Arizona republican., 1899-02-22
QUEER THINGS IN CUBA
Features of Inc Everyday Life in inc
 Isle of Tomorrow.


 no better financial prop than American
 greenbacks; they are so much easier to
 carry than gold, and the premium or
 them is the same. If he brings the
 usual letter of credit or draws on home
 through one of the island banks, he
 will find that the cashiers charges fol
 the accommodation are quite in keep
 ing with the Cuban idea that every
 thing American is lawful prey, to be
 made the most of. The hotel keepers
 still require their pay on the basis of
 Spanish gold, but will readily allow
 per cent on American bills. The local
 merchants are glad to get our green
 backs at the same rate in exchange for
 their goods or the coin of the country,
 because most of their business is done
 in New York, Philadelphia Boston and
 Baltimore on the credit system, and
 the notes are convenient for transpor-
 tation without the expense Of getting
 them changed into another form But the cabmen, porters, servants and oth-
 CTS of their class, accustomed to Deing
 cheated at every turn by their late
 rulers, will have nothing to do with
 any money they do not understand, and insist on the familiar 2O-cent
 and nickels, and coppers for small pleces of the island, American dimes change, or the dirty, beggar-handled, disease-infested shinplasters. If you of- fer them an American half-dollar, fresh and shining from the mint, they -Evill eye it doubtfully, try it's edges Ill their teeth and ring it on the sidewalk, if they do not refuse it outright.
 Some sharper of other days seems to have flooded Cuba with American silver in five and ten cent pieces. after having punched a fraction out of each for his own profit. You may pick up q hatful of these small coins in the course of a days transactions in any Cuban city and never find whole one among them. Not only do the mutt lated pieces pass at their face value without question, but the islanders ap- pear to place most confidence in the coin that has the greatest number or holes in it, as proof that 1t Is genu- ine-else why did somebody take the trouble to punch it? A great deal or paper scrip, similar to that used in the United States before the resumption of specie payment, circulates in Cuba, but with this important difference: when ours became soiled or torn we could exchange it for new, while in Cuba there are no such facilities, and the filthy bits of paper, handled by lepers and carried about in the rags of the lowest classes, become so loathsome that one would rather forego his change than touch 1t.
 One dollar of our silver will purchase at least s2.45 of this scrip, often more, according to the rate of exchange at the moment. Though based upon nothing, having been issued indiscrimi- nately by a bankrupt government, it answers all the local necessities of trade, and is always used for car fare and small transactions. It was ground | out of the paper mill-nCbody knows to exactly what amount-in ,, 10, 20 | and 50 cent "plastecs." One thing IS we'll known, that every authorized is- sue of a given sum was enormously eX- ceeded Seven years ago an issue or bank bills of this small currency was intrusted to an establishment i'll the United States, and $14,000,OO was printed in addition to the authorized | amount! All was duly receipted for | and signed by the corrupt Spanish off, cials. who-so the quidnunces say-di- vided the extra millions among them selves. It is asserted that the captain general under whose administration this financial stroke was accomplished came to Cuba a poor man, and two years later returned to Spain with B. O0O, 900 pesos to his credit. So thrifty were the proud hidalgos who threw down a dollar when half of it was due (somebody else's dollar), and stalked away, sneering at the "Yan- kee pigs who waited for their change!
 The other day I went into the Cafe
 1F - rxrYlNy s17 rived countrymen. There were four of us, and each ordered different bev- craze I threw down a five-dollar American gold piece in payment. The 'simle dispenser studied long with knitted brow over the knotty problem of change, and then handed me back Spanish five-dollar gold piece and 40 cents in silver. This pleased the group so we'll that I treated again, giving back to the saloon keeper the Spanish fve-dollar gold piece. This was easier for him to reckon, and my change for the second deal was five silver dollars and four cents. Though the price of drinks is high in Cuba, it would seem that there is money to be made in talk ing them ad libitum, and the more liq- nor one buys the more money he gets! To study the thing out, it was this way: There was 20 per cent premium on American gold over Spanish gold, and 20 per cent on Spanish gold as compared with silver. Thus, out of the original American five-dollar gold piece I bought eight expensive drinks and still had $5.80 in silver-and dis covered afterward that the barkeeper had swindled me out of 15 cents change.
 In the Cuban calendar there are no fewer than 250 ''ho1y days" Sundays included, in which nobody can be le- gally compelled to labor-neither the nan servant, nor the maid servant, nor he OK, nor the ass. nor, perforce, the stranger within the gates With such deference to the saints md angels this ought to be the most : religious country under the sun; but, ! after hasty prayers in he early morning the natives employ