Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-04-06
A CHAT ON CUBA.
ne Island as Seen by a Wide Awake
American.
J. Frank Rackstaif Of New York Talks with 4
Journal Man.


ln3 agents in New York city Is Mr..
j. Frank Hackstan who occnrics IN
extensive suite of Offices in tn. 'rc,nnlc
Court building. in which are s,tnata,,
The New York Offices OF both the Vict
cry n iiill Company ana Mr.. w. VI.
Gannett. only a short time ago. Col
William Jennings Bryan, in establish
ing his paper. The Commoner
visited New York. ana thoroughly in
spectcd The IoUtinc workings of the
IiackStaif agency as q matter OF al
vertisinG agency work in the metropo-
lis.
Mr.. H2ckstah. accompanied by hi,
accomplished wife. was in Augusta. a
fe" days ago ON business. and was
seen by a representative Of the Journal
while engaged with Mr.. Gannett at his
Office. lie is close observer ana
ready writer, his advertising trad.
paper, Publicity" being considered
an authority.
i am on my way to California with
Mrs. H2, kstam," he said, and am Just
back from winter jaunt to Havana.
The people down there are still amazed
to ind American methods have made
havana Il healthier city than New
York; ii is just the change of sanitary
methods. Cuba naturally is perfect in
climate. ana is as healthy as any part
of the world. 1t VIII be our future
winter resort You ask if there are
many Americans there? Why. the
crowds that are there on business and
pleasure this winter are astonishing
Americans pervadc the island: but.
are not yet especially loved by tho
CubanS.
The situation down there is very
peculiar. The Spaniards ANA native
Cubans having property interests are
strenuous for actual annexation; the
middle classes generally desire to soc
Cuba Librc' established as an indr-
pendent government: but dil Getty as Il
pro:ectoratc of this country.
This brings u to the last and low
est class, a lot of miserable half breeds
and negroes. made up Of thu lowest
Spanish blood and Ethiopian. They are
restless, lazy ana treacheroue, ana
seem to combine the worst character
iStics Of both people. with none of tho
good qualities. This class has every
thing to gain 2nn nothing To lose by
any change looking toward weak GOV
eminent. ana consequently aG;tatc the
mass of the population for Cuba
Libre' one and alone. ana hatred for
Americans
The Cuban population largely is L.
norant ard has never been brought III
contact with any foreign country hut
Spain. They reason that SpaniarIs
We're cruel and oppressivc; If our own
blood was so cruel. think how douhIy
ha OIL /,
Death rather than to submit to Los
Americanosl'
This feeling is famed by better
educated Adventures. who only krow
of foreign government in the way of
high taxes and q satuTnala OF official
corruption and embezzlcment as il used
to exist through Cuba. They know
the people will submit to any opprcs-
sion. and their one desire is to get
control and the handling of the vast
sums of public money. If in power.
they would surpass the despots of the
middle ages in rapacity and cruelty.
The best thing our country could do
would be to get UP parties all over
the island and bring them up on our
transports and show the United
States to them. They would go oacll
and spread it among the common peo-
pie. The teachers who came up last
fall have done well: but what is needed
il n lot of common people taken from
these ignorant lower classes that form
the hotbed of all opposition to us.
Their leaders tell them that every
American improvement introduced is
to be abandoned for a worse form of
government than the Spanish. as soon
as we are strong enough to dare it.
These people cannot comprehend
kind and just government; they only
know of oppression and cruelty. and
hate everything foreign without dis
elimination. Eventually Cuba VIII be
an American island: but it must
come to us naturally.
THE voyage up was pleasant me
only drawback at present is thr SAM
tary rule which compels one to he
away from the island for five DAYS:
and. if your voyage is three, you are
detained two i'm quarantine before they
allow you to land
The above was an informal chat car
ried on while Mr.. Hackstaf was en-