The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-03-03
MAKES NO
BONES ABOUT
KEEPINGCUBA
ForcefuI Argument for Reten-
ton of Island by Rhoades.
is LEAVING THE PLACE
And Before He Goes He Re-
cites Some Thrilling Facts.
is LEAVING THE PLACE

| Special Correspondence to Eagie.)
/ Matanzas Cuba Feb. 24.-This VIII
/ probably be the last letter I shall write
from Cuba, as I am leaving the island for
good Before another week 1 will be In
the United States. For the last twenty
seven months / nave more or less contin-
uously been writing Of the island. its PEG
pie and customs and shall now sum up
the conclusions have reached.
First the climate. Before the Spanish
war every person who ever wrote or
spoke OF Cuba cursed the climate until it
was believed by many TO be certain death
to set foot upon the soil or breathe the
air. Just why they should have been so
unanimous in this 1 cannot say. for out
side of Havana there is no healthier place
on earth, and for lung trouble ana catarrh
Of the head it is a perfect health resort.
a two years residence here will cure the
latter disease. This I know from expert
ence. The winter months from and in
GLIDING October to May. are perfect, there
very seldom being rain of any conse-
quence, while the days are always bright
and sunny, the thermometer standing at
about 20 degrees Fab. and makes ideal
weather for excursions picnics or locat-
ing parties. In the near future the win
. ter tourist viii spend those months in
Cuba instead of Florida. The only draw
back is the rocky coast Instead of sand.
so as 10 be no good for bathing
These conditions do not apply to Ha-
vana, as that city is the opposite ex-
IRENE and is as unhealthy as it Is pos
sible for a city TO be and yet be tenable
The reason Of this is rot because it is
situated in less favorable location but
because of its unsewered condition and
the consequent accumulation of centuries
OF filth, in which the germs Of all diseases
and especially yellow fever hold high car
nival and as a consequence the city is
never free from contagiou diseases. With
a good sewer system emptying into the
sea at such a distance that all garbage
viii be caught and carried away by the
gulf stream, there is no reason why that
place should not be as healthy as any
part Of the island. There are good pros
poets of a contract being let soon 10
sewer the city under plans and speciica-
tons made by American engineers. But
this viii be a work of at least four years
and the excavating viii let loose the
germs from cess pools that are now
sealed. SO that for that time during the
summer season yellow fever will rage
even worse than the last year.
Another common deIusion is the won
derful fertility and productiveness Of the
soil. This has always been judged from
the heavy crops Of sugar cane and the
great growth Of grass. For these two
crops it is something wonderful. but when
that is said all is said It Is not vege-
table soil The red clay soil will not
grow vegetables of any kind at any time
of the year. Neither IS It as good cane
ground as the other Water sinks through
it as through sand and IL is always dry
and dusty to a depth Of several inches.
It is. however. good for fine apples and il
is upon it the best are grown Florida
orange growers claim it is also the best
orange land
The black soil will produce vegetables
but outside Of cabbages and onions Il viii
not compare with any place in thA Usitei
States that has an average amount II
rain fall The soil is very heavy sticky
and hard TO cultivate Irish potatoes
grow large but do not make many to the
hill and the yield per acre Is low.
Egg plant does well but the freight rates
70 northern market let fall the profits
The worst drawback 10 Cuba IS its peo-
pie. They are INDECENT ignorant and con
ceited, so that if the future Of the island
must depend upon them il Is indeed a
dreary outlook They imagine that every
thing in Cuba Is the very height Of per-
fection and can't be improved upon. They
are vain Of personal appearance and look /
with contempt upon labor. and as long as
one of them has a dollar in his pocket /
he struts around in his best clothes 10 /
show every one he is a gentleman and /
does not have TO do anything to gain a /
livelihood. thus thinking 70 create an i'm
preston that he is wealthy. with nothing I
to 10 but show Of his personal charms f. ]
public
Their morals are low and al the talk /!
in the cafes Or wherever \ number 81 /
them are congregated together Is about
their different paramours. Every lady
passing along the street Is subject to +
lanEuishing glauces and dare not &c un- +
attended bv a servant. fer fear ~ being I
subject Q insult
Measured by any standard ~ honor ana /
honesty ] think 7 am safe 70 say that 4
there IS not one honest person who was
bern and raised on the island Ling Tor I
the purpose ~ gain is considered q vir-
tue and e hy some trick or falseboe3 one
person gains Jew cents from another If
S considered too good 20 keep ana IS az
ways .ai8 n an admIring circle 81 friends
az the first oecas ~.
This brings us IL she subject ~ self
government Cen the Cuhans sagfrn s
them selvese Measured ~ the aaser-
standing an Americas has - sslg-g2vern-
ment they cannot There are too manr
ignorant ~ uta anE ewen those THAI can