The Washington times., 1901-08-23
ODDC CUBAN SOCIETIES

| from the number of societies, aSsocia-
uons. grenios. and the like, which exists
| III Havana. one would be justified in n be-
| iief that every man in that city belonged
| 10 at least one organization of some kind
| social. professional. or OF trade or mu-
! tual benefit character. Secret organiza-
| tons, such as Masons and Odd Fellows,
have had little part in Cuba's social or
ganism- This is due to the dominance of
the Roman Catholic Church and its OPP
position to those institutions But Cuba
has abounded, and still abounds, in or
CARNATIONS of all kinds, from that of the
criminal negro group of Nanigos up to
1 that admirable institution known as TIN.
| Centric de Asturianos
| OF all of these, 1t Is probable that no
| other presents quite much of general
| interest as the Centre de Asturianos. 1t
| is a Spanish institution whose members
| come from the Spanish province of Astu-
| rias. Other provinces are represented by
| such associations as the Naturales de
| fialicia, with its membership from Bali
cha; the Naturales de Andalusia, the Cen
tro Galiego. and general organization
called the Association de Dependencies. or
clerks and employees. These present SINH
| lar features and serve similar ends. but
| the Asturianos is easily the leader in
many respects.
Occasionally some visitor to the city
obtains the privilege of entrance to the
han OF the Asturianos America can
show few halls to rival 1T. 1t extends.
afty feet or upward in width along two
sides of a large building which stands on
the eastern side of the Parque Central.
Marble ioored. columned. and mirrored,
fitted with many costly crystal chandel-
iers. it is almost royal at any time, ar.1
is strikingly beautiful when profusely
lighted. handsome marble staircase
leads to the first floor. There Is the cafe
and billiard room. probably upward OF
two hundred feet in its total length and
hfty or more feet in width. A long bar
runs along a portion of the inner wall.
Small tables occupy about one-half the
area. Drunkenness or disorder is almost
unknown. Yet the class which frequents
the place Is that which, in New York,
produces and constitutes the "hoodium."
The drinking is after the Continental
fashion which makes the consumption OF
40 few pennies worth OF light wine,
glass of sweetened water. or some cool
ing compound whose basis is fruit the
central occupation of an evening of pleas
| ant chat or discussion. Cards or billiards.
with or without similar drinks are the
end of the room there is small office
where all the business of the institution
is conducted. --z
On the floor above is the hall, with an
deliberately furnished official room for
the meetings of the directory Upon this
floor, also. there is library. As the
Spaniard is not addicted to diiigent read
ing. the library is a name rather than
fact, though few use 1t for letter writing
or newspaper reading A noticeable and
important feature is the night school
system Glasses are gathered upon both
floors. in small ante-rooms or in corners
of the large halls Here group is
learning English, there is one studying
simple arithmetic, while smaller group
Is taking lessons in elementary astron-
omy- A dozen or fifteen Of these groups
may be seen busily engaged every even
ing in the week.
For all this, each member paws the
small sum of a dollar and half a month
in Spanish silver. really equivalent TO
about dollar in our money. And the
privilege of this hall is but fraction of
that which the members may derive from
the institution. Competent lawyers are
kept under salary by the society. In all
ordinary cases their advice and assistance
is free to the members. Salaried physicians
and dentists serve members without further
fee. If a member Is too i'll for proper treat
| ment at his boarding house, at the
store or shop where he works and lives,
on the southern outskirts of the city
there is the Covadonga Hospital 1t is
commodious building, standing in an
extensive and tree-shaded park. Here are
competent physicians and nurses, with
all proper facilities for the care of sick
folk. Covadonga Hospital belongs to the
Centre de Asturianos. and. the Spanish
dollar and a half per month entities its
members to free care and treatment with
In its walls. In case of death, member
Is coffined and buried in consecrated
ground with the attendant services of a
priest who is paid by the organization.
The society has now membership of
upward of 12,0O1 and It's revenues amount
to about quarter of million dollars per
year. Many of its members are wealthy
Spaniards. who rarely or never go to the
place. and who. naturally take no adj
vantage of its legal. medical. or priestly
attributes. They merely contribute to its
existence. Not a few of them are men
who, In earlier and less affiuent days
were glad enough TO avail themselves of
all which was offered. except the burial
They remember those days. and the needs
OF those who. today, are following in their
footsteps.