The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-17
SPANS RULE IN CUBA

In q hook Of travels by NJ. NJ. Balloh'
we find some illusions TO Santiago "n'ch
interests us no little. The book was
written several years ago, long Deioro
there was any talk Of war between the
United States and Spain, ana the author
writes from an impartial standpoint WIN
M thought Of the complications that
wore afterwards TO follow. Indeed ne
seems to have been a poor prophet any
way. for in his description Of MORO cas-
tie ne says that 1t is an antique yeio"'
notwithstanding stronghold, which mod
ern eunnery would destroy in about eight
minutes THE MORO of Santiago he
! goes on is now used as a prison for
political Offenders "'* As we steamed
past it that sunny afternoon. stimulated
b, the novelty Of everything about us a
crowd of palnd, sorrowful faces appeared
nj the grated windows watching us list
lessly. TWO days later, five Of them who
were condemned patriots, were led out
upon its bulwarks and shot, their bodies
fallink into the sea.
rhis leads him TO remark further on
that spain extends no mercy 70 those
who dare to raise their hands or voices
In favor Of freedom; her political position
is sustained only in an atmosphere oil op-
preston and cruelty. Every page OF her
history is a tableau of blood-shed and
torture
That is a true picture. Spain has crush
ed the life out of her colonists, and by
her brutal policy mas destroyed that
which would have added revenues to her
Golfers and glory to her name
This writer also tells us that stream
Of offensive water Is constantly percolat-
ing through the streets Of Santiago, and
ADDS that it IS no wonder that Che city
is annually decimated by yellow fever.
The same condition exists in Havana,
and experts are thoroughly agreed that
the yenow fever germs which have caus-
ed that disease TO rage every now ana
then in the United States have invariably
come from cuba.
Another significant fact that Mr.. Ballou
mentions is that Santiago has not slh-
Gle book store within its hmits' no
other place in Cnristendom." he declares
and he seems TO have travelled every
where, with so numerous a population
could exist outside OF Spain. without
some literary resort"
Near Santiago are the famous Cohre
copper mines, said 10 be OF superior rich-
ness. and from which 100000 worth OF
cd in Cnn
year But in pursuance of her policy OF
greed. Mr. Ballou tells us that not con-
tent with a very large income from the
mines by way OF taxes upon the product.
the spanish government Increased these
excise charges to such an extent as 10 alb
sorb the entire pronts of the work and
XII the enterprise SO that at the time at
which he. wrote these rich ores rested I'M
disturbed in the earth"
The harbor at Santiago swarms with
ferocious. man-eating sharks. and the
person who accidentally tumbles over
board from a vessel in those waters Is
torn to pieces by the monsters or ever
his body comes 10 the surface. But these
sharks are not more greedy or more fero-
cious than the land sharks from Spain
who have preyed upon the inhabitants OF
cuba.
In concluding his chapter on Santiago
The author says that he got at that
place his first experience of Cuban cur
rency. "The circulating medium, ne
says, lis paper scrip, precisely similar TO
that used in this country before the re-
sumption Of specie payment. One dollar
of our money" he tells us. will purchase
tor would do so at the time at which he
wrote) two dollars and forty-hve cents OF
this scrip. II passes current" he says.
but the Cubans are not deceived by It,
knowing that 1t is really worthless, being
based upon nothing and issued indiscrim-
inateiy by a bankrupt government. The
paper mills grlnds 1t out as fast as IL can
be put in circulation. while no one knows
how much has been issued And he