Evening star., 1899-03-02
THE EVENING STAR THURSDAY, MARoH 2, 1904 PAGES

own race, whether Spanish born or Cuban
born, to give the island good government,
so the larger financial interests will con-
tinue to favor annexation, whether their
voice is drowned in the general chorus for
Independence or not. But this feeling does
not work downward beyond a certain level.
The commercial classes no longer share it.
The Havana chamber of commerce, which
had high reputation all over the world,
was recently dissolved. 1t had occupied
semi-ofhcial relation to the Spanish gov
ernment and the end Of the Spanish SOW
ereignty was given as the reason for it's
dissolution. The object of this body was
10 preserve and foster close trade rela-
tons with Spain. Agitation has begun for
the formation of new chamber of COM
merce with the same purpose. Recently
something has been printed about a secret
movement of the Spanish business men of
the island. That can hardly be called Sc
cret which is open.
Retail trade would he the last to feel
American competition. The few expert
ments made in that line are not of a kind
10 disturb existing business. Nevertheless,
II is In the retail trade that the fiercest op-
position to annexation or any form of Amer
lcanlzation exists The bodega owners are
practically as ono man in their hostility to
the influence Of the United States. Their
pre1udices have been adroitly worked upon.
Every case of military authority has been
magnified and exaggerated. The bodeque-
ros ana the cafe owners did not in the be-
ginning understand the order forbiddng
soldiers. They had always sold to the Span
ish soldiers. When a few of the bodegas and
cafes We're closed and their owners fined
without civil process ,they became intense
in their hostilitytto anything that savorel
OF military control Some of the cases were
2ggravating. A waiter in one of the lead
ing cafes served n gin fizz to drum ma
]or, thinking the customer was major
general. The cafe was closed and kept clos
ed for twenty-four hours, the proprietor be-
ing without recourse until the military au-
thorit1es permitted him to reopen. Other
instances have been made prominent. They
have all helped to unity the Spanish retail
dealers against the continuance of the
American influence. While their final atti-
tude cannot be fully defined, it is probable
that the Spaniards in Cuba will continue
divided with the anneXationiStS In a decided
minority.
Regarding the race Of color" a simple
statement tells the whole story. The color
line was never known in Cuba until the ad-
vent of the Americans. AS l stated in
former letter. social equality did not exist.
but social liberation prevailed. After the
protocol was signed some of the black Off
GERS among the insurgents ScOlded their
own race for lack of aggressiveness. They
had borne their share in the insurreCtion
and were certain to receive recognition in
the future government of the island. but
they We're not pressing for that recogni-
ton. American adventurers began coming
into Cuba and telling how ''the niger
would find his place when Cuba was an
neXed Various incidents followed. The at
tempt of a cheap American bar room to ad-
Fertlse itself was one of several instances
which started the people discussing the fu-
ture OF the colored race in Cuba. The dis
cusslon has gone on until the colored race
in Cuba has reached a pretty unanimous
decision that it's future is not promising if
the island becomes a state in the Union.
That is the present sentiment, and 1t is in
itself powerful enough to dampen any an
neXat1on movement.
CHALES NJ. PEPPER.