Evening star., 1900-12-12

ish subjects until some form of govern
| ment is set up. under which they can ac-
quire Cuban citizenship if they desire. The
Cuban constitutional convention has not
yet reached the point where it can be deter
mined what view regarding naturalization
is likely to prevail, but the period of pro-
baton is not likely to be long one. Eight
or ten years from now the Spanish vote
probably will be large one, and in the
meantime the inconvenience, both to Spain
and to the United States, of so large a
number of Spanish subjects in Cuba will
have to be tolerated.
The Negro Population.
There is one phase of this Spanish immi-
grafton, outside of it's industrial bearing,
which is both unique and important. 1t
promises to settle for all time the fears
lest Cuba should become Africanized, or,
when it has it's own government, prove to
be another Hayti. The census taken under
the direction of the American authorities
shows that about one-third of the popula-
ton has negro blood. The actual propor-
ton may be little larger because the EMU
meratorS may have put down some persons
as white who had a strain Of the African
But whatever the exact proportion, there
Is no movement in any quarter for negro
immigration toward Cuba in a mass. The
blacks of the other West India islands have
shown little disposition to drift to Cuba
since the American occupation. A class
which was in the habit of coming over
from Jamaica, and which was both idle and
vicious. has been excluded under the immi-
grafton laws. The Cubans themselves who
belong to the race Of color seem to look
with equanimity on this result, for they
have been opposed to negro immigration
movements. They want the race question
forgotten, and so long as their own civil
and political equality is assured they do not
seem to be worrying about the coming of
Spanish immigrants. Though the processes
necessarily will be slow, they will be sure,
and since the continuance of this Spanish
immigration is certain 1t is going to settle
what race will be the dominating one in
Cuba. The question is a broad one, and /
only touch on it now because it's develop
ment will be worth following.
A few hundred Chinese are coming but
the immigration from this source SEEM
ingly Is not going to be as large as was
supposed year or two back. At the pres
ent rate dozen years or more will pass
before the number of Chinese in the island
Will equal their number before the insur-
rectton. The immigration inspectors say
| nobody seems to be favoring Chinese immi-
grafton now, and the Cinnamon, who come
| In small patches are quickly scattered. It
Is possible also that some of them expect
| to make Havana and the other ports a
means OF working their way into the
United States, as was done in former years
After a time. when the era of railroad
building and similar enterprises begins, 1t
Is likely that there will be some Italian
Immigration. Most Of the Italians who are
now here have come from New York Since
the ships which bring the Spanish immi-
grants from the Mediterranean ports can
| touch also at italian ports, after awhile q
| direct movement will set in. But for the
present the need is for field labor, and
Spanish immigration fulfills that require
ment SO completely that the Italians are
| not likely to come in large numbers
CHARLES NJ PEPPER.