Daily inter mountain., 1899-02-23
COLOR LINE IN CUBA.

The Cubans, so it IS said, are entirely
free from the race prejudice and personal
antipathy common in some parts of the
United States. In Cuba. white men, mu
lattos and negroes serve in the same
army, live in the same camps ana eat at
the same table without creating trouble
or causing remarks. The white Cubans
do not think Of insulting Or avoiding
social contact with persons of negro
blood. They have not drawn the color
lire, and probably never did. Every
thing is fish that comes to their net. 1t
has becn left to the American in Havana
to draw the color line And this is about
the way the New York Tribune tells the
story:
Taking advantage of our liberation Of
Cuban and desiring to add to the bless
ings of the oppressed people Of that
island, an American went to Havana and
opened what would be called, in Butte, a
salocn 1t is called a cafe there. Some
Cubans with white skins went to the sa-
loon one day While sitting there drink
ing, they saw Cuban friend with a dark
skin. He w3s a general in the Cuban
army, a person of Importance, who COM
manded the respect of his countrymen,
and was entitled to the respectful con-
sideration Of American sojourners among
them. The friends of this gentleman
with the very dark skin, which indi-
Gated that negro blood flowed through
/ his vcrs, asked him to join them in a
! social glass. OF course he didn't object
! and, like the hail fellow we'll met he was
named his poison But the proprietor
refused to serve him because he was a
''rigser." That was more than the
Cubans could stand, and they laid the
case before the authorities.
| The laws in Havana forbid race dis
| tinctions, and Senor Mora, after consult
! ing General Ludlow, enforced it against
the American with the mighty race
pride, and, upon his refusal to MAKE
amends shut up his saloon. This left th'
American out of job and gave hin
abundant time to repent of his folly ant
| ignorance.
Commenting upon this exhibition o
pride upon the part of the American, th
Tribune says:
General Ludlow is undoubtedly right il
! his attitude. 1t is pity he cannot pici
such fellows up bodily and send then
home They are bound to be a nuisanc
| in all our new possessions. 1t is or llttl
use to send officials to deal with our de
| pendents justly and with regard to thei
| feelings, the necessity of which we hav
/ frequently pointed out, if our own cit
zens are going among them in privat
capacity to make new troubles faste
than our governors can correct old ones
| 1t looks as if one of the most essertia
features of our military rule would b
the power of summary suppression o
| Americans One of the historic reproache
of civilizat ton has been that it's contac
with a more primitive society meant pri
marily the communication of civihze
vices to new peoples. 1t is apparent tha
the old rule will mold good if we permit
to. Adventures and mischief makers
| such as this cafe-keeper, are already i
evidence. 1t is a sign Of hope to see ther
so promptly squelched The first step i
securing good government to alien peo
, pies is to make those of our own peopl
who go among them obey the law an
{ have regard for native rights and Gus
toms. We have not taken new posses
sions Tor the purpose of giving our ow
domestic faults and prejudices more roor
in which to flourish