The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-27

AtC huIuCu w 'h' N''N' w "N'~
Thcy Die.
cuba as she appeared to a Scran-
tonian, Robert c. Adams, who has Just
returned from a visit to the Pearl OF
the Antilles" is not the much abused
foundling knocking at the door of this
nationals most Americans have been
taught to believe.
Mr.. Adams is secretary of the Spring
Brook Water Supply company. He
went to cuba out of mere curiosity;
to see the much talked about land ana,
incidentally, to enjoy the natural beau
ties of the Pearl. With him he carried
no pronounced urejudices for either
side Of the contestants in the war
swept land. " anything. he was in
clined to join the general throng in the
sentiment of Cuba Libre.'
Mr.. Adams comes back with an al
tered opinion. In an interview grant
ed last night to a Tribune reporter he
gave what he learned from active as
sociation with the people Of Cuba
Spanish, natives and Americans-is the
true status of the affair
THE TRIP TO CUBA
Mr.. Adams left Scranton Nov. ! for
New York and thence to Cuba on the
boat "Yourmuri." The trip occupied
four days. Reaching Havana, Mr..
Adams engaged quarters at the Hotel
Inglaterra." which, as the name sug
gests, is the home of visiting English
speaking people. In all Mr. Adams
spent nearly seven weeks in the in
teresting isle. At , his home, 12l Null
berry street, last night he talked of
his trip.
Cuba" said Mr. Adams, lis beau
tiful country, climate, rich soil and all
that but"
What do you think of it as a nation
capable of caring for itself?"
"Bah!" Mr.. Adams ridiculed the
idea. You think the people incapa-
ble?" We'll that's too broad a state
ment for me to make but what | saw
of them was anything but elevating,
and as for bringing them into this
country, why the proposition is alb
surd. Most Of the people are poor,
few. very few" emphasized Mr..
Adams, are well-to-do, but the great
majority are helpless. True, the patri-
otiC Cubans have sacrificed their all.
burned their plantations and devas-
tated their land. But it's the Cuban
nature to rebell the spirit is born in
them. They're a lazy lot. whatever is
good in the island has been developed
by the Spaniards. The natives have
done nothing.
FEELING FOR AMERICA.
AS for the Cuban friendship for the
United States it is a recent feeling
taken on as a last resort. The United
States that all their lives they have
hated and despised, has become
friend in need. Because by themselves
they can accOmulish nothing, they ask
the United States to become OblViouS
of the needs Of our southern states
and to shut their eyes to commercial
interests and help them in their effort
to establish another San Domingo.
Meanwhile they go on running their
island, They give their women and
children over to be taken care of by
the Spanish, Why should the Spanish
care for the helpless any better than
they do themselves? The Spanish Off
GERS sit at the cafes in Havana and
smile as they drink strange tropical
drinks. They are certain that the war
can have but one end, and meanwhile
they joke With the senorita At the
end of the beautiful Prado. where they
smile and drink the war is showing its
General Weyler sent to Havana in
droves to prevent betrayal of his move
ments are living in tents three feet
high, made of scraps Of bags and car
pets. They have nothing to live on.
The city is poverty stricken. These
helpless outcasts get thinner day by
day. They look like the famine
stricken natives of India. Every morn
ing scores of them are found dead of
starvation on the streets of Havana.
Il myself have seen men drop and
die on the streets from starvation.
Weyler, who certainly was brutal in
his mode OF warfare herded all the Gu
bans in the country parts into the
cities where they can be kept in sub
lection. In Havana alone there are
over 1000 of this class of people. They
have no way to gain living. All that
is left for them is to beg. From five to
dozen would station themselves after
every meal at the rear of our hotel and
wall for the refuse from the tables
This is all they had to subsist on.
DIE IN THE STREETS.
Passing along the streets you find
them sleeping on sidewalks or dying
as is the more general case. The tents
they sleep in are foul places. Every
evening the board of health wagons
make regular round of the tents,
picking the past nights dead These
are carted in wagons and buried i'm
lots. Often they are not removed for
hours and over the picturesque old
city of Havana are seen the ghastly
return with their awful suggestion
of foulness. Meanwhile the patriotic
Cubans fight for their catch words and
the Spanish officers drink strange
drinks in the cafes at Havana.
What he United States can do is to
relieve these HELPLESS. starving Victims