Evening star., 1898-10-15
Mr.. PEPPERS RECENT OBSERVATIONS
Information Cleaned From Bright
GaIIician Boatman.
AINST ANNEXATION
Copyright, 1898, by Charles NJ. Pepper.)

of the United States was kindled soon after
the Maine blew up. He used to row some
OF the newspaper correspondents out TO the
wreck and son etimes across the bav to
Moro and Guiana. He was never a very
loyal Spaniard, anyhow. This boa tman had
made some progress in talking United
States when Consul General Lee was with
drawn and the blockade of Havana begun.
During that period as he naively told me.
ne mad no ctarce to practice. Since the ar
rival of the military evacuation commits
sion. as he says, he has had so much
chance that he couldn't keep UP with it.
But he has not Jagged, and before long he
VIII have the advantage over many of his
fellow boatmen because he will he able ,o
tell people from the United States all about
the sights of Havana harbor in th3ir own
tongue. His grammar may be little de-
hclent, but that is immaterial
Some Interesting Questions.
The Gallician. like everybody from that
part OF Spain, is quick -witted and has a
Yankee faculty for asking questions. So
during the few minutes it took to row from
the vessels anchorage to the wharf l
CLEANED more information from his oues-
tions than from his answers. Was it
,rue, ne wanted to know, that the Amer
leans would always keep coming to Cuba p.
Ihat, he was told, depended on circum-
stances, though the indications pointed to
a good many of them coming this winter.
i. littu was II SO that the American commits
SION would wait until tomorrow for the
spanish soldiers to leave? This was asked
WITH a sly emphasis on the "manana,' thar
II would be impossible to translate Having
Aeard IN Washington what seemed to he
trustworthy news that "tomorrcyy'' would
expire December l. and that the American
nag would then be flying over Moro Castle
l gave that information The boatman's
witty
sponded, "bueno-good." 1t was not diff
cult to see the impression which the na
tlence and fo-bearance shown by the TJnited
$50, 1taees IN giving the Spaniaris their own
tiIhe ~ peSln getting out had made After
ward IN talking with a leading merchant
ne maze the same inquiry in almost the
sams san words Some things are wasted on
the Spaniard. Excessive courtesy is ono of
them. The intelligent classes in Havana
Understand perfectly why the authorizes
IN washington wanted to avoid sending
5roops 10 this part of the island until the
danger from yellow fever is past b,1t ~
thelr minds that does not furnish a suf
ncient reason for delaying the embarkation
i ~ eiie @pahish troops and for taking pos
ssasion OF the custom houses. Judged by
the expressions / have already heard NJ
news is so grateful to all classeS in pauono
as the announcement that a defnite dav
mas mas peen designated for complete Ameri-
is too far off. e Se'
~ - was not only of the Americana that
r,ie s Dainclan boatman talked. The Cubans
MHo thEonged the small boats and cried
srai ssreet,hss Is TO their friends and relatives on
VI ara tne vessel which had Just anchored
excited his comment. Formerly no ala ,ot
care much for the Cubans but T notino5
To-Day ne was more tolerant and resnectfui
tii tis Spsahins OF mem He could not conceal
ms satisfaction when in answering his
question | said It was the United Statas
which freed Cuba. But YOU will ali oa.
aions az together. 1 asked in turn. Yes it
- necessary. SO there is one Spanish sub
Ject VINO has already mastered the nroh
ZEN OF the future government OF Cuha
rms Gallician told me the scenes Of the
morning We're repeated every time shin
al, atiiveu from the states. The Cubans are
an emotional people. They do not conceaI
,he JOY over the reunion of families that
nave long been divided and separated.
Better Class of Cubnns Returning.
had been curious to know what classes
Oh Cubans were returning to the island.
ana at Tampa was able to make some in
qulrles Iney are mostly of the better
class. said the agent of the steamship
company. Nearly all are refugees, who
came mere with their families or Gent them
mere during the last year or two Thev ali
nave money or manage to get it. One man
who was just III here. after buying his tick
cts SAID he had just $40 left out of $1,000
that he brought with him. But he had
property in Havana, and would be all right
wnen he reached there. Others seem to
have a little balance. Because thew arc
nu! ing second-ciass passage you must not
thltlk they are used to that way of travel
Ing. We have not frst-class accommnGa-
uons for them all, and they prefer to 60
second-class rather than wait. | should
say nine-tenths of the Cubans who are
going back from here are good people The
other tenth would be a nuisance in any
community, and we are willing to be rid Of
them
The tobacco factories around Tampa were
m htrt ,.f
at Ybor City wera in operation to keep the
majority of the tobacco workers emDIoyed
a part Of the time. An impression had
gene abroad that the day Cuba was omen cd
up to the outside world all the Cuban to-
bacco workers would desert tha factories
and flock back to the island. 1 asked one
OF the tobacco managers about it, NO"
he said, you must give the Cuban credit
for thrift in one thing. He does not throy
up good job for an uncertainty. Most
of the men will in time go back to Cuba,
but they know better than to rush in when
there is no work for them. Some will send
their families back, but will stay here this
winter. They are clannish. and those who
can't find work will be helped back The
men who have already gone are mostly the
fellows who organized the juntaS and kent
the filibustering going. They are politi-
clans and they were the first to leave The
factories won't miss them"
AT Key West the class of refugees re-
turning was not so good. | was told they
were mainly poor people, who lad received
help either from the Cubans or from the
American Red Cross during the war. and
would need help after they reached Ha-
vana. This class will be of no benefit, par
tcularly when so large part of the pop,1-
lation is still dependent on outside relief
for food. II is easily understood why the
proportion of poorer refugees should lie
large at Key West. 1t was the nearest
point in heeing from Havana, and many
got that far who could go no further Nov
they manage to scraDe together enough
for second-class passage, and they are
among the first to return They are how
ever, a relatively small number Some of
the Cubans VINO We're on the boat were
returning from Europe. but the majority
were from New York and other American
cities. They were all men of means and
generally stated that they would have
something to start with under the new con-
ditions Most of them held out stoutIy
against the idea of annexation to the
United States. for time at least, and