The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-27
NEEDS or COUNTRY CUBANs.
Thew Are Working Cheerfully, but Must
Have Horses aud Farm Implements.


HAVANA. Feb. ia strong light has been
thrown on the present condition OF affairs In
Cuba and particularly those OF the country
districts In q report submitted to the Adlutant-
General OF tho Department of Matan2as and
Santa Clara by an officer Just returned from n
trip into all the provinces east OF Havana. Tho
trip wal takon with tho object oi inspecting
the accounts OF the civil officers OF tho island.
and consumed oil OF November, December and
January. II afforded an excellent opportunity
Of studying the habits and customs OF the peo-
pie and present conditions Of the country.
Tho examinations OF the accounts OF tho civil
officers showed that in the smaller towns tho
public records had been KEEP. with great ac-
curacy aud care. and In no case were any evil
dences OF fraud or culpable negligence discov-
erod, The only errors found. the report suites,
were the results OF conflicting instructions and
the complicated system OF bookkeeping. Tho
showing is the more remarkable because OF
cumbersome. complicated and expensive meth
DDS employed. and the attitude of the people
toward American institutions was evidenced
everywhere In their cheerful readiness to
adopt simpler methods and TO comply with In
structions. The report suggests q change in
the present system Of administration Of civil
affairs because II requires n large force OF
clerks and the renting Of considerable private
property, which could be avoided.
The country people. the report states. show
little interest In political questions, most of
their attention being devoted to their work.
Men. women and children are found AZ work in
the fields before daylight and often after dark
~ the tobacco districts. the rcconstructiOn Of
tnelr homes by the poorer farmers is proceed
Ing slowly. because Of the scarcity OF work
animals and tools and the conditions OF tho
roads and trails. which in many districts are
impassable. Tho poorer classes are ohliccd
70 carry the products Of their farms on their
shoulders TO the nearest towns. in some eases
= iS al,s,anse OF thirty niles In spI'e OF these
with proper assistance the country Cubans
VII se se~lf;srpporting inside Of a year It Is
The officer; belief that nothing short o. actual
iorce could now divert the country tubans
from then, peaceful pursuits. On all aides II is
apparent that the attention or those classes is
devoted TO the needs OF their families and tho
recpperation Of their fortunes. In one district
IN The mountains, POS families have only two
yoke OF oxen One family has a farm Of over
S a1I acres, tn, possesses no w1rkins animeIs
working cheorfully. The statements that have
been made representing tn" Cuban character
as irredeemahlv bad. the writer of this report
says. are absolutely untrue.
In Puerto, Principe. who're cattle raising is
the principal industry. the conditions are worse
than in, the tobacco ra sing district. because,
been bred to tho, care Of stock and are not
farmers. Some plan. Il is suggested. should
be devised by which they could purchase on
credit IA Few head # cattle. This. il is added.
would result in the rapid recovery OF their FOR
tunes.
In the sugar raising country the salvation Of
tho poorer classes depends, the report SAYS.
upon the people obtaining small farms. The
starvation during the war has weakened these
people 10 such an extent that it is impossible
iOr them, 10 labor IN the can fields as they
used TO do. To enable them IN rpTform rnpu-