The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-19
HAVANA AND
ITS PEOPLE.
Where Hope and Everything Else Is
Deferred.
BUT ALL HEARTS ARE NOT SICK.
This Country Was Well Represented
Before the Court Left-The Core
spOndents Insurgents Com
pared With Spanish Soldiery.


Correspondent of the Associated Press
Skies OF turquoise, royal palms with
trunks Of silver and crowns Of green,
many charming looking women and fine
looking men, bands thoroughly melodi
ous. houses whose outer ugllness but ac
centuates the statue haunted, flower en-
bOssed beauties within; occasional fash
es Of MONDAY boat rendering the siessa
time almost a necessity. ozone laden
morning and evening breezes that make
ones lungs a luxury. semi-occasional
showers with sub-trcpical down pourings
these are some Of the attachments and
attributes that mark Havana, DIS retain
ing some Of her oldtime charm
THE SEAMY SIDE.
Narrow, ill-paved streets, unsanitary
ana foul-smeiing garbage uncleanly oil
leys ara back yards. lack OF modern
c0nvcniences. n super abundance Of
glare sufieit Of squalor, misery, star.
walton. disease death IN countless and APP
palling forms, stagnant business, reg
/ nant Cffciailsm. crowded hospitals. gorgcd
pIis,ilS. .hCsC the seamy side Of The tap
ostry o. life here, and to the obserVant
tho sauncSs makes discord OF the joyful
the laughing crowd around the n3nd
stand ia the "perque Central mock
| cry end the gay squipage OF the rich OIL
Ger CT merchant only brings into bold
rel.Cf H., mean death cask of the pauper
and the paciico.
II Is "a cosmopolitan city in a way. but
while the Latin, the Gailie tho Indian
| and the African predominant in numbers
the AnglO-SaXOn holds, as usual, MS
nfr Q a n
mated conversation among the voluble
Cubans is hushed into quiet observation
if sigsbee, OF the engullcd Maine, comes
into view. Sigsbee, alert. pleasant-faced
kindly voiced. medium in stature, but
erect In carriage. keen Of eye, ready OF
tongue. almost debonnair when OF duty.
but inclsive, vigilant, politely peremptory,
sure I'm command, quick in foresight,
when on board; the first man the stranger
wants TO see and. IL so fortunate as 10
meet HIM the last 10 whom adieus are
made.
MEMBERS OF THE COURT.
Then there Is the Court Of Inquiry
Sampson. tall, slightly bent as TO should
ers as he gravey listens TO questions or
suggestion, with a face marked with
thought. firm lips, shrouded by grey mus
tache and beard. courteous but cold
Quick 10 detect assumption and quick
or 10 grasp point OF moment. very
ideal president of n court for whose decis-
ion IL is not too much 10 say, Christendoh
waits with eageness.
Chadwick ruddy, semi-portly' genial
suave. fluent. hearty. with eyes none the
less keen that they grow merry on oc-
casion and Inns that can close in lines OF
iron though well acquainted with laugh
Potter brunette, soldierly, quiet but
kindly. self-effacing but with the weight
of high Intelligence In glance speech
gesture the model OF tine executive onlcer'
dlplomatist, man Of the world
Mark. a potential of high value IN any
deliberative body, looking as If he could
address court or jury % marked adVant-
age should occasion serve. posted IN every
detail of his profession (as indeed are all
his confereesl a. man not 10 be humpuB-
ged and in the habit Of weighing even ms
own thoughts before he gives them ul-
terancs. Certainly a quintette tsgsnee
always being included OF which t"e
United States is proud
GENERAL LEE.
Pencil pictures might be made OF Lee
that dashing cavalry soldier ana IN
blu0able consul-general Of Elwel' M'H|
Barton's chief OF STAFF. with the race ana
for moi Pickwick and heart as hliiu's
as that dear creature or Springer We
consul who knows cuba and It's people
a dozen other officials whose names are
now almost household words IN ths
states hun suffice II that all are men 10
be admired for strong and manly quar-
tiles. .rbaot,.
interesting too. 10 a Dickens a Thack-
cry Dumas or a Kiplins' wouiu oe
the better class OF correspondents ~
whom Havana Is now tho habitat OF nope
-alasl for them that IL is hope deterreu
I A. So
read their dispatches In playing the truly
snonish game OF "set down" Patience IS
harder here than I'm the North, for tho
Islander is a "day-after-to-morrow per-
SON anyhow and the sight Of his cool
n0nchalance. while great events are nav
ing birth. IS aggravating. Those OF tlls
dileftanu complexion of thought VINO
were in the corridors Of the Hotel IN
glaterra must have been startled on ths
dav that tho Associated Press CORES
nondent read 70 4 group OF newspaper
men the bulletin: senate passes htty
millions defence bill this morning uhath-
mousiv" What cheer went up. IL was
startling In its suddenness inVisptanhs
I'm its volume. News from home IN al
vance Of the somi-weekly steamer is al-
WAYS eagerly desired here and wnen IL
was such news there was hand-shaklns
and cries OF Walked up. have they
Hurrah for Congress II there was q"
American. civil or official. native or nat
uralizod. who did not rejoice az the news
the correspondent did not find him.
THE NEWSPAPER
The fourth estate here Is the liVehest
factor observable. Several OF the ia-
vana newspapers are really enterpflslhs
and for al! editions the newsooys rush
and crow vocferOus az in the fahhee
cities. II Is little amusing, after siahc-
Ing over columns and pages or govern
mental manfestos. pronounciamentos,
bandos and the like. TO note the brlet
editorial paragraph which says IN erect
same old thing Words are they. sig
nifying nothing" The political SITUATION
so FAR as il can be learned, has been
Given from time 10 time by cable. IN
this as in the general life beneath the
splendor and squalor. undermining alike
tho light talk and the serious discussion
is that current OF vague unrest when
might in semi paradoXical fashtoh' DO
described as expecting tho unexpected
What tomorrow: what to-day; what the
next stroke Of the clock may brins forth,
no man knows His lack OF knowledge
| does not impair his powers OF guessing,
| however. and the prophetic surmises log
zeal or illogical deductions. fears hopes.
| assurances one hears on every hand
would be Iaughable were not the times so
| full Of frowns.
OF the movements OF the insurgents the
news that reaches the Havana general
oublic is. at best meagre and cOntradic-
tory MANY of the advices from the East