The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1902-06-06

IN utcu W wv mOuStsVoS WiuuO"o ."
feet In height. lion or wooden graf
ings take the place Of glass. No cur
tains or screens are used and passers-
hy may observe the costumes Of the
family and also see who their callers
are. No woman, except the negress,
ever walks upon the public streets
but visit the stores In species Of
cart with wheels six feet 10 diameter
and shafts 25 feet long. This Is
drawn by one horse IN the shafts and
one hitched half a length ahead for
the negro driver. The women do
not dismouIt as the 0bliging clerks
carry their goods out doors for in
spection. The parks and promenades
Of Havana surpass those Of many
cities in the old world. While in
the flrst quarter OF the century just
past nearly all Of SPANS colonies be-
came independent, Cuta like Puerto
Rico remained loyal to her mother
country and became refuge To which
Spaniards from disloyal colonies
sought protection and homes. These
refugees were of the best Spanish
blood and brought with them energy
and refinement. Spain had taxed
her Cuban subjects for three centu-
ries and never allowed them q voice
In government, not even to worship
as they pleased, nor to engage in any
professional business without 0fiicial
permission. Against this tyranny
the Cubans have frequently risen in
rebellion but without the interven-
ton Of the United States they might
yet be suffering from the same OPP
preston. The savage conduct OF the
war as carried on by General Weyler,
aroused the indignation OF the civil
lied world and when the Maine was
treacherOusly blown up In the harbOr
OF Havana, the wrath Of the Ameri-
can people could only be satisfied
with the destruction and removal Ut
| Spanish rule forever from the West.
ern continent. However, the war
was not for conquest but as was pro-
claimed by our president, q war for
suffering humanity. The world was
notified that Cuba would be taken
from Spain and given her independ.
ence. With this object in view the
Cuban people have been undergoing a
course OF training for the past four
years and the premise OF the Amer.
can government was nObly fulfilled
when on December 3lst, for the first
time In their history, the Cubans
voted for electors to select their pres
ident and on May 20, 1902, Senol
Palma was duly installed rs presi
dent. During the palMiest days be-
fore the war the value OF school prop
erty was but $500, 900. Today Cubs
has almost 100000 invested II
schools. Probably more than one
half Of the people are unable to reaC
and write and very few have received
u good common school education
But with independence will com,
learning and the cause Of education
Is making such progress that the time
Is not very far distant when every
one In Cuba will be able to read an(
write. The years since 1897 have
been full Of surprises and no party
feeling In the United States nor AM
compassion which Europeans ma!
feel for the misfortune OF Spair
should prevent recognition Of wha
the American administration ha
done for Cuba. Havana has beer
cleared OF that deadly scourge, yellow
fever, encouragement has been giver
to farming, a stimulus to materia
progress, a powerful impulse for edu
cation and best OF all an example o
elf-government has been presented
to people, who for centuries, hat
been ruled by despotism.
WESTWARD THE COURSE OF EMPIRE
tBy Roy F.. BarioJ
When the curtain first rises ON tn,
stage of history We know that tn,
Aryon race lived in Eastern Asia aut
possessed an advanced degree Of civil
ization. As early rs 5000 or 1000 b
c., these people not only built road'
and temples, but made laws and spok'
an undeveloped language. Although
they made some progress in civiliza
ton while wandering westward. Blu
from the time they started to migrat,
until they reached the eastern shore
of the MEDITERRANEAN We know littl,
about them. All we know Is tina
they were wandering tribes pushin,
through the wilderness until they q
nally reached their destination. Her,