The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-25
FALSE NOTIONS 1BoUT CUBd.
The Cuban Patriots the Hest ana Most Pro-
rrcsslve OF the Population.

prcssiNe OF inc fOpuihiioh.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: I see that
Max Nordau Is reported as saying that the
American people arc on tho side Of Cuba, not
because of sympathy with the rcvolutionists,
but from i'll will toward Europe; that tho
great majority of the Cubans are negroes and
mulattoes, that "they are opposed to labor and
culture OF any kind" and that whenever 1t Is
possible they avoid open encounters with the
Spaniards, because they arc deficient in Cour-
age. If Mr.. Nordau has such opinions. he has
formed them from false statements made in Eu-
rope by the Spanish Government and the argtl-
ments with which Senior Canovas del Castillo
tries to justify his policy Of cruelty and oppres-
sion In Cuba.
According to the census Of 1890 tho popula-
ton in Cuba is 1851 ,Gs7. The white natives
are nearly 900 900 and the colored not more
than 100000. The large majority of the colorcd
live in the towns held by the Spaniards, and they
are the worst foes of the revolution. Gen.
Weyler officially praises them and they form
his personal escort. The colored men in the
revolutionary ranks belong TO the more enlight-
ened of their race. They are brave soldiers and
good citizens, and from them came the lamcnted
Mr.. Nordau is said to express the fear that II
Cuba is free, :" the island will be negroizGd and
but he has no reason for It,. In Hayti the white
population was very small when its ihdcrrnd-
enCe was proclaimed In lSUl. ana now u
amounts to only one.tenth Of the total. In
Santo Domingo the whites are less than 20 per
cent. in 4lT,OO0 inhabitants. 1t is. therefore,. n
gross injustice to compare Cuba to those
countries.
The laboring people in Cuba arc the Cubans.
The Spaniards, crowded In tho towns and sea-
ports, fill the offices of the Government. The
Cubans are the farmers. They are the working
men on the sugar and tobacco plantations.
The spirit OF progress among the Cubans is
proved by their history, In spite OF the con
eminent IN NIL eiTnnrnypmnUtg in tho island n
company of natives established the first railway
~ization was known in Spain. Telegraphs. in
troduced by the Cubans. were also known in
the island before they reached Spain. Industrial
machinery. from the United States. had always
been imported into Cuba, in the majority Of
cases by Cuhans. The wag was right who said
that the only mechine introduced from Spain,
for capital punishment called the garrolc.
How can courage be honestly denied to the
Cubansf Their last war OF ten years was n con
slant display OF hcroism. Now they have been
standing for more than two years against
100000 Spanish soldiers. the strongest Euro
pcan army ever fought in America. Their war
small expeditions which the Cuban emi-rants
IN this country, can send to them after many
risks SKIS and hG;r r. ,hI S.,I They &c have scnrccly 5000 =,
pitched battles their far moro numerous and
better ermed foes at Pcralejo, Nal TEMPO, 90
r niaccs cH Thnir crc sarq 1taSsrs aH MAJ, m"H Cro 9IhSr
Moncada. Borrero. Primellcs. L@oncio Vidal.
Masrerrer; Serain SSanGhSz: LIayas' GnrzHn'
Duhrcnil. and hundreds more have died in the
field fighting against Spain. Where is the mod
ern army. which can produce so many Generals
killed in battle during a war of two ycarsi
No. our sympathy with the Cubans is not due
to any i'll feeling toward Europe. for there Is no
such feeling here; but has been evoked by the
fighting for tho freedom We ourselves enjoy.
NEW YORK, April IL. AMERICAN.