Evening star., 1898-10-24


am going to write something about buz-
yards from the states. A flock of them have
already winged their way across the gulf
Other fiocks are sure to follow the army Of
occupation when it comes. The buzzard of
upon the refuse which would otherwise pol
lutte the atmosphere with disease. Its ap-
pearance is repulsive; it is timid and it
harms no one. The buzzard from the states
belongs to a different species. Moral sani-
tation is needed in Cuba as we'll as physical
hygiene. 1t will not be had by encouraging
the presence of these birds of refuse
Their Instinct at Fault.
1 do not know what is causing this class
to come to Havana. Their instinct is for
once at fault They could not expect to
prey on a land which is desolate or on a
people impoverished to the last degree
There is no boom in Cuba, and can ne
none for year or more. Flush times are
not in sight, yet the kind of men VINO
ready for business They include all
sorts, from the tin-horn gambler of the
southwest to the gentlemanly sharper from
New York Possibly after time they will
become numerous enough to live off one
another, and then they will not be so much
of a nuisance. So far as their profession
goes, there does not seem to be any OPEN
ing for them The Cubans of the wealthy
class who gamble when they have money
or credit can take care of themselves. The
Havana Club. where poker and baccarat
used to be played without limit is still open.
1t was in this club that Americans who
thought they were doing a philanthropic
act in teaching the CubanS and Spaniards
how to cut eye teeth learned to regret
their own lack of wisdom teeth. The Span
iards gambled during the blockade, when
despair was eating their hearts out. The
liCerse from the gaming houses brought in
returns sufficient to keep open the soup
kitchens for the poor. The officers are still
gambling at the "Circulo Militor.' or Mill
tary Club. They will be gambling among
thems lives up to the time, not far distant
when the club is to be dissolved. After
that those who remain will be prepared to
meet their American friends at the card
table.
Not All Professional Gamblers.
If the buzzards from the states were all
professional gamblers 1 do not know that
their presence would be SO Objectionable.
They might be tolerated as a necessary i'll
cident, which would in time pass away.
Unfortunately their ranks are swelled by a
class which is midway between gamblers
and spectators. / was going to write
swindlers, but the term may be too harsh.
If these people would maintain a GigniIied
reserve they would not be bad. But
they insist on talking. They proclaim that
they are Americans, that Cubans and Span
iards are no good and that the United
States is going to boss the island. They
claim the right of knowing everybody with
out an introduction. Some of the young
gentlemen connected with the various
American commissions have afforded
amusement by their airs and assumptions
But these exhibitions of the vanity and
ignorance of youth are harmless. They Go
not cause misgivings among the inhabit-
ants lest the civilization of the states be
something less than an unmixed blessing
1t is the other class who make reputable
citizens of the United States blush for their
country. "Hain't we all Amercans"'. said
one coarse fellow, as he seated himself at
table in the cafe, where he was Hot want
ed, and proceeded to tell how I'VE" would
run things. No we hain't, or didn't ought
to be. Some of us who are in Cuba at
this time are men without country.
Its Existence UnpIeasant.
This kind of "Americanization' will uti-
ately cure itself, but it's existence is un-
pleasant. l write more especially of 1t be-
cause many good people in the United
States think that the mission to bring the
Latin-American races from the Rio Grande
to Patagonia up to a higher civilization is
Upon the American nation, and that the be-
ginning is right here in Cuba al the pres
ent time They don't realize that every
American who Is now coming to Havana
may not he a missionary. Yet il IS the
truth that the American bar room will be
running long before the church is eetah-
lshed. and will have large attendance.
The gllded fixtures for ii have already been
ordered. but l have not heard of contract
being let TO put in the pews of a new house
of worship. The wheels of fortune will
also be whirlins long before the Sunday
school is organized. The proprietors who
waited so patiently at Key West during the
blockade, and who did a little business
"hlle they were waiting, came over to Ha-
vana on the first boat after the blockade
was raised. They have gone north fer
fresh equipment, but will be back soon.
They are gentlcmanly persons, who never
make themselves offensive. l have nothing
to say against them, but their institution"
can hardly be looked upon as an advance
agent for planting the seeds of higher civil
iZation i'll Cuba. The man who is going to
set up a lunch counter with American pie
as a specially will be far more useful 70
the community. Americans who have
brought the appetite for pie from the states
are Without the means of gratifying it
either by an Emersonan breakfast or by
midday lunch. While he might be censrr-
able for carrying the national habi. of in
digestion into foreign lands. the individual
who proposes the pie counter is simply
taking advantage of a legitimate demand
to build up a business. Yet he is laughed
at. while the wheel of fortune is treated
with respect.
Hunting Up Lapsed COncessfons
Possibly it is too sweeping to class some
Of the promoters with the buzzards, vet
hardly know where else to place
them. There is this difference they
expect to make their living out of the peo-
pie back at home instead of out of the pop
ulation of the island. There is something
of the scent of the buZzard in the way they
are hunting up lapsed and forgotten con-
cessions and franchises. Some Of these
concessions may be made the basis for
what would be in the hands of reputable
business men, legitimate business enter
prises. Others are simply meant to be the
foundation of claims, which the United
States will be asked to assume If annexa-
tion should come about and to enforce II
an independent government is established
in Cuba. The field for legitimate enter
prises is going to be wide as soon as
the proper conditions obtain that investors
in the states would do better to wait for
these rather than to speculate on the value
of doubtful concessions"
Cuba is not going to be a Klondike for
stock companies. at least not until pros
perty takes root in the soil and agricultural
production again nourshes. After that will
follow the growth of general business and
then new enterprises. The best outlook at
present is for the man who has small cap
ital to invest it in land, provided he can
stay ard manage his own investment. Some