The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-10
CUBA'S CHIEF DRAWBACK
GEN. LUDLOW SAYS so PER CENT. OF
THE PEOPLE ARE ILLITERATE.
Little Hope for Much Improvement in
the Condition of the Island Until
the Natives Become Educated.

NEW YORK, Nov. 9.--Gen. William Luu-
low, military governor Of Havana, reached
his home in Flushing to-day. To reporter
General Ludlow talked at length on the
condition of affairs in Cuba. He consid-
cred the greatest drawback to the improve
msnt of the people their great illiteracy.
Among other things he said: 1.-THE condi-
ton of the people is something awful IN
that respect. Eighty per cent. OF them are
iliterate- The Spanish for three hundred
years had an elaborate system of schools
and academies. The theory of these was
splendid, and had they done the work they
were supposed to do things would have
been different. Very little progress has
been made by us yet for we have been too
busy with more important matters to give
much attention to education. Still, We have
made a beginning and in Havana there Is
now something of an approach to schools
What we need most is a system of indus
trial schools in which youths of the city
and country can be taught trades and occu-
pations. The education Of the children is
another matter, as it must be started from
infanc5 but the boys now growing up must
be taught something useful that they may
earn their living. 1t is too late TO start
them on thorough course of education.
5CNN
by the time they had attained a common
education. Therefore they must be taught
something that will enable them to live, and
then the children must be taught sys-
tematically 1t will take a long time TO
educate the people of Cuba up TO the
standard of our people.
The condition of Cuba to-day is bad but
it is better than when We took hold When
;,,+.N ba rll4 a.
lions had been idle for years, the plants were
destroyed, the people sick and starved. The
rich residents of the island were, and still
are. poor. They have wealth, but it's all
tied up in the land, which for years was
rendered valueless because of the disturbed
condition of the country They have not
been able to go ahead and start again. The
tobacco industry is looking up, but the
prosecution of that does not require large
amounts Of money, as does the sugar in
dustry.
What Cuba needs now is capital, and the
worlds money will not be invested in Cuba
until the world is certain that IT will be pro-
tected by the United states. Ihat assur-
ance the world has been slow TO believe
What is feared is u shotgun republic. The
capitalists fear that money invested in Cuba
will be as uncertainty guarded that in
vested IN South American republics, where
rev olutionS occur so often The worlds
money fears that when the United States
leaves Cuba the government established
there will be overthrown and that revolu-
tons will occur. This will not be the case
The United States will wait until q govern
ment is firmly established in the islands.
This IL not to be accomplished in a day
put II Will be accomplished, and Cuba, wheT
her own government is established, viii
have permanent one. The intelligent peo-
pie OF Cuba are taking a great interest In
our government and our ways, and are try
ing TO mt themselves to take up the bur
den Of government. Like the educationa
tfnr mill no Ions hnfn n.
Cubans are entirely fitted for self-govern
ment, but they are doing their best and are
making good progress.
The belief that there is large lawles:
set in Cuba is an error. never heard Of
a negro being burned at the stake in Cuba
nor have / heard of any lynchipg bees
are law-abiding and industrious. Once lie
Cuba become prosperous, and the people
who have undergone so much in the past
will become contented and the old restless
ness will pass. The Spanish residents ar
good class. Many Spaniards are COMING
into the island. They are the class tina
will benefit the island, for they are TIT
| labor class. With the old causes of bitter
ness between the Cubans and the Spaniards
| the political causes, wiped out, the,
| be no trouble between the races. The span
| lard who works and adds to the wealth o
Cuba is a gain. 1t was the other class o
| Spaniards that ruined the island and caused
There have been some who clamored fol
| an immediate government of their own, bu
| the more intelligent of these have long since
realized that our conception of the tasl
| that we took up was more fitting thar
theirs was, and these people are the ones
who now want us to remain until the time
| comes when there will be no danger o
| Cuba's being able to stand alone.
THE work of organizing government Il
| going on as rapidly as may be: 1t Will no
| be long before the whole island is covered
| and in every portion the Cubans will be re
| ceiving lessons in a practical way: In Ha
| vana of course, the government Is now wei
| established and working most smoothly. L
| has been our policy to withdraw wheneve
| possible, the military control, but not tn
| supervision and aid. AS to Havana's condi
| ton, there is a misconception of II. The cit.
! has never been as badly off as some othe
| cities on the island. To-day 1t Is in as goo
| condition as can be. but not so good as
| will be In the future"