The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-15


be having very jolly time OF It, They
were inclined to be free in their man
ners, but the Cubans were anxious to
show courtesy to all Americans, and sup
posed the woung men were acting as they
would at home. It developed later in the
evening that one CT them was a bartender
andhte othrieradroev with CM ETA w
and the other a driver of an ambulance
at the barracks. This young lady has
lean acquaintance. There are hundreds
Of Cuban ladies imposed upon in those
early days who have not had the oppor-
tunity of finding out that these imposters
were rot representative Americans.
Mfsled by Ignorance.
When one goes through the country it
is a common sight to see a crowd of
people surrounding some one who is
reading the newspapers to them. Two
thirds of the population of the island
cannot read. They consequently get their
information wrong as rule, and arrive
at false conclusions. A Red Cross woman
told me that when she first came to the
island the people could not do enough for
her. Now some Of the Cuban women who
brought chairs and fruit to her then will
not speak to her. She does not blame
them. They are ignorant and have been
imposed upon by the cheap politicians.
They will find out the truth in time. l
know or man servant who was fed by the
Red Cross for weeks after the interven-
ton Until he could get something to do,
who marched in a parade the other night
and Whooped it up for Masso until he was
hoarse. This fellow is an honest, hard
working, Well-meaning young man, but he
had been told that if Masso was elected,
he would not have to work any more.
He is learning to read and write, and in
the course of time he will be able to
think for himself. Many of the tourists
from the states are indiscreet in their &C
lions while on the island. Some of them
behave in a manner that would disgrace
them If it were known at home. Because
they are among strangers they seem to
feel like they can do as they please. They
really ought to be more careful of their
behavior than they would at any other
time, for the reason that they are watched
and all Americans judged accordingly.
Cubans Grateful to Us.
The stories about the ingratitude of the
Cubans need to be taken with grain of
salt.5 They are Warln-hearted, hospita-
Bile people; and if they have in some re-
spects made themselves socially inacces-
sible to Americans they have had excell-
ent reasons for doing so. Any other indi-
cations of unfriendIiness are due more to
port given Palma, who is intensely Amer
lean, and the election to Office of the best
informed and most enlightened men of
the island, guarantee fair dealing on the
part of Cuba it she is properly treated by
the United States.
Z General Leonard Wood, the military
has the full confdence.of the
best Cubans. They understand that he.
has done more for Cuba in three years
than the Spaniards did in 800. He is a
tireless worker. He remains at his desk
for hours after his assistants leave the
office. lie has made a success OF his
administration in Cuba by the same
means that he adopted to succeed before
coming hereby applying himself The
story of Leonard Woods success is the
kind one likes to tell He worked his
way through Harvard, and afterward
through medical college. When he went
to Washington to be examined for place
in the army he had only $40 in his pocket
and not a single acquaintance among the
authorities to assist him by influence Out
of fifty two applicants he finished second.
He has travelled a long and hard way to
his present high place, but he has earned
1t fairly. There is still room for him at
the top.