a like paper for {
reply
There is an export duty on every
thing that is grown. and there is no
one city on the island which is no
heavily in debt The municipal govern
ments are very corrupt, and the Tam
many ring in New York and the Penn
sylvania gang" are honorable com
pared with the Spanish officials. Al
the customs officers must give TIL
whole of their salary to the person WHIT
secures their appointment, and thel
steal enough to make up their own pay
Socially the Cubans are far supcrio
to the Spaniards in the country, Wit
are Of the lowest element. There ar
not" says Mr.. Henriquc, twenty-five
respectable Spanish women in Cuba.
He also said that not one Of the con
suls at the eighteen ports are Amerl
can citizens, and could not or Woul'
not protect an American citizen. TIL
! consul generals holding property OF