Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-20
NANY CUDANS ARE DL[
Great Distress Among Work
men in Many of the
Provinces
MUNICIPAL LABoRERs UNPAID

MUNICIPAL LABORERS ONFAiO
George M. Barbour, Formerly Sanitary
Commissioner in Charge Of Santi-
900 and Other Towns Describes Con-
d;tiors as They Exist in Cuba To.
dav-He Favors Annexation.
washington, Oct. 2o.-Recent advices
from the island of Cuba declaring tlal
great distress exists there was verl-
field today by Major George Nj. Bar
bour.. for four years after the American
sanitary commissioner III
charge of Santiago and neighborlns
towns who said he had recently re-
ceived a letter from Santiago mer-
chant saving that $4,000 men were Out
of work in that city. In the course OF
a conversation the major was him li'
his belief that annexation was the only
remedy for the gloomy conditions now
prevalent in the island. AS builders
of republic the major entertains y
very poor opinion of the Cubans, Saying
they are at present in the condl.loi1
of a kindergarten without teacher
AS an example of the diSaHeclloi
among the laboring people he shoWeo
a letter written in September by Mt
J. X. Elwell. president of one OF the
largest mercantile companies in Cuba
in which thatsgentlemen said: "A large
number Of men employed by the mu-
nicipality have not been paid for sew
eral months and they want to Know
why it is that the Cuban government
is without funds when the Yankees al
ways had money to burn.
In discussing sanitary conditions Ma
Tor Barbour said the Cuban authorities
were relaxng their vigilance in tha
direction every day and he could moi
but foresee return to the deplofapie
state existing under the Spanish re-
gime. Senior Meana, prominent
planter of Santiago province. wrote ts
the major Il short time ago asserting
that since the municipality of Santiago
had charge OF sanitary conditions the
work had been steadily on the decline
and from the writer's view 1t would on
ly be a short time when the work woulc
cease altogether. How soon 1T was.
adds the seror pathetically, when VIC
started 10 miss the Americans"
"rhe Cubans are most impractlc-
able lot OF people" remarked Major
Barbour, and every one of them has
different idea OF what constitutes re-
public, each man believing himself
right and his fellows wrong. They arc
. unit on one point. however. they
think the basic principle of republic
is to provide every citizen with jot
at large salary With very little work
There is no doubt i'll my mind, how
ever he continued, that the lane
conditions in Cuba are responsible fol
the unsettled conditions there. Mos
of the land is controlled by absente,
Spanish landlords and if this property
was divided up into small holdings il
would work a wonderful change in the
Cuban people. In this direction IA
vor the suggestion made by Repre-
sentative Newlands that such a stel
be taken, and we would have the same
happy result that was obtained in Ire.
land when the English government in
stituted such procedure. granting
small holdings to the Irish tenants or
long time at low rate of interest.
Major barbour said when Representa-.
tive Newlands introduced his resolu-
lions in the house of representative:
inviting Cuba to become part of the
United States it resulted in a division
of sentiment in the island. "On one
side" explained the major, I'VE had the
politicians and large negro following
bitterly against annexation while tho
men of property, the real business ele-
ment OF the island, heartily favored it
for they are absolutely without faith
in the stability of the Cuban republic
As for the negroes, ignorant and super.
|stitious as they are, the politician:
preyed on their credulity in telling
them annexation to this country meant
nothing but slavery for them, terror
izing them with stories of negro lynch
ings in the United States That the
present administration Of Cuba wit
u few exceptions is a collection o,
hungry politicians is Major Barbour.
belief. He considers President Paine
an honest man. but a dreamer unable
to cope with the serious problems con
fronting him. "He means WE'LL" OBJ.
served the major, but you must re
member that he was away from Cube
for tWenty-six years and the condition.
that prevailed a quarter of !, centur,
ago are not the ones that prevail to-
day. You can form some idea of the
character Of the Cuban congress whel
~ tell you that only seven member:
Eof the lower house pay taxes" Majo1
Barbour was very severe on Mr.. Bryan
and Senator Mason for the roseate or.
9atory they INDUCED in when visitins
Havana. Bryan and Mason" said TIL,
major. gave the Cubans a whole 10
Iof spread eagle eloquence in te!lins
them how they We're the best equipped
people on earth for a republican form
of government, something the Cubam
knew in their hearts was not true TO
the average Cuban not only disbelieVe!
his felloWmen, but he has no belief il
himself and this sort of an individual
does not contribute the stuff of which
successful republics are made. The Gu.
ban character can be summed up ii
4 q few words SO far as the Cuban's at
titude towards republic is concerned
He desires fat position without worl
and insists that his individuality shall
prevail over that of all Others
Half Rates to Milwaukee, Wis.,
| Via the Northwestern line. Excursion
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