The herald., 1898-12-18
The Halfway Stage

1ue aalI-Way stage
NEW YORK, Dec ia dispatch to thu
Tribune from Havana says:
Havana is at the halfway stage between
the departure of the Spanards and the com
ing of the Americans. The city looks lone
some. 1t is not desolate because hopefu!
ness and desolaton don't 90 together. and
everybody is hopeful of the future. Trade
is not brisk, because, except in breadstuffs
there are no importations. That will be
changed as soon as the new tariff goes into
effect. In the retail districts occupied by
the middle classes fair amount of business
is done.
A walk through these sections shows more
activity than there was two months ago
This is due to the return of so many Cuban
families. In what would be called the shop
ping district of the city, such as Obspo
street, which is the Fifth avenue of Havana,
nothing is done. Nevertheless the Spanish
shop-keepers are complacent. They prefer
period of dullness for single reason. The
families of the Spanish officers and officials
were good customers, but they were not good
pay. The tradesmen dreaded their patron
age and sought to evade it as much as possi-
ble.. Neither were the Cubans good pay, but
credit could not be refused without fear
coming. They are at the same time good
customers and good pay.
=. The city feels the departure of so many
Spanish families in a way. They helped to
give it life. A few weeks ago it was almost
impossible to rent house in any respectable
sional men, returning from their exile in the
United States and Europe had leased them.
Now, in the suburbs, the number of houses
which are closed and barred gives these
places the appearance of a deserted town.
They have been occupied by both military
and civil officials who are returning to Spain.
The deserted appearance will not last long.
American officers whose duties will keep
them in Havana for some time and who have
been looking in vain for homes, will take adj
vantage OF the opportunity, as will number
OF business men from the United States, who
are likely to change a short stay into a
period of permanent residence. Some of the
discharges and return to Cuba They have
property which they do not want to sacri-
fice It would not do to inquire too closely
how they became possessed of it. That
was under the system by which they all
profted. As Spain will not have need of a
large army in the future. it is presumed that
these officers will succeed in procuring their
discharges. Some of them have Carlist con.
nections, and this will be an additional rea-
son for enabling them to return to Cuba.
The civilian classes who are returning
to Spain are taking their property with
them or are arranging to have it converted
into cash and forwarded to them. They have
plucked it to the last feather and all of
them return rich.
10 assume otherwise would be to assume
that they have not taken advantage of their
opportunities. No Spanish official, whether
he served under the old regime or under the
regime of autonomy cares to be placed in
nof ThAAl l. ~
tom house or in some other branch of the
government service, he would consider it
reflection on his ability
Ihe effect Of the departure of so many
officers and army camp followers on the
cafes OF Havana was a few weeks ago the
subject OF interesting speculation. 1t was
thought most of them would be compelled
to close for lack of patronage. This viii
happen in some parts of the city where the
barracks were located. But in the section
which is the center of social life, the neigh
borhood of the Parque Central, the treaters
and the clubs, this will not be so. The pro.
Prietors have met the new conditions by
leasing, their PAGES to "enterprising" Ameri-
cans who are now converting the cafes into
bar-rooms with all the gilded attractions
which go, with these institutions in the
States. The bar-rooms have annexes in
which gambling of all kinds can be INDUCED
in after the most approved American
methods. The annexes are, in fact the |
main concerns, Their managers expect to
90 rushing business" One of the lead. |
ing hackers is understood to be the nro-
prietor OF the game which is patronized bv |
wealthy New Workers who 20 to Long
Branch or Saratoga in summer. The Snans
ish proprietors were at first doubtful about
putting their places in the hands of the |
Americans. They thought trouble must |
arse WIN the military authorities after the |
nag was foatlng from Morro Castle. They |
were assured that all this had been aar.
ranged" The first business of the Amer.
can military commander of Havana will |
be to show that it had not been "arranced >
When the details of the Spanish eyacua.
tlon were first arranged, some anxiety was
felt lest the argument Of the Spanish com.
merclar m circles and industria! class should
not been realized Whatever doubts the
Spanish business men may have had about
the security of life and property under the
new orders were quickly dissipated '"e
They found the guarantee of the Tinted
States sufficient and they discover that the
transition period is fraught with less dis.
turbance than might have been naturally
Of the island where the Spaniards were few en
in number, they dread to remain in the
midst OF Cubans, who show on unfriendly
spirit. Some are coming to Havana and
others are going back to Spain. At Man.
zanilio, the greater part of the Spanish col.
ony is said to be starting for Mexico. But
these are exceptional instances AS rule H
wherever a. Spanish commercial house IS
closing, up its business. that business has
been dependent on the official system
With the end of that system, no other
course is open.
That vacuum exists in Havana is a pa-
tent fact. More people are going out than
are likely to come in for many months
The rottenness of the Spanish military
methods: could be Judged during the insur.
rection by the great number of officers who
were alwaysSt Havana, on staff duty. The
of those who, in any circum.
stances were seeing active service in the
field was marked. Since the officers have
gone the void created by their departure
gives even stronger impression of their
numbers. They were literally the only
class of the, population which was too nu-
merous to be counted. The void is one
which will not be filed. The American gar 1