New-York tribune., 1899-02-12
QUEER THINGS IN CUBA.
A CALENDAR FULL of FIESTAs.
EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE ISLE OF TOMORROW
PUNCTURED COINS AND DIsEASE-Bf
ING sHINPLASTERS.

ono who is visiting Cuba in these days OF her
reconstructing can bring no better hnancia, ara sn
! pron than American grtenl ackS they are D"
n.rch easier 10 carry than gOd, ana lhe pre-
MUM on them is The same. II ne DrlnB5 t'c
usual letter Of credit or draws on nome throush
one Of the island banks he viii ma lhat lhe
,,eri,,,s, cb,rpns for the accommodation are
oI,ite in keeping with the Cuban idea lhat
everything American is lawful prey 10 De niaue
the most Of The hotcl-kc rpers SUN require ulcii
nav on the basis of Spanish gold, but VIII read
Nv allow Il per cent on American blIs. Ihe
local merchants are glad TO get oui &reonbichs
at the same rate in exchange fOI ther SoOds OF
the t,in Of the country because most OI tii'H
iusirrss is done in NoW-fOrk, PnllaG'lph
Boston and Baltimore on the credit system, ana
thn notes are convenient for transportation
,,.ithout the expense Of getting them changed
into another form. But the cabmen, rorters
servants and others Of their class. accustomed
to being cheated At every turn by thelr lato
rulers will have nothing To DO with any money
thov do not understand. and insist on the famll-
lar c,,-ccnt pieces Of the island, American
dimes and nickes. and coppers for small change
or the dirty. begSar-handl"d, disease-inf' sted
shnplastcrs. II you offer them an American
haIf-dolIar fresh and shining from the mint.
they will eye it dCubtfully, try its edges IN
their teeth and ring it on the sidewalk, if they
do not refuse it outright
THE TRAIL OF FORMER sITARPERS.
Some sharper Of other days soems to have
flooded cuba with American silver in five ana ten
cont uicces after having punched fraction out
of each for his own profit YOu may pick up nat
ful of these small coins in the course Of day
transactions in any Cuban city ana never ma a
whole one among them Not only DO the mutt
lated pieces pass at their race Ndlue WITHOUT
question but the islanders appear to place most
confidence in the coin that has the greatest mum
bor Of holes in it, as a proof mat 1t Is genuine
else why did somebody take the trouble To
punch IL? great deal Of paper scrip similar
10 that used in the United States before the re-
sumption Of specie payment crcClat,s IN CuDa'
bat with this important difference: "hen ours
became slilcd or torn we could exchange II for
% -. while in cuba there are no such facilities.
a.d tn, filthy bits Of paper handl by lepeia
ard carried about in tho rags Of the lowest
classes. become SO ioathesome that one would
raj ncr foregO his change tnan tOdch II.
PULLING CVRRENCY.
ono dollar of oar silver will purchase at least
- - of this scrip. often more. according TO me
rate If exchange at the moment. IhoJ1n based
uron nothing having been issued irdiscrlmi-
nai'iy py d bankrupt government, II answers all
the local necessities Of trade and is always used
for carfare and small transactions. II was
ground out of tn paper mill mob adA knows to
exactly what aInoCnt-in D. 10. - and 30 cent
"plastcrs." one thing is well known. tnat every
authoIized issue Of Il given sum was enormous
ly exceeded Seven years ago an issue Of bank
bills of this small currency was ntrusted 10 an
establishment in the United States. and Nl4-
OOooop was printed IN addition To the uthorized
amount, All was duly receipted for AID sign
by the corrupt Spanish officials Who-so the
quidnuncs say-diVidrd the extra millions
among themselves 1t is asserted that the cap
tain-General under whose adminis' ration his
financial stroke was accOmpl shed came to cuba
Il poor man. and two Yeas later returned TO
spain with 3ODOWO pesos to his credit so
thrifty were the proud hidalgOS who threw
down dollar when half of 10 was due tsoine-
body esc's dollarJ. and stalkcd hauehuly away.
sneerinS at the Yankee pigs VINO waited for
heir change,
The other day went into the cafe La Luz
TO treat some Of my newly arrived countrymen.
There were four II US and each ordered a diff
American goldpiece in payment The smile dis
pcnsor studied long with knitted brow over tha
knouy problem of change, and then handed me
back Spanish iye-doar golipiece and 10
cents in silver. This pleased the group so we'll
that treated again. giving back to the saloon
keeper the Spanish ive-dollar gOldpiece. This
vas easier for him 10 reckon, and M change
for the second deal Was five silver dollars and
four cents Though the price of drinks is nigh
in cuba. it would seem that there is money to
be made in taking them ad libitum. and the
more liquor one buys the more money he gets
To study the thing out IL was this way: There
was 20 per cent premium on American gold over
Spanish gold. and 20 per cent on Spanish gold
compared with silver. Thus. out Of the orig
inal American hye-dollar goldpiecc | bought
eight expensive drinks and stil had 50 80 in sill
Ver-and discovered afterv ard that the bar
keeper had swindled me out OF - cents change.
HOLY DAYS GALORE
In tho Cuban calendar there are no fewer than
go holy days" Sundays included in which no.
body can be legally compelled O. labor nei her
the man servant. nor the maid servant. nor The
OK. nor the ass. nor. perfOrce, the stranger with
in the gates. " 18th such extraordinary defer
ence to the saints and angels this ought to he
the most religious country under the sun. but.
unfortunately. after haSty prayers in the early
morning the natives employ the remainder of
thoir feast days I'm bull-baiting. cock ghting /
the lottery the ball. the theatre, instead of at
tendance ON heavenly pcrsonagcs. Sunday is
the great gala day Of the week. distinguished
10y the added brancy Of every street scene in
the best clothes II the popuace hosterous
masquerade professions. teufold activity In |
shD ps. saloons and theatres. and noisy persist /
ency of lottery Venders. Bull-fighting is as dear
to the native heart as ever. though owing to
hlrl lImNs lhn nNnnnslNn amusnmnnt - n...A !