Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-24
CUBA OURS SOON
sPANIARDs ARE HASTENING THE
EVACUATION.
HAVING A SALUTARY EFFECT
CRIME. CORRUPTION AND BRIBERY
CONTINUE UNCHECKED.
1t IL Unsafe to Walk the Streets In
armed and Unprotected After
NiEhtfnII-Gamb HOuseS
Are Running without
NOlestatiOn.

HAVANA. VIA KEY WEST. FLA. Nov.
2;.-The last few days have seen revival
of activity in every quarter. Things ap-
pear 10 take on more definite
form in every branch Of military
occupation Here at Havana wharves
are being built ard railway connections
made. The camps chosen have actually
begun to be constructed. Government boats
ard supplies are arriving. and the first in
stalIment OF United States troops is ex-
pected On Friday.
At the custom house. the archives are be-
| ing packed hurriedly, preparatory To turn
! ing over the building 10 the American
| authorities. The best energies OF the Span
! ish now seem bent upon immediate
| evacuation Of the island
| All this has had salUtary effect upon
the general tone Of commercial and social
| life in the city. which looks 10 the imme
| diate future for relief from q long season
| OF doubt and stagnation.
With the advent Of cooler weather. the
| health Of the general public has improved.
| No new cases OF yellow fever among for
| eigners have been recorded, and the s.tUa-
| tion can be said to be visibly better. There
| are. however. Two discordant notes. the in
| crease OF crime and the continuance Of Of
fetal corruption. The newly constituted
| police force. known a5 riferes gGberna-
| tiyes. armed with machetes and rifles. ia
| totally inadequate TO cope with the criminal
| classes. whose ranks are daily swollen BY
| She return of 6eported prisoners from the
| penal colonies. The rifsres make a very
| poor substitute for the disbanded orden
publico. The alarming increase in vic aud
Grim renders It unsafe 10 walk the streets
unarmed or unprotected after nightfaN- The
police reports show scores OF ''hold-ups."
murders. burzIaries and highway robberies
which nsver get into the local papers.
thanks to the watchfuI censor
Corruption bribery and Wholesale sI=ai-
ing in the military and civil adulinistra-
tons continue unchecked Some insight
into the condition Of municipal affairs caa
be gained from, the report Of a secret sss-
sion held at the mayors Office on Nonday.
Regulation hours fo- killing al the slaush-
te- house are during the afternoon. but a
| special permit entities certain contractors
| to slaughter one head each morning. for
which those who have the privilege pay
| prescribed fee. As matter OF fact. over
10 head are killed every day b=fore noon.
the fees for which. exceeding 81. never
fird their way into the city treasury. These
| beeyes are distributed by the contractors
for the military hospitals in the city at
- cents per kiIogramne. while the public
pays only the market price OF about IS
| cents The difference per kilogramme. 20
gether with the amount Of unpaid abbatoir
fees, is presumably divided among a select
few who silently defraud the city Of much
needed source Of income
| At the secret session where this glaring
abuse was under discussion a committee
was appointed TO inform Captain General
Blanco OF the fact. requesting that the
contractor be compelled to pay the arrears
of fees since July "a
| As already cabled. the mayor Of Havana,
on his own responsibility. without the sane
ton OF the city council and board of alder
men. increased the city budget for the SAL
aries OF municipal officers and employees
from s3i.0o0 TO sS4Ga. The board of alder
men. at its last session. resolved not TO
confirm the mayors action. thus compel
ing him TO pay the difference out of his
own pocket.
Street cars and oTnnibuses have paid no
taxes for several years. Although strictly
forbidden by law. more than ZOO wooden
houses exist within the city limits Such
cases OF bribery. corruption and maiad-
miniStration could be multiplied indefinite
| ly. Nothing Is done TO check them
Gambling houses which, after the sign
ing OF the protocol, the Spanish author
tiles made a great show OF suppressinS.
now flourish unmolested- At this late day,
everybody admits the uselessness of at
tempting 10 infuse morality into the Span
| ish administration
On November Is. the partially disbanded
| guerrillas of Sagua n Chica took the neld.
| burning and destroying property. They
| did great damage on the sugar plantation
| of John Harris, d British subject. The
| British consul. NJ jerome. two days later
| filed a claim for damages. official ac-
4 Acknowledgement OF which has been made by
. | Captain General Blonco.