Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-03-08
QUEER THINGS IN CUBA.
Everyday Life I'm the Hale Of To.
Morrow

l AAAO IN inc 1hte OF TO-
Morrow.
One who is visiting in Cuba in these
nays OF her reconstructing can bring
no BETTER financial piop than Amer
ican greenlbacks; they are so much
easier TO carry than gold, and the
premium on them is the same. If he
brings the usual letter of credit OF
draws ON home Through one of the
isfamd banks, he will find that the
CASHIERS charges for the accommoda-
ton are quite in keeping with the
Cuoan idea THAT everything American
Is Rawfu prey, to be made the most
OF. The .hotelkeepers still REQUIRE
their pay ON the basis of Spanish
gold, but will readily allow 6 Der
cent on American bills. The local
merchants are glad ITO get our green
backs at the same rate in exchange
tor their goods or the coin of the
country, because most of their bust.
ness is done in New York, Phipadel-
pima, Boston and baltimore on rths
credit system, and the notes are con-
venlent for transportation without
the expense Of getting them changed
into another form. BUT the calbmeu.
porters, servants and others of their
Grass, accustomed TO being cheated at
every turn by their late rulers, will
nave nothing to do with any money
they do not understand, and insist ON
the familiar 2O-cenlt pieces of the is
band, American dimes and nickels.
and coppers for small change, or the
dirty. Deggar-handled, disease infest-
ed shlnpiasters. If you offer them an
American half-dolfar, fresh and shin
ing from the mint, they will eye it
doubtfuTly, try its edges in their
teeth and ring it on the sidewalk, if
shey do not refuse it outright.
Some sharper of other days seems
TO have flooded Cuba with American
silver in and 10 cent pieces, after
having punched a fra ction out of each
for his own profit. You may pick up
q haItful of these small coins in the
course of days transactions in any
Cuban city, and never find a whole
one among them. Not only do the
mutilated pieces pass ait their face
value without question, but the is
handlers appear ITO place most conf
dence in THE coin that has the greater
number of holes in it, as proof that
IT rs genuine-else why did every
body take the trouble to punch it?
A great deal of paper scrip, similar
to that used in the United States be.
fore the resumption of specie pay-
ment, circulates in Cuba, but with
this important difference, when ours
became soiled or torn we could ex-
change lit for new, while in Cuba
There are NO such facilities, and the
filthy bits of paper, handled by lepers
and carried about in the rags of the
lowest classes. become SO loathsome
that one would rather forego his
change than touch them.
One dollar of our silver will DUR
chase at least $2.45 of this scrip, often
more, according to the rate of ex.
change ait the moment. Though
based upon nothing. having been is.
sued indiscriminately by bankrupt
government. 1T answers all the local
necessities of trade. and is always
used for carfare and small transac-
tlons. lit was ground out of the paper
mill-ncbody knows to exactly what
amount-in 5, 10. 20 and so cent
"piaCs.ers." One thing is well known,
that every authorized issue of a given
sum was enormously exceeded.
Seven years ago an issue of bank
bills of this small currency was in
trusted to an establishment in the
Untfted States, and $14,0O0,0O0 was
PRINTED in addition Ito the authorized
mount. All was duly receipted for
am SIGNED by the corrupt Spanish
officials, whose the quidnuncs say
divided THE extra millions among
themselves. 1t is asserted THAT the
captain general under whose admins
tratfon this financial stroke was ac-
came TO Cuba a poor man.
and two years later returned to Spain
with 100000 pesos to his credit. So
thrifty were the proud hidalgos who
threw down a dollar when thalf of ii
was due somebody else's dollar). and
stalked haughtily away, sneering at
the Yankee pigs" who waited for
their change!
The other day / went into the Cafe |
La Luz ito treat some of nv newly |
arrived eountrymen. There were four |
of US. and each ordered a different |
beverage. / threw down a SIS Ameri-
can goldpiece i'm payment. The
smile dispenser" studied long with
Inftted brow over the knotty problem
u change. and then handed me hack
} Spanish IS goldpiece and forty cents
N silver. This pleased the group so
we'll that | treated again, giving back
10 the sal0onkeeper the Spanish IS
9old1hece. THIS was easier for him to
reckon, and my change for the sec.
'nd deal was five silver dollars and 40
'ents. Though the price of drinks is
1igh IN Cuba, 1T would seem that
here is money to he r,as5a in .o1;
mem 'ad ltbitum, and the more Eouor
me Duys the more he gets! To study
me ching it cut, it was this wav.
, mere was Zo per cent premium on
~ gold over Spanish gold, and
~ per cent On Spanish gold as com.
'aieu wfpn silver. Thurs, out of the
'ruglnai american SIS goldpiece /
'ousht eight expensive drinks and
'uIi had $3.50 in silver-and discov.
red afterward that the barkeeper
rad swindled me out of Is ce.n,ta
shange. eei's
In the Cuban calendar there are M
ever than ESQ tholy days.. Sunday.
ncfuded, in which nobody can be L.
'ally compelled to la:bor-neitber the
nan servant, nor the maid SERVANT
lor the OK. nor the ass. nor perforce
he stranger within the gates. with
UGH extraordinary Difference TO the
laint's and angels this ought to he
he most religious country under the
un; but, unfortunately. after baxtv
prayers in the early morning the ma.
ives employ the remainder of their
east days in bull-baiting, cock-fobt.
ng, the lottery. the ball, the theater
instead OF attendance on heavenIv