The record-union., 1897-02-28
BEAUTIFUL CUBA.
Natural Advantages With Which the
Island Is Endowed.
What 1t Offers in the Way of Sight
Seeing for the Traveler-A
Magnificent Domain.

CuDa IN theSe days, IL ne has ever looked
upon the island as it was a half decade
ago. Then, despite bygone revolutions,
| despite Spanish misrule and despite the
mutterings of future trouble, the island
was beautiful. peaceful. smiling and
prosperous. Now almost no one goes to
Cuba unless he is a newspaper CORE
spondent or unless he wants to write a
book. Five years ago it was quite diff
ferent. Many Americans yearly made
! the pilgrimage, to baSk for winter
under the genial sun of the Antilles, for
the attractions that Cuba had to offer
We're many and unique.
The climate is delightful in the winter
months At Havana it seldom rains,
while the temperature never varies
above IS degrees and below 5S degrees
Fahrenheit. To be sure the hotels are
not elegant, but then the weather is
so mild that the tourist enjoys knock
ing about a bit. He does as the Cubans
do-takes things easily and doesn't
worry. There is plenty for him to see
and do. Havana, on the northern coast
and Santiago, Cienfuegos and all those
cities on the southern coast founded
long ago by the conquering Spaniards,
are as distinctly foreign as any cities in
Europe. And though they do not pos
sess the artistic interest, they have a
character of their own that is Just as
absorbing to the rowing American. The
medieval Spanish and the native life
have grown up in them together. At
first one looks out upon the decaying
and faded civilization of the Old World,
bp TO 70 Jo,,
OF the waning Spanish influence. One
sees on this side and on that palaces of
enduring marble. The contrast how
ever, rs startling as one turns to the mar
row, wretchedly paved streets which
mark a land that has never been any
thing but half savage. Traces of the
native life are visible on every side, and
cropping up between the old Indian and
the domineering Spanish grandee comes
the new race, the amalgam that is
fiercely pushing its way to the front
JUST FAR ENOUGH FOR A DE-
LIGHTFUL SAIL.
One of the chief reasons, undoubtedly
of Cuba's popularity before the war as
winter resort for Americans was its
accessibility. One might leave New
and reach Havana, after a delightful
trip, on the next Wednesday, Or if he
were poor sailor, he could reduce the
sea voyage to twenty-four hours by
making Tampa, Fla, the starting point
Most American tourists three years ago
would have been glad if they could have
had before them Murat Halsteads re-
cent book on Cuba. Mr. Halstead tells
you in few, crisp words just what
kind of life you will lead when you
reach Havana and go to your hotel Mr.
Halstead has Just been there in war
time, but life in Havana proper has not
greatly changed from what it used to be-
You must get up fairly early if you
travel with Mr.. Halstead; at least, so he
says.
One must testify the regular habits
of the Cubans. There is senstiveness
to uniformity in the servants that gives
one hint of Chinese exactness. When
| touch the button at the head of the
bed at Z o'clock in the morning. and
feel bound by the iron rules in the air
to do it, bearded friend appears in $50
seconds, puts in a grim face on which
there is no trace of a smile, and says
one word, "Coffee?" I nod like q
wooden man and say Good morning"
Five minutes pass, there is a light
knock, and a man. dressed in under
shirt, breecheS and shoes, appears. and
bears on silver waiter two silver pots,
one with the handle for the right hand,
holding black coffee, and one with the
handle for the left hand, full of hot
milk. There is a small roll of deli
cious bread and a smaller roll of good
butter, and they never vary a 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 to go shopping or curio-
hunting? If so, it is essential first to
give careful study to the currency
problem, which is complicated enough
to make even a boy orator tremble.
Here is what Mr. Halstead makes of
it:
There are three money standards in
this country-American gold Spanish
gold and silver, and there is a great
time in close calculations | noticed a
newly arrived American citizen in a
cafe treating three friends to bever-
ages of their several selections, and
partaking Of his own hospitality, and
you viii observe this means four
drinks. Payment was made with an
American five-dollal gold piece, and
settling the account, he received in
change a fiVe-dollar Spanish gold piece
and 40 cents.
He was so Wei pleased that he
treated" again, this time paying with
the Spanish gold piece, and his change
was five silver dollars and 10 cents.
Now" said he, I'm going to study
out this thing and get up a scheme. 1t
seems there is money to be made 10y
taking to drink. The more LIQUOR I
buy, the more money I've got. This
must be the double standard"
There was 20 per cent premium on
American gold compared with the
Spanish. and 20 per cent. on Spanish
sold as compared with silver, so my
friends computation was correct He
had out of s. spent 81 20 in drink, and
still had s. so in silver
TAWDRY BRIGHTNESS OF HA-
VANA
Havana certainly has its drawbacks.
The harbor into which pours all the
filth of the city is notorious for its un-
savoriness. and Illness generally pre-
walls in the streets near the shore The
provoking part of it is that the city is
81 situated that it could be readily and
effectively drained. Yet the Spanish
policy of corrupt -nothingness has
allowed the sanitary conditions to
grow worse each year. Further up in
the town, however, things are better.
ard there is certainly plenty to inter
cSt the onlooker