The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-17
CUBA IN A STATE OF REST.
a SPIRIT or CALM mas CONE OYER
THE ISLAND RECENTLY
The Bencficent Intentions of This Country
No Longer Doubted and Clanor Against
the United States Has Ceased Causes
for This Condition of Affairs,

HAVANA, Sept 10 Tho reception Of PresI
dent MoKinley's census message by the Cubal
people has been surprising for two reasons First
no two factions In tho political field interpreted
lie bearing on Cuba's future In tho same way
Each read II through glasses OF It's own and hcnc
all reached entirely different conclusions Second
ly. there was a saneness almost judicial spiri
In all the opinions expressed, which indicated
either waning interest In matters political,
reaction from the fierce passions following era
of blood and discord, else steadying in tn,
temperament Of tho people which nuguTs vel
for their future Most OF the newspapers printed
editorial articles commenting upon the proclama
non and with conclusions widely divergent, bu
no great amount OF space was devoted TO tho sub
icct and the tenor OF these articles was as calm
and dsnihcd might be expected in the mos,
stoid Anglo-SaSop community. Certainly nc
great Importance was attached to the document
either by the press the public. despite the tro
mendous influence which message Of this charac.
tor from the controlling force Of the ruling govern
ment might naturally be expected to have The
Lucia evcn went so far as TO refrain from publish.
Ing the document because II was beaten" by It's
newspaper rivals, and never once has il referred
TO tho paper In It's editorial columna So far as
tho general public Is concerned. although tho
proclamation has had the widest publicity through
the newspapers and through the scattering broad
cast OF thousands Of circulars bearing its words
In Spanish thero has been little interest aroused
even among the Intelligent reading part OF Cuba 8
capital The gossip Of the clubs salons and cafes
has scarcely touched upon IT, Queries as to its
import meet most often with careless shrugs in
stead OF torrents Of language and gesticulaton
characteristic Of these people in the beginning
Of the American regime
To close observers. however. this tendency
,.l,.
lily in Cuba since the vexod question of the pay
ment OF the Cuban army has been settled There
has come finally a restfulness into tho political
and social atmosphere. so that Havana is 70. day
quiet and humdrum any staid old city in tho
United States Tho carping criticism Of tho
newspapers has disappeared There Is almost
absolute lack OF appeals 10 race prejudice with
" ,.ch once the press was filled The journals
which advocate ontre Independence for tho island
are no less insistent on tho accomplishment Of
this ideal, but the manner Of their expression Of
this longing has undergone moderating change
They are Just in their criticisms from their own
point Of view.
As an illustration OF this spirit may no cited
the DfscuSion's spontaneous and uninspired
denial of the Worlds libellous story from Wash
ington that Cen Brooke and Gen. Ludlow and
Col Bliss were squandoring tho islands money
In ostcntauous personal extravaganza. The
Discussion is the organ OF the separatis,s 1t has
for its guiding spirit such men as, Juan Gomez,
the fiery muatto and Manuel Sanguilly. Yet
on tho publication Of that unjust and falso accu-
sation the Discussion promptly entered its ed-
toral denial based on the facts which il could
SEQ with its own eyes Four months ago this
would hardly hive happened.
There is noticeable, too, this same spirit OF calm
ness and dignity in the public meetings which
hptV, Il,
a large number OF these meetings. held in the
various wards OF Havana and In tho surround.
ing suburbs Their purposes were political,
mostly in the interest OF the Cuban National party
whose aim Is absolute independence And yet
although there no apparent diminuton in
the zeal with which this party is fighting for its
end, the rabid anti-American sentiment so ram
pant at all these gatherings a few months ago was
absent There was discussion rather than vitu.
peration The same men participate ted in the pro-
ceedngs. but there was not the same spirit
What is true OF public meetings is likewise true
OF impromptu gatherings In the clubs Four
mon his ago the Union Club, the reprcsen tative
Cuban social organization, was filled every after
noon with men who engaged ono another in
political discussions OF the most violent character
A dozen men would gather in one corner for an
hour or more and there would be wild words loudly
spoken and much waving of arms and shaking
OF heads There is no more OF this The same
men gather al the club daily chat together over
their less or play cards without app airing 10 be
Interested in the political situation
There are probably several reasons for this gu.
pericial change, and superficial it surely must be-
The Cuban has not been able to change his charao-
ter in seven months, and were he 10 DO aroused
he would DO Just as violent now as ever he was
In the opinion of men accustomed TO Judge the
natives influencing their fellows, who are
In places advantageous for the study of these
people, the chief reason for the present attitude of
the Cubans is a recognition OF what the United
States through its military government ia doing
for the island. They have found in Gen. Brooke
a man to whose methods and manner they have
been entirely unaccustomed. At frst hc seemed
to them slow and obstinate. They had their ideas
as TO what he ought to do and how he ought 10 do
It. They tried to impress him with necessity for
accepting their ideas But Gen. Brooke had his
own ideas He had, too, his own methods, and
while he did not scorn advice or refuse counsel he
went on in his own way doing what he believed
10 ~. v;gbt IIo ,.s 81 ,,,, .,,,o ~ o..