Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-31
CONDITIONS IN CUBA.
Mr.. de Abad Gives the Result Of His
Recent Observations.

| Mr.. L. v. de Abad, commissioner for the
commercial organizations of Cuba in Wash
| ington, has returned after brief visit to
Havana.
Mr.. Abad left washington May IT,, and
reached Havana the Goth, in order to wit
ness the Inauguration Of the Cuban govern
| ment and to consult with President Palma,
to whom he bore a message Of sympathy
from President Roosevelt, and to advise
| with his associates in Havana concerning
the reciprocity measures awaiting approval
| in Congress ....-!a.-
| AS thoughtful observer. Mr.. Abad re-
marked yesterday that the celebration held
in Cuba upon the inauguration Of the new
government and the classes which took the
| most prominent part therein clearly set
| forth the true condition of the country.
THE celebration was popular, very popu-
lar" he said. THE people of Cuba most
interested. overlooked with joy, and at the
same time have given proof that there is
nowhere In the world more orderly and
easily governed people. I have lived eight
cen years in Europe, but never saw such
good order in a political gathering as in
Havana, where the people at last saw the
realization of long cherished ideal More
than $4,000 strangers, the greater part from
the country, and people in humble cireum-
stances were in Havana during the nights
| of the 10Th and Goth Of May, and the police
stations never had a smaller number of
prisoners.
"All Cubans spoke Of the grandeur of the
act celebrated and showed themselves
worthy thereof and of the nobility with
which the American nation had fulfilled it's
promise before the world to found a new
state, generously furling the stars and
stripes. Notwithstanding the good order
| that obtained among the masses, many Of
them had no place to sleep, owing to their
poverty, and the more prominent part of
the people could take very little part in the
festivities, as Is their custom in Cuba, ow-
ing to lack of means. When I reached Ha-
vana the morning of the Goth with Senator
Mason, Mr.. Townsend, commissioner of the
Charleston exposition, and other gentlemen,
we found that the principal hotels had
| many rooms to spare.
And 1t is a fact that the people who are
to direct affairs do not see how it is posi-
BILE to organize and carry on the govern
ment If depending entirely upon the United
States. The latter persists in maintaining an
economic blockade against the island a
thousand times worse than the blockade of
ls9o, and Congress passes months discussing
| the question as to ~ no will secure the bene-
fits of the concessions to be granted to
Cuba, without seeing that said discussion
only favors the party they are fighting and
| that the more 1t Is discussed the greater
| VIII be the ruin wrought in the island
There are now many persons in Cuba who
think 1t would have been less Injurious to
| the island II the United States had said
| that 1t would do nothing for Cuba
10 give ndependence to people is
grand and noble, but at the same time to
enslave them by means Of bankruptcy cold
| ly calculated Is something that does not
| console the victims Of such a policy If
the Congress of the United States grants No
concession to Cuba, no government can
| exist there. and 1t Is time that this cate
gorical statement be made so that Cubans
be not blamed for the consequences. If the
| republic of Cuba cannot exist under present
conditions it will be simply because the
| Congress of the United States has not de-
| sired 1t to continue"