Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-11

habitants of Cuba can only be determined
by reliable census 1t was not the habit
of the Spanish government to distinguish
in making the enumeration. The only in
stance of which l am aware that this was
done in the enumeration made half
century ago. This showed that 76 per cent
of the inhabitants of Cuba We're native
born, while 10 per cent were from the
peninsula and the Canary Islands. The
balance was made up of ASiatics and for
eigners. Commonly, the Spaniards spoke
of themselves comprising from 300, 900
$50 600 of the inha bitants of Cuba. But this
was like their claim to owning four-fifthS
of the property and paying all the taxes.
Exaggerated statements were made for ef-
feet.
On the other hand the Cuban estimate of
$50 900 Spanards was too small. At the
beginning of the last insurrection there
We're IS 900 enrolled volunteers in the is
land. and these We're all Spanish born.
When the guerrillas and the moviazadoS
or irregular military forces, were organic
ed, they brought the number up to almost
100, 900. and they were chiefly Spanish born
With this number capable of bearing arms
it seems certain that 150, 600 was too small
an estimate for the entire number in CUBA
However. the Spanish population was very
largely population of males. The enroll
ment of Spaniards who wish to continue
subjects of Spain. which is now going on,
affords no tests of nativity. UP TO the
present time $500 have been enrolled at
Havana. The majority of the SpanlardS
who mean to continue Spanish subjects
will probably wait until the last month
given them under the treaty of Paris. mat
will be next March.
Proportion of Whites and Blacks.
The most interesting and the most use
ful information which will be gathered by
the American census will relate to the pro-
portion of whites and blacks in Cuba. 1t
is common to class the mulattoes with the
blacks and that basis Will be followed In
determining the relative numbers OF the
two races. Some very wild guesses nave
been made which can only be settled by
official figures, the trustworthlness OF
which cannot be doubted. Though a con-
trary idea is commonly held, the black pop
ulation of Cuba for the last fifty years has
shown a relative decrease, and the whlte
popua ton a corresponding increase. Al
the beginning of the inSurrection the blackS
and mulattoes together comprised only
trfe more than 81 per cent of the total OF
the inhabitants. Nobody on the island VINO
had black blood in his veins ever sought
to disguise it, and the enumeration was
probably correct as any enumeration
taken by Spanish officials could be. The
proportion of blacks who survived the war
and the RECOMMENDATION was larger than
that of the whites. Just how much larger
is the interesting thing which the Amerl-
can census must determine. Some of the
military officials think that it will snow an
actual majority of blacks over whites. MY
own observation does not agree with thls
opinion
When the Cuban census enumeratoIs who
had been called to Washington to receive
instructions returned to Havana they gave
an interesting account of their experience
They said that one of the questions when
it was proposed to ask was whether each
inhab tant knew English. But this ques-
ton they said was suppressed at their re-
quest In Havana and the larger towns
there are plenty of Cubans and Spaniards
who know English, but the percentage of
the total population which can speak the
language of the United States is smaller
than is commonly supposed.
Question Which Was Disliked.
The Cuban census enumerators said
there was another question which it was
proposed to ask, and which they did not
like This was the opinion of each indi-
vidual regarding independence. According
to their version, they replied that the en-
tire country with few exceptions, wished
for independence, and on this statement
the American officials suppressed the in
quisitorial question.
These evidences of Cuban feeling are not
vital The census questions are broad
enough to give the information which is