The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-10-08
r AVANA, the capital of Cuba,

r r AVANA, the capital of Cuba,
n Is world-city, known wher-
Il Il ever the fame of cities has
reached, and deserving of its fame, too,
for like all great cities of industry and
art, it is unique. Cuba's capital is
coeval with the Mediterranese conquest
of the Western hemisphere. The name
of the city Is characteristic of the re-
ligious Latin races, for when Diego de
Velasquez laid its foundations. in 1915,
he christened it San Cristobal de In Ha-
bana-St. Christopher of the haven or
harbor-in honor of Columbus, the dis
coverer of the island. This name, be-
slowed upon the city by the conqueror
of the Island, has remained unchanged,
and it is still officially so called. But
its popular name has been shortened TO
Habana in Spanish and Havana In 9TH
er tongues. The city has population
of about 100000.
Havana. is sited on the west side OF
the bay of its own name-one OF the
most beautiful bodies of water of it's
kind found anywhere. The city stands
on a sort of peninsula that is formed
on one side by the waters of the bay,
and on the other by those of the gulf.
In olden times it was one of the strong
est of the places of the civilized world.
When ships of war were of wood and
carried few guns whose bullets were
repealed by granite masonry, Havana
was impregnable. But the "oak levia-
thans" and the ''rock-built cities" of
Lord Byron are now historical. On
the one hand the recent destruction of
the Maine indicates the cause why
granite walls are no longer needed, and
on the other it is seen how the subma-
rine mine and torpedo have developed
gun powder, which enables a ship to
stand miles without a harbor and land
shells in a city's heart.
Yet If it were not for Spanish poverty
and decline, Havana to-day might have
been as relatively stSeng as when, in
| 1885, it drove the fierce Sir Francis
Drake away from it's coasts. The fact
is that the Spaniards have not kept step
with the march of progress. The in
sanity of attempting to defend Havana
with the same implements and methods
of warfare that were successful three
centuries ago is in perfect keeping with
| Spain's anachronism In civilization.
| The town, as has already been said,
is unique. 1t is not Spanish, 1t is not
| Oriental, 1t is not European, nor does
1t at all resemble anything in the Uni
| ted States. 1t is Cuban. The bay,
| ordinarily, is one of the most wildly
beautiful sights to be seen anywhere.
Humboldt's description of the ap;
proaches to Havana fails to do 1t JUS
tice, and that distinguished traveller
admits that the picture is indescribable.
| Cuba and Havana have ways and
wards that are all their own.
| Slaves to Precedent.
| Havana is a mystery to the European
and the American. The question, why
do you this and do you that" is always
answered with, I'VE have always done
SO; what else would you have us do?'
Why the farmers use a crooked stick
to plow with, why ladies sit in theil
carriages while the dry goods clerks
bring out rolls of cloth for them to in
spect; why dark women and even
black women powder their faces until
they look as If they had been daubed
with flour; why houses are built to q
line within two feet Of the curbing, sc
that pedestrians cannot walk two
abreast; why the houses are all painted
in whatever vivid color pleases the
owner most; why an unearthly clangol
of bells drives sleep from the city Al
daybreak; why no one ever keeps al
appointment land never apologies fol
the offense), are questions that Havan
csc and Cubans do not explain or at
tempt to explain.
The almost equatorial sun beats dow
upon the streets with terrific heat dur
ing the day, and none but business PEG
pie and '1ow people" are seen durin;