The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-26

There was few seats at the Friends
church last evening when Rev. DR.. Ben
jamin f. Trueblood. secretary Of the
American Peace society, spoke on Outa.
DIR. Trueblood who mas recently returned
from that island, gave description OF
its geographical features, and told
something about Its people and their
character. He then discussed the island
from political, industrial, educational
and religious standpoints. Politically he
said that the time for annexation OF
Cuba has not yet arrived. The people,
having suffered long In their attempts
to gain their liberty, wish an opportunity
of exercising IL before they are annexed.
lie said that OFT Of the population OF
one million and q half there are three
hundred and fifty thousand who are COM
petent to establish and maintain q good
government. The Cuhan people still
believe In SCUBA librs." Speaking Of
the industrial conditions, DR.. Trus9lood
said that all the methods OF aRrioulture
and Of manuTao t ares were prlmatiVe.
The railroads are only 400 miles n
length and are poor. Freight rates are ex-
tremely high. and the natural resources of
the island are not improved or being
taken advantage Of. He prophesied that
all these things would change In few
years with the great attractions the Is
land affords capitalists.
Internationally, DIR. Trueblood said the
island Is In tsrrible condition. Out OF
the million and half OF people only
TIRES hundred and fifty thousand can be
called educated. There has never been
until recently q soboolhouse on the Island
which was built for that purpose. The
private schools and the schools In the
Cath ollie missions were primitive and
amounted to very little. AS fast as possi-
BILE the school houses are being erected
and the people taught how TO read and
write In Spanish and In some cases
taught English.
DIR. Trushlood said that the saddest
thing was the religious condition. Hs
said that the Spanish Ca tAolic church
has lost its hold on the people, who do
not now attend the Catholic church. The
American Catholic church Is endeavoring
to I'll the gap, but thsiT progress 10 slow.
He said that there was q glorious OPP
portuDity to bring the people to Protss-
antism in Cuba. He then described the
very few missions there are In Cuba.
He said thers wasn't single Protestant
church building IN Cuba and never has
been. For four hurdred years the Pro-
testants have not attempted to do any
thing here. Had they been willing to
sacrifice few lives for the sake OF Pro-
tettautisn1, had the people OF the United
States been willing to have spent the
money cost to build the battleship
Maine In this work. and ID have saori-
flced a fsw lives In the work II necessary
Cuban liberty would have resulted from
the cross and not from the sword.
He then described the missions and
their work In the various parts OF the Is
land. In Havana there 10 n Methodist
n issiou In a theatre, and the Friends and
few other denominations have missigns
there. They are not resolving the sup
port they should receive, however. he
said that the ministers OF the United
States were hurrahing for the Cuban
war tefors 1t came, but now are silent
while the Cuban people suffer for the
gospel. Ths Friends are to try to estab-
liah mi ssions at the bay of Bunes and
at Santiago aud also continue the good
work going on In Havana. He said that
this was great field for Christian Work
era almost at the doors Of the United
States and the Christian people here
should pay go me attention to 1t.
At the Bay OF Bunes on the north
coast, the United Fruit company has
purchased 100, 900 acres. and 1000 men are
at work getting 1t ready for cultivation.
The Friends are to spend here and at
Santiago and Havana this year $l5, GOO II
pcssi Die, TO begin the good work.