The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-18
pain IN ?HE LAP OF CUBA
Castoms Of the Old Not Departing in
the New Era.
asiattc Indifference to the Proprie-
ties of Life SIN Has an Abiding
fi"ce-Reasops for n Continuance
OF American supcrvision-Corrup
lions of omcieIs ira the Island.

Recent arrivals. as well as letters from
cities in Cuba show very plainly that Span
iards who have resided there have not, in
spite CT the recent change in the political
situation of the island. lost their love for
the garden spot Of the Antilles. The Gu
ban himself, though possibly he doesn't
know il. and IL he does. Is unwilling to
admit it. is a Spanlard to all intents and
purposes. He may not be. in fact. he is
not. OF pure Castillian blood but he is
strongly imbued with Spanish notions. and
the customs OF the country. now that an
enduring peace seems to have taken the
place of interminable war have cropped
out anew. conclusive proof is pre-
sented that IL an intelligent and respes,-
able Cuban is well scratched Spanish SEN
timent Is bound to present itself.
At the same time the Cuban element
itself. as distinguished from the mixed
breed, is something that cannot within
generation be seaned from a condition OF
existence by no means inconsistent with
some degree Of Asiatc or African indiffer-
ence to the proprieties OF life to call it BY
the least Of its objectionable features.
This is not confined to the wild and I'M
cultivated country yet untouched by civil
ordinances in the wake of crude rules OF
Irregular warfsre. but in the leading cities
of the island they linger with no special
indication of an early cancellation
Major ]. II. kenner. who has recently
returned to the United States after a long
service in Cuba as a paymaster in the
American Army. declares in recently
published letter that the Cuban is very
low down in the scale as to his ideas OF
ed and tyrannized over so long Major
Kenner asserts. that the Cuban has very
meagre ideas OF our form of government.
There are two classes in Cuba today
which are outSpoken for annexation 10 the
United States. First. the Spaniards. that
own the property of the island. They are
fcf annexation. for the reason that they
believe under the United States their pos
sessions will be safe. Second, the ttboring
classes are largely for annexation. for the
reason that they believe under the United
States their wages would be better There
is a revolutionary class called in Cuba the
Politicians. They are mostly mulattoes
and insurreetionary Cubans that want the
offices. They are the fellows that gave
General Brooke and Gomez so much trou-
BILE"
Major kenner expresses the opinion that
if this Government should withdraw its
lpIctS anu itdEt tue tuDdn pDllllclaNS To
form a Government instructions and revo-
lutions would be as frequent as ir any
South American State. He refers to the
multitude of negroes in Cuba and believes
that the element will be a disturbing fac
tor in the future of the island.
The negro of Cuba is. however. admitted
to be equal to the average Southern negro
While he is as black as ebony, he has a
well shaped head and good features and
generally is a man of intelligence.
Major Kenner referring to eorruptions
of officials In Cuba says:
The corruptions of the officials in Gu
ba il Cubans may be believed. relating to
taxation and the assessment of taxes. was
simply astounding. l was told by appa-
rently reliable men that tax assessor. in
going 10 assess two persons. one whose
property was worth So, eco and the otser
10000, il the $4,000 man put Into the
hands OF the assessor a bride Of 800
or some other sum. his PROF erty is usu-'
ally valued at 1000 or $1,000. and if the
other man refused. he was assessed at &c.
00O The assessor divided with his superior
and the assessment stood. | am told that
this corruption pervaded all official depart
ments IN Cuba under the Spanish system. ="