The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-02
NEW YEARS DAY IN HAVANA
Cubans and Americans Give Express
sion to Mutual GOad VIII.

sion to Mutual GO1d VIII.
Havana, Jan. 1.-The New Year was
ushered in with torch light procession
which, forming just before midnight and
preceded by band, left the lower Prad0
and made the circuit of the principal
streets. Almost the only tune played waa
the Cuban national hymn. Everybody
seemed to be awake and awaited the
event of 1900 The strains of the popular
hymn drew the people everywhere to
windows and doorways and the process
sion was greeted with the widest en-
thusiasm. Innumerable small boys kept
up fire cracker fusilade along the en-
tire line of march. All the prominent Gu
ban generals were cheered, although there
is doubt that the vivas were chiefly for
"Cubra Libre." President Mckinley and
Governor General Wood came in for a
liberal share of popular applause. The
procession having reached to the Prado
and the band having once again played
the Cuban national hymn, some Ameri-
cans present called for "Star Spangled
Banner" The band Immediately complied
and the crowd cheered lustily
When Generals Mazo, Rabi and Lara,
who are here to attend General Woods
council of representative Cubans, were
passing through Cienfuegos they were es-
corted from the vessel to the hoted,
where a banquet was rendered them.
Meanwhile a large crowd of colored peo-
pdle had gathered to demand from the
authorities that the remains of Dionisio
Gil, the colored brigadier in the Cuban
army who had ben shot and killed the
previous day by the police, arter he had
shot and wounded two policemen who
wetre in the act of arresting him. should
be exhumed and buried with proper hon
ors. The demonstrators marched through
the town, unfurled black flag and raised
rlotous cries al,u.nst the authorities. The
chief Of police was fired at five times.
General Mazo and Mayor Aleman ad-
dressed the cvrowd. which at first would
not dispense. Eventually, however, the
police succeeded I'M restoring order and
calming the people.
The jockey club races today were
largely attended. Cuban society was out
in full force, large number of persons
being in carriages. Havana virtually de-
serted the Prado for the races.
The newly appointed cabinet will hold
its first meeting tomorrow when the fol-
lowing secretaries viii meet General
Wood: Secretary of government, Senior
Diego Tamayo:, secretary og finance, Sc
nor Jose Enrique Varona; secretary of
Justice, Senior Luis Estevez; secretary of
public works, Senior Jose Ramon Villa
Ion: secretary of education. Senior Juan
Hernandez Barreiro; secretary of agri-
culture. industry and commerce, Senior
Ruis Rivera
one Of the secretaries, who displayed
the customary reticence of the best class
of Cubans in respect to giving their
their names for publication in connec-
ton with interviews, made the following
statement TO the correspondent of the
Associated Press today:
"A wonderful change seems to have
come over the Cuban people during the
last few weeks. 1t would have been i'm
possible on December 1 to have aroused
theenthusiasm which was displayed last
night during the playing of the Star
Spangled Banner" Such cheers as were
given for President Mckinley while the
procession was passing through the
streets could not have been raised for
him or for any other American month
or so ago. The change. in my opinion. is
due to a disappearance of that distrust-
fui feeling which during the greater part
of last year had been gradually growing
among the Cuban people. President Nc
Kinleys message To congress was the
first light the Cubans had seen for
long time. It came like the sun after
davs OF bad weather and gloom. Then
s1,n ant of ~
Wood. whom the Cubans have always ad-
united in view of what he did in Sanu-
ago the most difficult province TO rule. in
the island. Now. sincet his first remarks
., various occasions, and in considera-
.ion of tn erlanner in which he has al
readv taken hold Of the affairs the Gu
hans are not only satisfied with him but
are beginning to love him. In summon
inc a conference OF representative Gu
hans 10 meet him General Wood display
"a craftsmanship His step shows that.
although there are only six cabinet ap-
no;ntment. the governor desires prouli-
nent Cubans to express their views as 10
fut,,-e administration. intending. 50 far
as their suggestions are practical, 10 car
~ the mout, and also intending that
those who attend tn conference should
carry back to their respective provinces
a good idea Of General Wood and the
cabinet and be able to answer questions.
n dispeI fears and doubts and "a give as
surances TO the people Of the absolute
GOOD faith Of the United States regard
ing rCubre LiOre-