The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-02
Rough Rider Rhoada8 Tells
What Ais the Cuban.
TO WORK IS A DISGRACE
And Growth of Fioger-naiIs
About the Only Enterprise.

Cuba and its future was frequently DIS
eussed and as it suited the speakers.
purpose the Inhabitants were sithe-
praised as gentlemen in every respect or
CHASED as the very lowest OF earth's in
haoitants. Doubtless the speakers knew
nothing Of the subject and only appealed
TO the prejudice Of their hearers hayips
an Idle hour and believing some one may
De interested, I win give description
o. some OF the persons and customs ]
have seen
The thing that impressed me when 7
nrst arrived was the long finger and
thumb nails Of everyone whom I met
since learning the language / ma that
their idea OF a gentleman is a person
VINO leads a life Of absolute idleness and
has only to busy himself with his clothes
and care for his person. AS an outward
and visible sign they allow the finger
nails to grow to SHOW that they never
worked This custom was derived from
the Spanish gentleman who are really IN
owners Of the island today. as tbev have
an the wealth and most of the land. The
/ Cubans have aped them in this and car
IleG the custom to the extreme that all
persons who do not do normal labor al
/ low their nails to grow and many Of
these allow She nail on one finger ana
take as muciSpride in it as the average
American boy does. if the few first
hairs that adorn the upper lip 50 that
everywhere one turns he meets q claw
Ike hand from the boy who blacks mis-
boots and the servant who waits on him
I at meals. the policeman on mis- beat
and the clerk in the store 20 the official
/ class. the hangers on in the cafes. TIE
/ thumb and foreinger Of the right hand
are all of deep yellow color caused b.,
their constant smoking Of the cigarette.
Among the lower classes the smoking is
indiscriminate, being INDUCED IN by both
sexes and all sizes from the little rot
M, but among tho better classes 1t Is not
good form for a girl to smoke before
marriage.
The idea Of being gentleman is the
curse Of the country and viii forever de-
bar the natives Of re-developing the nat
lonal resources. Z know one family who
own large tract of land. but otherwise
is as poor as the proverbiaI church mouse
VINO with his family Of seven children
Hve Of whom are girls, are living under a
shed with only one inclosed space. called
by courtesy a room. but which can hide
no privacy, as its walls are OF palm bark
standing upon end with cracks lust small
enough to keep out the pigs and goats
There is not a foot Of this ground IN cui-
tivation and they eke out a meager. exis-
tence from the money. the girls make
Plating hats. The whole family live
on 800 per week and have for food suD-
ply rice and black beans When I asked
IA I'M
potatoes he threw uD his hands. sbrue-
ged his shoulders and said he had no
oxen. To nay query As 70 why he did not
dig UP the ground with a spade he said
he had no money to hire a laborer and
when 1 suggested that he and his BOYS
do so he looked genuinely grieved and
pointing to the remaining stone walls Of
what had once been a large house. grave
ly assured me that before the war hs had
oxen and was able to hire negroes TO do
the work and it was not custom here
for gentlemen to do such work and that
his family would starve rather Than he or
his sons should do such degrading work.
Another instance Of this came under
my notice In an applicant for a position
in the postoffice. The pay was so per
month, but one successful applicant re-
fused upon the grounds that his father
was gentleman and fl was beneath tbo
dignity OF q gentlemau's son to work FOR
less than Sl00 per month. This same
class Of young men sit around the cafes
day after day smoking dressed in linen
clothes and apparently think themselves
the elect Of the earth and look with con-
tempt upon anyone even Americans who
demean themselves By work How these
people live is a mystery. yet they always
APPEAR W FL dressed and their clothes arc (
outwardly at least and bat Jew CT them
wear underwear. are scrupulo8slv clean. !
but IL fs noticeable fact tat they /
never have more than a few pennies in 4
change. There are four ~ these who Z
are always In one of the leading cafes.
seated around the center table So as 70
he conspicuous. but 7 never noticed them
purchase anything 7 one day asked a
waiter e they were profitable customers I
lie gave the Characteristic shrue and F.
said they usually bought two boxes If (
cigarettes FER day and that one American /
paid more FOR lunch thsn fhe for ~
them spent in q month. Cigarettes here
cost cents. Spanish money GER pack
age. SO for tbe DAYS smoking and use ~
table and chairs thay 1ald an eggai ln
American money ~ little 7ser 81 cents
Spari1rds ten me that there was alRars
such hangers on before fhs war and -fat
many 81 them never had doIar ai-
though now they are always teiIae of
their weaith aBef7h De Wah" Tn sn-
ISM nickname f1r such gentry
meaning rooster
Every Culan bas a ersas deal 81 fafe
r-fS1 r-t II doe "a. -----, ..-.