The Washington bee., 1899-05-13
THE CITY Of C|ENFUEG)S.
A Gateway Through Which
Passes a Great Percent
age of Cuban Export.
THE BACKDOOR OF CUBA
Some of the Largest and Best Es-
tateS Are in Its Immediate
Vicinity.

Soldiers and Patriots Who Refuse to Go
to Work Though There Is Plenty OF
It-They Prefer to Pose As Heroes and
Live on Charity-Reforms Which Are
Greatly Needed.
To the American observer, Cienfue'
Cos should properly be one of the most
satisfactory cities of the tropics. Its
streets are of good width, and it &C.
tually has fOotways which are en-
titled to the name of sidewalks. 1t is
almost possible to walk three abreast
There is large and beautiful park
iron-fenced with gardens and palm
trees. The park is fronted ~ an i'm
posing church editice, a notable the
atre building, fine club house and yari-
Gus other creditable structures, says a
writer in the Indianapolis News.
There are a number of buildings, both
commercial and residential. which
are far above the Cuban average.
There is an unusual number of stores
which are spacious and which OffeI
that attractiveness which results from
spaciousness. Yet. somehow, l do not
like the place. 1t may be that its ap-
cities of 10000 people is the cause OF
my little dislike for it, because it sug-
gests and yet so fails to realize the
American standard.
Giving Havana the credit of being
Cuba's portal, the city of Cienfuegos is
Cuba's back door. 1t is an important
gateway, and through it there passes
every year Il considerable percentage
of Cuban export. The chief industry
is Sugar-raising, and some of the larg-
est and best estates on the island are
to be found in the immediate vicinity
of the city. Their business was very
seriously interrupted during the war,
and some prOprietOrs were badly Grip
pied. There was not, however, the wide
spread destruction which occurred in
some other districts.
There is strong Spanish interest in
the vicinity, and Il considerable Span
iSh garrison occupied the territory. A
story which is quite characteristic of
Cuban methods of warfare is told in
all seriousness by an eX-Officer of the
Cuban army. During the war; he
says, 1.-The Spanish sent an army of
10000 men into Santa Clara province.
After marching through the country
for time they returned and reported
the paciticatiOn of the district When
we heard that we came down from the
hills and burned many cane fields, to-
show them that we were as tnuch en-
ragged as ever Enough of thu deStruc-
zion occurred to seriously impair the
industry, and good authorities estimate
the crop at from quarter to q third of
the normal.
The labor question of the district is
presenting serious phases. Hands are
wanted on many estates to prepare the
ground for the crops. At least 2,000l
laborers are wanted. The laborerS are
here, but they will not go to work
They are soldiers and patriots They
are certainly a disreputable looking
lot of soldiers. from n military stand
point. and their patriOtism semms to
manifest itself chiefly in philandering
around. carrying Il gun and machete,
and living on the charity of the impOv-
erished peasantry 1t is not easy to see
why these peple could not De officially |
mustered out and returned TO produc- |
tive activity on the soil. pending the |
distribution of any, moneys which may
be coming to them, and any Use which
may hereafter be found for them =.
rural police, or in other suitable cap.
city.