New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-17

the females ten to one. and in the cities there
are about five males to one female
| The women show the same love for bright
colors and for cheap jewery as is among
the negroes Of the United States. but the men
have less ambition TO be dandies than their
| American brethren.
| THE citizen OF the United States has clear
| idea of the Cuban negro and the position which
| he occupies" said New Yorker who lived in
| Cuba many years, and he fancies that the
negro there occupies the same position as he
+, does in the former slave States Of this country.
That is a great mistake In the first place. the
muatto who is part Spaniard and part African
is superior to the mulatto Of the United states
He is better looking. has higher ambitions and
has a higher degree of intelligence. The mu-
lattoes are the small traders and the servants
in the cities and the line between them and
the whites is rot sharply drawn In Cuba as
1t is in the United States They go to the same
churches and it is nothing unusual to see white
men stop and talk to mulattoes or blacks on
the street something which Southerner would
not think Of doing In the cities and small
towns the mulattoes pedde small wares and
keep small shops. and are patronized by whites
as well as blacks. At the cOckfghts and bull
fights" he continued, the negro sits In the
same part OF the auditorium with the white
spectator and in the betting ring he is just az
conspicuous as his white neighbor. But there
is a line between the races and that showS;!t-
self at the social gatherings. where each
remains distinct. In the country the blacks
know very little Of religion. but there is one
sight which may be observed in the Church of
Santa Clara which always causes comment.
Before the altar all distinction ceases. and the
negress kneels on the same bit OF carpet be-
side the white woman
Dr. A. NJ. Fernandez de Ybarra. who has writ
ten much the subject of Cuba and the
Cubans said: The city of Havana had in
1857 200 AS inhabitants. In 1877 the city had
19S. 721 inhabitants and 1t will be seen that the
increase in ten years was less than 1000 which
was far below a natural normal increase. OF
the people who lived in Havana In 1887. 1923
whites could read and write. and 1910 blacks
were equally qualified: 429O2 whites were illit
crate and 3S.g6 blacks were in the same class.
The figures show, however that in the capital
the blacks made more progress prorortionately'
in education than their white neighbors The
Cuban blacks anxious to learn, and they
are more strict about sending their children 10
the schools than many OF the whites. The
island resembles the State of Virginia as far as
its division OF the races is concerned, and any
one who is acquainted with the Old Dominion
will readily see the resemblance when he goes
to Cuba If there is any difference II Is in that
the Cuban city negroes are OF higher degree
Of intelligence than the Virginia city blacks.
and those of the county are trihe inferior to
the Virginia plantation hands"
OFFICERS IN THE INSURGENT ARMY.
Enrique Trujillo. Editor OF "El Porvenir.
says that there many worthy negroes In the
patriot army. and that the blacks Of Cuba are
in hearty sympathy with the insurgents. Among
those whom he mentions as having won distnc-
ton in the instruction are the following:
Juan Ferrera IS the colonel in command
OF the Moncada battalion. to which place he was
promoted for bravery He was born In Baracoa
of free parents. and took part in the Ten Years
War and then. as in the present struggle. showed
himself to be brave and competent officer.
Agustin Cebreco Is "A brigader- general whose
operations were confined mainly last year 10 the
province OF Santiago de Cuba. He was born In
1s4S. at Villa del Cobre. and took part in 1865.
in the revolutionary movement at Yara, receiv-
ing his baptism Of blood at the assault and
capture Of the villa, his native place. He
fought efterward at the side Of Caxto Garcia.
Antonio Maceo, Flor Crombet and other Cuban
leaders In most OF the battles which occurred
In the ten years Of the first revolution In 1879