Evening star., 1898-08-20
Santiago Already Improving Under
American Rule.
STEADY INCREASE IN DEATH RATE
In Spite Of the Cleaning and Dis
injecting of the City.
THE MONEY QUESTION

correspondence OF the Associated Press.
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, August 1.-THE
past week in Santiago de Cuba has seen
the furtherance of reforms and improve
ments already under way. New complica
items have arisen which we are called upon
to settle, and there has been a slow and
steady increase in the death rate.
The question of Spanish and American
money and their respective values contin-
ues to asitate the town, and this will prob
ably last until little of the Spanish money
remains. Notwithsta nding General Wood S
announcement that Spanish gold would be
deprived of its Cuban increase of 6 per
cent on its face value ard that silver was
at 30 per cent discount, many have per-
sisted in considering the centen, 25 francs,
as worth $780, as formerly; and at no
money changers could one get $40 in silver
for IS in gold. Nine dollars in silver was
offered, and this only on small amounts.
There has been meeting of merchants
in the place, with the object of discussing
this matter of values with General Wood;
and the question of it's legality was raised,
further assurances that the measure ap-
piled to all transactions being asked for.
The question of legality, however, was not
discussed, as the merchants were assured
that the ruling applied to all transactions,
SO that the meeting was rather abruptly
terminated.
American Money.
1t is being recognized that American
money will be the money of the future in
Cuba. Workmen are publicly advised to
insist upon their wages being paid in that
currency. But until the financial situation
is cleared up by the disappearance of Span
ish coin and the entrance in sufficient
quantity of American coin, abuses in the
way of exchange will probably continue.
Already small change is becoming very
scarce. One cannot exchange gold for
Spanish silver; and there is so little Amerl-
can silver that small sales are hard to con-
summate, and the poor are always i'm
posed upon by the money lenders. Harsh
measures from the palace could remedy
this by a stringent application of the law
and severe treatment of offenders.
One abuse that has been rectiied was the
exorbitant prices asked for food--a dollar
a pound for meat, three dollars for a bag
of charcoal that once sold for eighty cents
and a general continuation of blockade
prices long after their justification had been
removed. This matter the palace has ably
taken in hand, and after careful consderd-
tlon, and discussion of the subject with
leading wholesalers and retailers, a tariff
in gold money on provisions has been ar
ranged. Retailers have been notified that
infringements of this tariff. or schedule,
will be severely punished, and the COM
munity at large is requested to report any
overcharge. The prices given out are u
great feuuCllOn IEull tIlOSe pres dllIHS min
erto. but even in the new arrangement
there is ample opportunity for good profits,
even to 90 per cent in some instances. Thus
the retailer has no right to complain At
some future day when the commercial sit
uation of Santiago is improved, further
reduction will probably be made.
Popular Measure.
This measure of General Wood is natu-
rally very popular, and, except from those
who are prevented from longer indulging
in their shameful robbery of the people,
there is no complaint. Wholesalers
pleased because the new prices will pro-
mote wholesale consumption.
Under Spanish Control.
The advent of an American trust COM
pany is considered rich in promise of future
prosperity.
During four centuries of Spanish con-
troll" says Ell Cubano, I'VE have not had
an agricultural bank. Such an institution
is absolutely Indispensable in a country
where agriculture is the source of all
wealth. We have been in the hands of
rsurers. who have robbed us on all sides.
The operations of this bank, which is to be
the savior of the land, and which will help
our farms and plantations to produce, as
with the touch OF a magic wand, will be in
American money. What we have not OBJ
tdihtu spain III louI CeutulieS HAS
been given us by the United States in three
weeks.
THE well-bsing as we'll as the wealth of
this province is in it's agricultural products.
We may talk about the resumption Of busi-
ness and the sale of merchandise but no
lastirg good will come to the people until
the farms produce again. And they will not
produce as they should and can until there
is convincing assurance of a stable govern
ment being maintained ard until
er has protection for improvements and can
secure capital
Much of the merchandise sent here from
the United States during the last three
weeks Is being returned to the points from
which it came. As there was no entr, at
the port, the payment of customs dues "as
avoided. Probably some cargoes will be
sent to Porto Rico in the hope of a sale
there.
Cleaning the City.
The cleaning of the city and the health
of the people are matters receiving much
attention. Probably the strangest odor
Santiago ever knew-and Santiago has had
an unusual experience in odors-is the new
odor of dfsinfectants that are being scat
tered through the city. The street clean
ing department has been hampered by lack
OF carts, and as n result the piles of dirt
each householder carefully brushes into the
street every morning are apt to remain for
some days before removal
NO" people are saying that as long as
the Americans do not fulfill their part of
the contract and expedtiously remove the
dirt it might have been better to let it
remain where it was before. The house
cleaning operation was a novelty and the
people entered into it with certain amuse-
ment. They thought it would be fun to see
the teams come every day and carry off the
refuse, but as the teams do not come regu-
larly and the refuse steams in the sun or
is washed away by the rains, many are get
ting tired of the experiment. Still, much Is
being done In this respect and the city is
much cleaner than when the Americans en-
tered it.
The death rate continues very high, from
fifty to sixty cases per day. There are
nearly thirty thousand inhabitants and
this rate, If continued. would carry off half
the population in a year. The situation is
serious.
The natives think they are not being So
well served by our Post Office Departms mt
as they were under the old Spanish regime
In those days lock boxes were used and
there was regular houss-to- house delivery
of letters. Now all that has been aboi-
ished. and the people say the American
clerks are so busy attending to the Ameri-
can mail matter that they have no time to
attend to anything else.