New-York tribune., 1899-07-29
mr.. MACARTHUR ON CUBA
CONDITIONS GREATLY IMPROVED UN-
DER AMERICAN RULE-HIS
VIEWS ON INGERSOLL.


,.,e steamship Orizaba. which arrived from Mex
10 and Havana yesterday. was the Rev. Dr. Robert
6 Macarthur pastor OF Calvary Baptist Church. in
west Fifty -seventh-st. He took passage on the
.t.auushp at Vera Cruz. after a months sojourn
A. C,ha and Mexico. In response 10 inquiries as TO
.x,stjng civil commercial political and military
Conditions IN the island OF Cuba under American
rIle DR.. Macarthur said:
AN conditions in Cuba are improving rapidly.
Business is reviving with surprising rapidity. II is
A,rcut 20 realize that great the island
has Just ended. Throngs Of prosperous looking peo
ole are seen in the Prado and in all the parks.
"A the sanitary conditions have greatly i'm
oroved The leading streets clean as those IN
many American cities. The filth OF centuries has
heen removed and the health OF the entire city has
rreatly improved Up to the time OF my visit there
had not been for the season a single death from
Yellow fever Both Cubans and Spanards
snazed at the improvements that have been made.
General Ludlow deserves and receives the praise OF
al sensible people in Havana Perhaps, however.
no department under the control OF Americans is
more successfully managed than the Postofice De-
partment General Estes G. Rathbone is at the
head OF this department He had long and varied
experience In the postal service before going to
Cuba The President showed great wisdom In the
rejection OF General Rathbone. II would be almost
impossible exaggerate the wretched condition In
Vhich he found the postal service when he entered
rpon his work. The Improvements are not limited
10 the posofice in Havana. but are extending over
the entire Island OF Cuba.
u had abundant opportunity OF learning the
srift OF political sentiment, alike Of Americans,
spaniards and Cubans. General Brooke is man
aging the great affairs OF his important ofce with
military precision and with equal discretion and
consideration. General Fitzhugh Lee is the idol
d the Cuban people. Their enthusiasm over him Is
boundless Major Scott Major Slocum and many
other subordinate officers merit high praise IN the
discharge OF their delicate duties II ought to be SAID
Mrs ND M
hone share with their husbands in the honor OF ex
.csing great social tact in their public receptions
,nd in their other relations with Cubans and Span
The span!ards without exception desire the
presence Of Americans and the eontrol py sheIn o.
iav and order that give protection TO life and
II met Cubans Of intelligence, men who have have
American institutions who frankly eSprsSseo s oe Ine
the island in some form of protectorate until the
people were ready f9r annexsnon ., This historic
Island II may be made the garden o. AmerlSa. 4 ca
i.e5e that the American fag raised over that isl;
and by the providence OF GOO and me VaIo[ OF
ssv that IT is customary dress parades for the
sa1ds now 10 play The Star Spangled Banner;
and at the commencement OF the NauonaI ai' dii
The crowds uncover their heaos. ,.h -hrae
Inc ReV "A j. Diaz who has twice been eled for
his devotion 70 Cuba and once rom 10 Wasb
3to1 ssI-aG The pastor's life within half an hour
~ tbe time ne was 10 have been shot he is well
known In the United States and has sometimes oc
rrnied The pulpit in my church he was lnterpleser
for General Shafter during the negotauons WIN WIN
ihe Spaniards al Santiago. To him we are lndept-
81 in no small part for the Spanish General Ioral
Readiness to surrender. He represented 10 Genera!
Tora that there at least three times ds HIalls
American soldiers surrounding santiago as "eie
really in the field ,,. l., rJ.,.,,. -, c,,,
y occupied d. Diazs pulpit IN havana on sun @
dav night July g. he acting as interpreter loI ne.
When the religious exercises were over a youns
Cuban woman, who had been educated IN tnS
United States sat down before the organ any
strnck M America Then she began 70 sing IN
T7eiish NV Country. Ts OF Thee. and soon the
whole congregation joined In America 'HONe'
unable TO the words. -
When asked II he had anything 10 say regarclng
the death Of Robert G. lngersoll. Or. macarthur
said I heard OF poor 1ngersolls death WnlIe al
Havana 7 knew him personally, and fully recoS-
nfZed mis- ability as a public speaker. He had great
lain that for the last years his power was con-
stantly waning. He not taken sericusiy, even
bv many Of those who applauded MS wei turneo
sentences I once told him that ne had not kept up
he had been jumping up and down in the same
spot for the last twenty years, that ne was Simply
trampng upon a Of straw which ne MN
self had set up and that more enlightened portlons
NJ the Church were a hundred years beyond the oo-
iections 10 Christianity and the Bible which ne was
he was away back in the Middle Ages, and that ne
ought 10 make one vigorous effort 70 eaten up WIN
the PROCESSION He almost acknowledged the JUS
tice OF nv criticism. His influence Will die WIN
him The merely destructive critic has no holo
inon the future Christianity will move on in It's
as detractors shall have utterly perished among
men I can speak OF him only with pity