The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-02-21

ba encourages Incidence among the
natives. They arc ignorant and dirty.
Their homes are fioorlcss, with a
thatchcd roof Of palm leaves, the sides
of the little hut being composed of
boxes, patent medicine signs or any
scraps Of lumber they can pick up.
Lumber there is very high.
"I'hs class Of people have to work
but little. If they can squat on an
acre Of ground, get half a dozen ba-
mana trees, little sugar cane, a COW
or goat, they are happy. They can
raise three crops Of vegetables in a
year without scarcely any work at all.
The mass from a couple of royal palm
trees will fattcn pig. These, aug
mcntcd with what he can purloin from
a nearby sugar plantation, keeps him
in luxury"
"What, in your judgment, are the
most urgent needs Of Cuba to-day?'
"She must have peace and abundant
capital. | interviewed number of
the most prominent Cubans, repre-
>cnting various business and profcs-
sion>. The freely expressed scnti-
mcnt of the educated Cuban is that
they are not ready for Cuba Librc.
They say: We want the United States
to maintain protcctoratc over US for
some time to come They are delight
cd with the present conditions, and
look forward hopefully to an era of
great prosperity
General Ludlow has done a great
v :: * in Havana. While his austerc
military methods has made him cnc-
mics, he has the support of the ma
jority of the thinking people of the
island. During my stay there 1 did
not hear one unkind expression made
against the Americans. On the con-
trary, I was shown marked courtesy
by all with whom I came in contact.
| was driven over the city by some
of the prominent Cubans, and they
took an especial delight in showing me
every attention possible.
"A prominent official Of the presid-
10 (thc Cuban pcnitcntiary) conducted
Mr.. Howard Patilla and myself
through the building 1t is a model
in cleanliness and arrangement. The
prisoners are happy over the changed
condition of affairs. I talked with
number of them. They freely ex-
pressed themselves in regard to the
difference in their treatment under
American rule and Spanish rule. They
now have beds to sleep on and an am
pie supply Of wholesome food,
which has not heretofore been the
case.
''Thc building looks out over the
bay. Our escort told us that when
the American warships sailed out of
Havana harbor the prisoners thought
that Spain had rctakcn the island. He
said that as the ships sailed away and
the ignorant prisoners watched them
and thought again Of having to return
to the old regime, that pandcmonium
ruled the prison. In their despair it
was almost impossible to make them
believe that their suspicious were not
correct. Some Of them, he said,
openly declared they much preferred
death to return Of Spanish rul. Be-
fore leaving the building We were
treated to a concert by good band Of
fifty pieces composed entirely Of in
mates of the prison.
Are there many merchants from
the States in business in Cuba?"
"No, think not. Merchants from
the States are almost shut out from
doing business on the island by exor-
bitant duties. The receipts at the
Havana custom house are averaging
about million and half dollars per
month. spent portion of several
days trying to obtain proper classif-
cation Of our product, but without any
tangible results. There is great com
plant from all sources against the con-
ditions now prevailing in the custom
house.
'tThc American business man has
been paying since July, 1898, an ex-
orbitant war tax, and is now unable to
reap any benefits from the result Of
the war. Some concerns are doing
business on the island at dead loss,
hoping the present Congress will give
them some relief. Others have gone
to Cuba, investigated tho conditions,
and seeing no hope Of profitable busi-
ness, have declined to make further
NJ ffOrts for Tho praenDt