The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-22
THE NEGRO RACE IN CUBA.
INsULAR SOCIETY DRAWS No DIS
ELIMINATING COLOR LINE.
IntermarriaEcs Are Common-hany
Distinguished Patriots of African
Deseent-sIRves Who Won Their
Liberty by Heroic Deeds.

From the New York Times.
Havana. Sept. IA very large proper
Zion Of the population OF cuba belongs "a
che colored race. In this respect Havana
itsslf reminds one OF southern eity In
our own country but with a difference
There the race knows its place and keeps
81. there is no attempt az familiarity with
white persons. Indeed. Southern negro
looks down with contempt on any white
vsrson VINO is willing 20 associate with
him as soaal equal Relations between
iho two races are on a business footing
Imagine che surprise awaiting one used
To- this condition Of affairs when he reach
~ Cuba. where the social conditions arc 20
different In their own estimation. cuban
negroes are every whit the equal OF per
sons Of fairer skins and il ~ not unusual 90
ma that they consider themselves su-
perior. though why O. not exactly clear.
II Il were suggested to one OF them that
his race was tn any way inferior 90 th'
Caucasian he would scon 90 the idea
have set to see one Nho acts toward q
white person in a manner showing any so
cial inequality
Black and white children play together
on TN streets rli EiIlF Nh sue Nt az
schools In whifh the black boy not iufre-
quensly ociipses his white ncghbof in
studies. In all Of the charitable homes
whites and blacks are admitted on an
equal footing. being given Identical priv
ileges sleeping la the same dormitories
and eating az the Same table In ou.y one
"home" have I failed % see both coiors.
that was tho Home Of the widows Of
Spanish OniccrR. They live iu the same
HfaNrfNfa a. tIaN
~ for that race. as wc see in the North
or South 81 the United States Every ten-
ement house o. almost sure 10 have a.
many OF one race as Of the other. aud a
house divided into flats Is very apt to
have members OF one race la one part
and OF the other IN the other part Few
restaurants or hotels exclude coiore.1 peo-
pie from the privileges offered there. Last
year. after the Americans occupation
there were some very heated arguments
IN various restaurants on account OF the
equal privileges granted the two races
lntermarriaKes are very common. as
there Is no law against them. and these
intermarriages are not only among the
lowest classes, where they might be ex-
pected but they often occur among the
middle clusses, and occasionally among
the cultured. As a rule. however. race
prejudice Is apt 10 be- rather strong among
This latter class. Nevertheless have
in mind wealthy lawyer in Havana. over
whose handsome home a mulatto presldes
They have been married a number Of
years, ana have "a family. the Youngest
member OF which r. Ia charge OF an Amer
lean woman, whose language ard manners
beiray long acquaintance with New
England. also have in mind q more ex-
traordlnary case than this that OF a wo-
man who was at one time u rcigninc belle
IN a large city Of one Of our Eastern
states-she was always spoken OF az the
beautiful Miss --. Tn. family was an
excellent one, but poor. and the girl was
ambitious 10 have magnificent home
carriages. and everything else that Is pop-
uiariy supposed TO make life worth the
living. The wealthiest OF her suitors was
a Cuban negrO-black a. night
Negro Married the ncauty.
After much hesitation. he was accent
cd. and the wedding was ono OF the sen
sations OF the season. she had what she
expected palace FOR homo and an the
rest IN keeping. The man died several
years ago and with her wealth and some
remnant Of beauty left she ala not long
remain a widow Her new husband pur.
chased title from Spain with part Of
her money. 80 now she b a Countess or
something OF the kind. Wbenev.r her
name Is mentioned her story Is recalled
and Americans look az her with curios-
icy.
ia appearance these Cuban negroes are
not unlike those OF their race ~ tnc
states. Some OF the older ones laok -
ii"cn IKE the old "mammics" ana .'uu-
chs OF our own South that when they
pe"A one expects 10 hear tho darky dia.
ltci 20 familiar to the childhood of ever,,
southerner and Il Is real disanfAoinf.
meht 70 near strange language .Doken
even = ne; iaHsuaEe Is tine musical sn.p.
ssh. Almost without exception oolorea no
men here especially the older ones smots
great black cigars. face aud cigar an ~
Color Ihey never use "a pipe like the
1870" mummy They walk along
we street smoking. just as a man wound
white women OF the lower els.s 49,.
cites. '''N' N's"'-
Ihere are some very pretty wop,.,
among both mulattocs and blacks ,~g[..
pay a great deal OF attention 10 their ~.
pea.@hee' ana dress tastefully ana =.
w. as thelr means viii AFFORD But
some OF the black women ate ven, 49,.
~ and even more. they are b,rhar,, ~,
long since ] saw one on the street ,,bo
win her Wild expression and great hoo,,s
OF earrings would have been Gar NOR. in
keeping with the home OF her ancestors
In the wilds OF Africa
Negroes are never spoken OF a. sueb
wv at'AohAn tncre T. a Spanish word al.
most identical with the English one rb.,
are always referred TO ~ the "rar. ~
color, or "morcnos." drown pe,,,l.
Many OF them are go darker in reu,,,l..,,
Ion than white Cubane
~ present there are only a feuy n.
eroes ~ cuba holding responsible po.l.
lions. There are some policemen ana I
have heard that there are also a fea mn
carriers OF this race. though / have moi
seen them. They are mostly seen in
menial positions as porters. waiter
iaundrcssts and etc, but even while ecry.
ing IS such they speak aud act on very
familiar terms with their employers.
Cuban leader whose unfricndt,. ,rl
incendiary speeches have caused no. M.
lie Installation among his followers
with the present order OF affairs. a. a ne.
Gro, black as black can be-
Blacks ms Libcrators.
Maceo, one OF the Cuban idols ia the
war Of independence was a black man
All Cubans. OF whatever color look upon
him as one ~ the nohlesi OF their coun-
trymen When the Cuban army WAS In
existence the regiments were made up OF
men of any ana all colors There were
white Cuhans. black Cuhans. black and
white Americans, and natives OF other
countries. There was no regiment re-
served for the whites OF blacks. so FAR
as can learn. as IN cur army. where th,
colored men are assigned 10 certain regi.
ments composed only OF their race. since
time fufuafnorfaI re~ffrt pte b1rl 49,.