The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-07
IRINO THE CENSUS
OF CUBA'S PEOPLE.
a3s d the Count Regarded as Of Great
Importance.
In Charge Of the Work Have Many Strange Experiences
Some Inhabitants Extremely Primitive American
Methods Asonish the Natives.

men. too. in Matanxas to the number Of
hfty-four. The choice OF women for such
positions was distinct novelty. but q
novelty which was highly popular. as well
as distinct advantage TO the service.
Tor the women were fully equal to the
men in their work. Indeed, the appoint
ment OF the women gave the Cubans a
new glimpse into the meaning OF Ameri-
can rule. and made warm friends OF thou
sands Of Cuban women.
Thrilling Experience.
Each enumerator was supplied with a
deep brown canvas bag, In which he car
ried his portfolio OF blanks, bottle OF ink,
pens and blotting pads. Those in the coun-
try rode horseback, visiting every little
matched hut In the land. Down In the
southern part Of the province OF Santa
Clara thore u great swamp, known as
the Lapata marsh. The enumerator to
whom this district fell reported while I
was at Matanzas. He limped from Sc
we're wound In his leg, where he had been
bitten BY an alligator and he reported that
In his journeys through the deep ever
glades he had been forced to kill twenty
two alligators that disputed his way Here
, he found natives who had not heard of the
closing Of the war with Spain. and some
of them had never even heard of America
and the Americans. In Pinar del Rio an
enumeration found q settlement OF nearly
900 persons "engrooved In the mountains,"
az he expressed It, entirely out OF touch
With the outside world, living on plantains
and sweet potatoes, and governing them
selves In sort of primitive republic. An
almost unheard-of settlement among the
mountains OF Santiago puzzled the enum-
orators far more than anything else. The
people were not Cubans. nor Spaniards nor
negroes, but Indians. the only remnant left
OF the once powerful tribes which inhabit-
ed the island when Columbus discovered
hat pa az
and they live in the most primitive man.
ner.
Hard to Decide Color Question.
The blanks used were exceedingly sim
pie. They were three in number all head
ed "Censo de la Isla de- Cuba ba1o la DE-
recon de los Estados Unidos"-"Census Of
the island OF Cuba. Under the Direction OF
the United States" The first dealt with
population. the second with schools and
the third with agricultural statistics. The
population blank contained spaces for
twenty-five names, the first spaces Deing
devoted to the usual questions as to place
of residence name OF person, color, sex.
age and whether married or SINGLE OF
these questions that OF color was the most
difficuit-white mestizo and black~-but II
there are three colors OF complexion in
Cuba there are hundred. Moreover, the
blacks wanted to be mestizos and the mes
tizos white. Scores of times black negro
wouio amswsr ~ 1855 auhita -
But You are black-you are negro
the enumerator would insist.
"No. we are free: didn't we fight to be
white men? We are independent white
men,
srade him that he.was not really white
man." and the enumerator put MIN GOWN
black In spite OF himself.
The inquiries as to nativity and occupa-
ton were easily answered, but tnat OF CIT
izenship came very hard. Three divisions
are given In the blank-Cuban, spanish OF
Suspense" in suspense. To these the emu
merator added ''extranjero'-stranger Or
foreigner. 1t Is often dimcuit 10 KNOW JUST
where the dividing line comes petween
Standards and Cubans and In the present
bitterness of feeling the difficulty Is dou-
bled Besides that. many Spaniaros nave
not vet registered their intention OF re-
manning Spanish subjects. Tney are tnere-
fore. "in suspense" Others call themselves
Cubans These classihcations OF citizen-
shin have been watched very closely by the
Cubans. for the "suspensos'' may play an
important part in the elections, when they
take place.
schnor ana Sanitary Questions.
-. .,... a,ta,t,or was aIso given to
WY s r,,ast,ors where there
wos arv Doubt az TO the ability Of person
was any uoun .,.. .ha snumsrator was in
10 ieau =. w.. h,,,, n tha writing of i sem
structeu 70 .es. nh, h,s ,ar,s and in read
.ehce ho' .aa .araaranh r. q honed
Ins Sun .hat ~ statist,cs as 10 literacy
lieIeloie, ..'.oI.. accmrate The last de-
nartnoent If the population blank was le-
voted 10 sanitary conditions and consisted
~ these questions:
..Sr,sin ~ the water used?"
|, "What do YOU do with your garbage?"
.cnnd;.tnns~ NJ cIosets?,
>, .n 49, rnaatjons ara ful,v an
u - sae' ~ NC. resnit viii he some very
smeivu, 'e Sue Cuhan homo oondi.
Starring Iacls an 49,, s,nc,-ad tha of,scers
tions' some oi ~H sant;oeo IN the early
S S,u a after the war.
Inc scnooi sta.isucs o,aiih 40 a,eo 'nss
to reveal the sag conaition o. Sunan eu .ho
cation. 1t Is simple enough, rsIur uhs.n tnr
name and situation OF tne school " ne' ne.