New-York tribune., 1899-07-24
GAMBLING IN HAVANA.
MEASURES TO BE TAKEN TO CHECK
SPREAD OF EVIL.
,,voR READY TO ENFORCE THE LAWS
WORK OF RELIEF FOR CUBANs-A
HEAVY RAINFALL REPORTED.


havana. July 23.-The commission of prom
,rsnt Cuban lawyers appointed by General Lud-
Low 10 decide upon and report to the best
r,sthods 10 be adopted for checking public
gambling recently made complete report
which was referred to Mayor Lacoste.
u seems that the old Spanish law was per-
,ectly able to cope with the entire matter, but
hat II was rarely enforced, owing to the large
rsvenue received by the Government for hos
r,tals and other charitable institutions from the
nropretors OF the gambling establishments. Oc-
css,onally the Governors would enforce the law
and all gambling would stop for few months,
only TO break out again and be carried on with
more freedom than before:
The committee recognizes the fact that gam
,rng has now assumed proportions which 1t is
desirable 10 check and sets forth in Its report
that the Spanish law only requires the co-opera-
,,on of the police to bring about the desired re-
form General Ludlow, the Military Governor,
insists that the fault is not with the police. who
on several occasions have made arrests ana
seized gambling outfits. only to have the judges
ouash the proceedings and return the outflts
n their owners. The committee suggests police
interference particularly with a certain CLASS
~ clubs which are mere gambling hells anu
are frequented by many persons. 1t does not
consider however. that it would be adVlsaoie
:. Interfere with the legitimate clubs. where
whist and other games are played merely as
nastime. but only with those which are run as
Gambling hers and for the profit only Of pro-
fesslonal gamblers
MANY ARRESTS EXPECTED.
General Ludlow referred the report to Senor
Iacoste who is enthusiastic in his desire TO sup
nress the evil, believing that ii has pad elec'
npon the morals of the citizens. The Mayor de-
,lares that he will exercise to the full the powers
vested In him. Consequently it is expected 'hat
many arrests will shortly be made not oniy Oh
native gamblers but of others who are in the helo
With the sole object of fleeing Americans Many
,or,blers with unsavory records are in the city,
among them being Americans, MeXicans ana
men of other nationalities If the judges 90
heir duty it is expected that the city Will short
ly be purified.
William Willard Howard, general manager OF
The Cuban Industrial Relief Fund speaks nope
fully Of the work being done at the two relief
farms at Cieba Mocha, twelve miles west OF
Natanzas where the managers have more ap-
phcations for employment than they have funos
enough TO provide. Mr.. Howard says that
crowds Of destitute persons come to the farms
1T daylight and beg for days work. None OF
t,em beg for food and never ask for it without
expressing a desire to pay for ii by working.
nr Howard also says that numerous small
farmers in the neighborhood are anxious to OBJ
tain loans for the purchase of animals and i'm
piements with which TO resume the cultivation
Of their fields offering 10 pay for such loans at
the rate Of - per cent According TO Mr. How
ard many who applied TO General Wilson for
assistance have been referred to him. General
Wilson is a friend and helper Of the fund and
Is strongly in favor of aiding with cattle and
agricultural implements the small farmers. 1t
was at his instigation that Governor General
Brooke recently called a meeting Of all the
Governors of the provinces TO take action in the
matter. All except General Wilson objected to
the plan proposed. believing that it savored too
much Of paternalism
CULTIVATION OF LAND.
Mr. Howard asserts that near the large cities
there ,s a little progress being made in the
cultivation of the lan1. but that further in the
country the evidences Of the devastation
wrought by General Weyler are plain
ever. thus showing that here has been no
change since April. The difficulty IS. Mr.. How
ard says, a lack Of funds. The small farmers
have not been helped except b. the issues OF
Army ratons. The society desires to increase
its funds in order that 1t may enlarge its
sphere Of usefulness.
An organization is being formed by some of
the Spanish residents here with a view Of secur
ing American citizenship, the originators Of the
movement saying that in this way their property
ard interests will secure protection. Many
Spaniards are willing % pay 500 each TO be-
come citizens OF the United States
American banking methods are becoming eX-
t-emely popular with he merchants OF Ha-
vana there now being on deposit with the
North American Trust Company, fiscal agents
Of the United States in Cuba, over S4,OOOoo, eX-
elusive Of the Government funds. Several al
legged counterfeiters have been arrested on the
charge Of issuing spurious silver dollars. The
coins. which II is asserted were made by the
prisoners were produced ny primitive methods
being cast in plaster OF paris moulds.
The local papers unanimously complain OF
Mayor Iacoste's order directing the closing OF
the stores at o'clock in the evening. owing
to the intense heat which prevails IN the AFTER
noon women. the papers assert, hnd IL lmpos,
sible to do their shopping before the hour named
for closing in the order. They advise that the
hour set he changed to 10 o'clock, FOR the sum-
mer months. , .,,
There was an extremely heavy rainfall this
afternoon and the lower portion OF the CITY was
practically flooded At different points hunpers
OF small boys were seen swimming III tHe
streets .s
The Havana Chamber Of Commerce mas ,, No,tu
70 send a special Commissioner to the Phllauei-
phia Exposition