Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-03-24
RkvELRY IN HAVANA.
The Spanish Make Merry on the Eve Of
Waterloo

The Spanish Make Merry on the Eve OF
Waterloo.
HAVANA. March 24.-(From Staff
Correspondent of the Associated
Press )-Uniess history aud poetry
alike mistake, there was a sound OF
re Selry ia BRUSSELS On the eve of
Waterloo. Paris, too, Just before that
big battle, was in the whirl of balls
aud ietes. Havana is very gay today
strangely SO, when the losses of its
we'll TODD and the dire poverty of its
pr letariat are considered. or course
the presence of the warships with
their large compliments Of officers has
much to do With the festivities per
Yailing. Then, too, there are centur-
les of custom and scores OF proverbs
similar to the familiar tomorrow,
another day." These tend toward in-
ducing somewhat mercurial 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 them frown
at the absurd caricatures OF Uncle
Sam and his minions with which the
comic papers of Madrid and Havana
TEEN. You can see them sneer at the
fleets of formidable war vessels pic
tured in the magazines and illus
trated journals and labeled part of
Spain's great navy" You can hear
them laugh sardOnically at the foolish
rantings of boyish officers when they
say(as the writer actually heard one
say:)
"Well land cur army atlKey West,
march straight inland TO Washington,
and in a week from landing we'll cap
ture McKinly and all his ministry,
unless they run away"
AS cabled recently, HaYana has at
last awakened TO what its people re-
gard as the probability OF war with
the United States, and the sober
minded are counting the cost. Some
of those whom the government as
sumes to be the most extreme conser-
vatives are counting the cost with
satisfaction. They are annexation
lists now, no matter what they were a
year or so ago, and in the number are
editors, lawyers. bankers, merchants,
manufactures, officials, even priests,
though those of that function cling
more tenaciously to the vested rights
Of royalty.
Deep is the interest felt in the at
titude of the European powers in re-
gard to intervention, and loud are the
claims OF delight over published ca
Diagrams purporting to give words of
aid and comfort from the German
emperor, French minister or Italian
deputy,
But the liveliest grow grave at the
mention of possible alliance between
Great Britain and the United States,
and the anxiety manifested by Senior
Congosgo to interview Mr. Collins,
British representative here, and even
General Lee, and learn of the truth or
falsity of theistory that the Prince of
Wales has said that a Bristish fleet
would support the United States in !
putting an end in Cuba, was almost |
udicrous, it was so openly expressed. |
Of course. all of the above is from |
the point of view of the looker-on in |
Havana. We know nothing of what |
Is really going on in the great Ameri-
;an and continental statecraft, |
Through all the drubbing and won
1ering, the beggars of Havana laugh, |
lance, sing CT groan as time or the oc-
,asiOn serves.