The times., 1898-12-25
In cUBAsS INTERIOR. !
Sentiments of the People Are Uneer-
tain and Varied.

In OubA . lNIEhluh.
Sentiments of the People Are Uneer-
tain and Varied.
Guines. Cuba, Dec. H.-There has been
what the local newspaper terms a ''sucu-
-lenta b,en condlmentada comida extra
ordinaria" in Guines to mark the arrival
of new political conditions. and its menu
was Beef. with potatoes; yellow rice,
with bacon; bread, guayaba Jelly. and red
wine. From this remarkable dinner
enough remained, after 800 Cuban soldiers
had eaten, TO supply a meal TO each of the
20o hungry families. and OF ''the poor and
unhappy recoheentrados' 1.500 received
some bread and rice.
More reconcentrados will eat tomorrow,
for a gentleman from Rhode Island has
left money for this. and those not yet In,
hospital will receive little medicine.
since he has also sent To one of the phy-
sicians n klo of squinine. This old physi-
clan has 2eo applications a day for treat
ment from patients who cannot pay; the
three other physicians have each from
so to 120 a day; and while this great busi-
ness exhausts their medicines it brings
them no money with which to buy more.
At this moment there are in Guines 600
for whom there is no medicine. 1t seems
TO us here that nothing can be more sad
set on as IL is. against the joy of the peo-
pie over liberation-unless 1t is the fact
that for the dying there is room for no
more graves in the cemetery.
In their joy over liberation the PEOPLE
themselves show no anxiety over the fn.
ture. The office-seckers and tie army
leaders are apparently the only ones who
.l1nt
tentions of the Emitted States are regard
ing Cuba, and they are happier Since Nc
Kiniey's message, even the menacilg
Lacret. who sat at the head of the COM
ida extraordinaria, being SO far molli-
fed as 10 propose toasts to the Govern
nent and officers of the United States.
The sentiments which found exprt ssion
at the dinner were for an independent
Cuba--it was a dinner to the army; ald
in the description of the event OF the en-
trance of the Cuban soldiers two days
ago. the local newspaper remarked taat
while on all public edifices fioatsd proui-
~ the standard of ia nueva patria
Americana in all PAGES. and in all
hearts. ard in ali consciences ficated the
proper idea, the idea of Cuba independ-
ent absolutely independent"
In the cavalry of Gen Hernandez there
is a lad from Montana. tall, straight. red
haired, who speakes Spanish with
brogue, and whose name is Mahoney He
came to Cuba from Montana right after
the Maine explosion Il couldn't wait for
our war essays He is now lieutenant
adjutant to Col. Vale. with linen suit
two sizes too small for him, dispatch
bags whose straps are so short that the
bags are pulled high under his arms, a
huge pair of spurs, miserable pair of
boots, ard a heart SO merry that every
Cuban maiden is his adorer.
do you know Lieut.. Afaioni?" they
ask you: NO? All, you must be pre-
sented TO Lieut.. Majoni. whose heart is
so merry
Lieut.. Mahoney's impression of the Gu
ban idea of the situation is like that of
others. The planters and the storekeep-
ers and mill-owners want the American
flag to stay; the people VINO have been in
the revolution and who have suffered be-
cause of Spanish domination want a
chance to try TO manage the government
themselves; and below these there are
those who have little preference either
way, so long as they are enabled to get
bread-and these are very numerous.
When speaking with the city officers
whom the Cuban citizens of Gunes placed
in charge as soon as the Spanish de-
parted. one cannot mistake the eagerness
OF the party they represent to try its
wings.
They are apprehensive about having
Americans take hold of affairs even in
guiding. protecting way. for the Ameri-
can manner awes them immensely, 1t Is
so positive and masterful. They know,
these Cubars, that they are not admins
traitors: and while 1t is yet a problem
what sort of colonial governors Americans
are, the latter will be necessarily better
than the Spaniards, and the island cannot
ha.ir. aul1
Sranish administration to be compared
with, a Cuban administration might make
Itself seem satisfactory for a time, and
this is why the separatist party disikes
to see Americans take temporary control
The provisional government of Guines
takes no notice OF abilities that have not
been employed in the revo utionary
cause. There were some decent Span
iards in the old board of aldermen. but it
wants them all put out, and only un-
doubted Cut5ns put in. There may b.
nothing unnatural in this; in New Eng
land the Tories Were transported 10 Nova
Scotia. But from Cuba the penirsuIir
Spaniard cannot be banished-he is going
TO stay, and he will insist upon revre-
sentation or else make trouble.
With no business in her shops. no work
in the fair, rich fields OF her wide iuris-
diction. and with one quarter of her
population i'll and unattended, or hungry
and unfed. or both. and one-half exceed
ingiy necessitous, Guines might be busy
with other matters than politics Her
| material resources are utterly exhausted,
and If her Christmas is to be any less de-
jected than the days that are past. it will
be because the Americans have sent some
thing to eat to her and something to re-
lieye her. Sickness-with these, and the
thrills she is having about the departure
of the Spanish army. she might expert
ence what she would call a pleasant
Christmas.
SUIT OVER A MAIDSTONE.