The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-05-09

Havana. May THE owners OF the prin-
eipal Cuban steamship lines met to-day.
and resolved TO send two representatives
TO Washington with a request that the
companies be allowed 10 fly the American
flag, or II that be impossible, 70 nave
distinctive flag. so as TO be able 10 engage
in trade with the United States ana other
countries. Senors Cosmo de Horrera and
BlancO, acting for the estate OF Count De
MOntera and in the interest of The Her
rera Company, will probably De the depu-
tation.
The Herrera Company owns twenty
steamers and the Menendez Company six,
three of which were built in Philadelphia
at a cost Of s200O0 each. The sum OF s.
900 coo is invested in the steamers Cf the
companies represented at to-iay's meet
ing. These steamers used TO trade with
San Domingo. Porto Rico, Jamaica,
Mexico, the Southern States. and the Ca
nary Islands, and those OF the Herrera
Company made regular trips TO San Do
mingo and Porto Rico. Now the owners
of both steamers and sailing vessels. of
which $50 are Cuban, assert tnaS business
is being ruined because 1t is confined to
coastwise trips.
Ailege Unfair Treatment.
Two American lines are doing a large
| coastwise business. yet Cuban vessels cam
not go among the West Indies or TO the
Southern States The Cuban SChoOners.
for instance. could do a carrying trade in
cattle, lumber, and -four with Savannah,
| Mobile. New Orleans and Galveston, but
Washington forbids.
With the sale of the Spanish floating
dock, steamers will have no facilities for
making repairs here, and as matters now
stand they cannot dock in American
| ports.
The feeling of the steamship people that
! they are unjustly treated is shared by the
| entire commercial class in Cuba, and par
| ticularly in Havana. as this is the fourth
| port in point of Importance on the North
| American Atlantic coast. Before the war
| wholesale dealers were able to transship
| TO the West Indies and Mexico, and ii is
regarded as quite possible that, under the
| bonding system, Havana may be able TO
| do an extensive business with Central
and South America. But this will be i'm
possible unless the companies can have a
| flag that will be recognized abroad
The Legal Controversy
An organization of the American attor-
neys in Cuba has been formed. with
James McLeary as President. He was
| formerly Attorney General OF Texas, and
| served as the first Mayor of Santiago
after the American occupation. The at
torneys claim that having been duly ad-
mitted to practice in the courts of the
United States they are eligible to prac-
| tice here, at least so long as the mill
| tary administration is continued. To
this IN Ia inf
ueus objections, saying that many of the
Americans do not understand the Ian
guage, the laws. or the methods Of prac-
tioe, and can have no more right to fol-
low the legal profession here than doc
tors TO practice medicine until they shall
have passed the tests prescribed in Cuba.
The CubanS also suggest that many of
the Americans who seek clients here left
their country for their country's good.
After the election of officers the meet
ing adjourned until Friday next. ,Vhen a
definite course of action will be agreed
upon. Many non-professional Americans
do not believe the aspirantS will be al
| lowed by the military authorities TO prac-
| tice here without the necessary local
| qualifications, a knowledge OF both the
| Spanish language and laws being unque5-
| tionably required.
Discriminating Regulations.
The local papers critlcise the new postal
| regulations for requiring a knowledge Of
| English on the part of Cuban applicants
ard yet legalizing the employment of
Americans who do not know Spanish
The police are severely condemned by
| the press for raiding low dives" while
overlooking the gambling that goes on at
all the wealthy clubs. The papers say
that Havana is a branch Of Monte
Carlo"
At 3 o'clock this afternoon the tempera-
ture in Havana was u degrees Fahren-
| heit.