The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-08
PRAISE FROM THE CUBANS.
General Mn-so Outlines IA Bright Flu
ture for the Islaad.

ture for the I.Iaad.
HAVANA. Jan. IA dinner given at tbs
Tacon Theatre last night to General Masso
was great success. The gallery was
crowded with spectators. Many prominent
Cubans and General Ludlow were present.
General Bravo said that General Masso had
not scrupled to jeopardize all for the good
/ OF the Cubans. who were now about TO
form an Independent government. but it
must be remembered that to DO so was a
question of time. Those who wished 20
| hurry the Americans away before the Gu
ban constitution was firmly fixed were the
greatest enemies OF Cuba
Senior Gown, prominent autono;aist,
also spoke. He said that the cubans had n
great task to accomplish in establishing a
government upon the ruins of an effete
system. He had recently been told that
the present generation must die out before
the Cubans would be at to establish a gov
ernmeut He. however, thought that the
Cubans were ne to establish good gov
eminent OF their own. All must aid with
out mental reservations. He saw possible
breakers ahead in the vssh Of the United
States to annex the island. Cubans must
meet the danger unfinchingiy. Tremeu-
dous cheering greeted Senior Gown upon
the conclusion OF his speech.
Senior Eusibio Hernandez declared that
General Masso was the first Cuban who had
united all the parties in Cuba. as the au-
Economists were represented at the banquet
by Senior Gown. Senior Montoro eongrat-
ulated General Masso upon having brought
/ all the parties together.
Gcneral Masso, in the course of an elo-
quent speech, said that the cause OF free
cuba had never been brighter than now.
Tor President Mckinley. in sending Gen
I eral Wood to the Island as Governor-Gen-
eral, had selected the one man to whom
the entire confidence OF all classes Of
+. Cnhsss eonld he given. When General
Brooke informed the President that IL
would be dangerous to remove a single
American soldier from the island. General
Wood had recommended the reduction Of
the military establishment by half in his
own province of Santiago, which was adj
mittedly the worst province in Cuba to
govern. General Wood had administered
affairs there In manner which had
elected the praise of the entire world.
He neither catered to the Cuban factions
nor his own couutrymen. but had gained
the love and confidence If the entire CON-
munity by his splendid work. fearless
and impartial management Of affairs. ana
his desire to give the Cubans every chance
at self-zDvernment
the question OF suffrage qualification
They were unanimously in favor of uni
verssi suffrage. without any qualification
except S5-. Each leader became more
vehement as the banquet proceeded They
declared that there would surely be trouble
il an effort was made to force voting re-
strictions, because, they all said, as they
had fought to free all the people Of Cuba
and not themselves alone. they would not
brock action curtailing the rights Of the
poor ami uneducsted.
All the reforms that General Wood ~
fnstituting. and all the improvements
which he Is mapping out. will be OF little
benefit to the middle class OF white CubdHs
who cannot do physical labor or who are
tGo proud to do IL. They want Government
places. This feeling against labor exists
here to an exaggerated degree. The white
Cubans say that field work is physically
impossible except for negroes or whites
raised to that kind Of work. Hence field
labor, owing to its scarcity. commands 81
per day on the tobacco plantations. while
there are 5000 pennlIe=s Cubans in the city,
enough to cultivate all the tobacco fields
Business here Is practically monoDOlized
By SpaniardS White Cubans refuse TO ac--
cept positions as servant, preferring pen
ury to such work. They point to the cities
in the United States where they say. house
SzTNdnlS are ldrBety IOFtisHeis vi uidchS.
vast majority OF the 900 immigrants
who have arrived from Spain during the
past year. are at work. but the Cu5ans who
are not mechanics or artisans. are going
hungry. The wealthy Cubans uphold the
middle classes in this spirit, saying that a
white Cuban is better than the Spaniardis
or negroes. and should not have to do
mental work. They want General Wood to
give not simply work. but certain Kinds OF
work which without the widest p2ternal-
ism. Is impossible. Could he do SO he
would be hailed as a savior. Being unable
to do as the white Cubans wait he must
take calmly the disaffection of that class
which is sure to follow. The ciauIor for
work in the custom house continues.
The Planters Association has decided TO
endeavnr TO obtain the repeal OF the 10 per
cent tax on railway travellers and the :
per cent freight tax In order to facilitate
travel and the carriage of produce, row
greatly hampered by the railway rates.
These taxes are war leVies made by the
Spanish Government