The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-23
SCENES IN HAVANA.
The People Seemingly Gay, Despite
Their Misery-HOrde of Beggars.

Correspondence of the Associated Press
HAVANA March 20.--Unless history and
poetry alike mistake, there was sound of
revelry" in Brussels on the eve of Water
loo. Paris, too, just before that big ARRAY,
was in whirl of balls and fetes. Havana
is very gay to-day, strangely so for Lent,
and more strangely still when the losses OF
its well-to-do and the dire poverty of it's
proletariat considered. OF course, the
presence of the war ships, with their large
complement of handsome, intelligent cour-
teous officers, has much to do with the fes-
tivites prevailing. Then, too, there are
centuries of custom and scores of proverbs
similar to the familiar tomorrow will be
another day." and these tend toward induc-
ing somewhat mercusial people to forget
the sad things while they may in singing,
dancing and all the rest that goes to make
up social rounds.
But there are many serious ones who, if
they join in the laugh, drop into other
moods than joyous when left alone You
can see these frown at tho absurd carl
catures of Uncle Sam and his minions, with
which the comic papers of Madrid and Ha-
vana TEEN. You can see them sneer at the
superb fleets of formidable war vessels pic
tured in the magazines and illustrated jour-
mails, and labeled part of SPANS great
navy" You can hear them laugh sardon-
ically at the foolish rantings OF boyish off,
GERS when they say (as the writer actually
heard one say to-day, We'll land our
army at Key West, march straight inland
to Washington, and in week from landing
we'll capture Mckinley and all his Minis
try, unless they run away"
AS cabled recently, Havana has at last
awakened to what it's people regard as the
probabilities of war with the United States,
and the sober-minded are counting the cost
Some whom the government assumes to be
the most extreme conservatives are count
ing that cost with satisfaction. They are
annexationists now, no matter what they
were year or less ago. and in their num-
Der are editors, lawyers, bankers mixers, mer-
priests though those of the Sacerdotal
function cling more tenaciouSly than any
other class TO the vested rights of royalty
Deep is the interest felt in the attitude of
the European powers in regard to interview
tion and loud are the acclaims and delight
over published cablegrams purporting to
give words of aid and comfort from the
German Emperor, French minister or Ital-
ian deputy. But the llveliest grow grave
at the mention of a possible alliance be-
tween Great Britain and the United States
and the anxiety manifested by Secretary
Congosto to interview Mr. Collin, British
representative here, and even Consul
General Lee, and learn the truth or falsity
of the story that the Prince of Wales has
said British fleet would support the
United States in putting an end to the war
in Cuba, was almost ludicrous ii was so
openly expressed. OF course. all the above
is from the point of view of the looker-on
in Havana We know marVelously little
here (high government circles excepted of
what is really going ON in the great world
of American and continental statecraft.
Through ali the furry and ordering the
beggars of Havana laugh dance, sing or
groan as time or the occasion serves. A