The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-31


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end of the mill process in great guam
titles looking like piles of coarse sand,
was sacked at the entrance to the car,
and we were told was sold at the
Havana harbor for $3.50 per hundred
pounds. but sold in New York to the
trust for refining. While Cuba makes
the sugar, the trust seems to make the
rest, including the price, the latter be
ing by far the largest portion of the
process.
The pineapple groves were numerous
and thrifty, the fruit growing with lit
tie attention and with great productive
ness, the perfect pineapple resulting
after two years from the planting.
We visited Marianao. the suburb of
the city, where the American minister,
Mr.. Squires. has a beautiful home en-
closing a court filled with d fountain
and beautiful tropical shrubbery. The
handsomest thing we noticed about the
place was the superb American flag
gracefully floating above the tile roof
Earthen roofs in Cuba are not neees-
sarily a sign Of wealth. or substantial
/ ity. The shabbiest barns and sheds IN
Havana and the country about We're
rooted with tile, an emblem in this
country Of more than Rhinestone af-
fuence.
Thir street cars are far ahead of those
rocking arks which sail up and down
our home streets like a creaking bark
on a choDpy sea. The cars in Havana
are all right. and if we could get some
Of their secondhand coaches pending
the improvements which are to be made
here, we would be in great fortune.
The natives in the rural districts
around the tobacco fields and pineapple
groves and sugar canes as a rule wore
nc shoes. and the youngest generation
oftentimes were barefooted from the
soles Of their feet to the crown of their
heads. They resembled as much as
anything American a stick of Baker s
chocolate with the wrapper torn off.
A carnival was in progress one after
noon-something like our Karnivai
Knights entertainment only not 50
noisy nor hilarious. Few horns We're
blown and little confetti thrown, but
! long rolls of narrow parti-colored pape'
were hurled from one carriage to an
other, from the streets to the vehicles.
and from the decorate conveyances to
the balconies along the path of the pa
rade. The cabs. both public and pri~
vate, were filled with masqueraders
with ladies in handsome gowns, ana
were driven single and in tandem: thu
latter numerous. At the close of the
two hours given over to mirth, the peo-
pie appeared tired The balconies, which
| extended from nearly every house Were
festooned with paper ribbons Of all
coiors. blowing in the breeze like dis
heveled locks of thousands of entangled
maidens with hair of all hues
The 5ollity Of the Cuban is strangely
accompanied by a sad expression of the
face. The absence of the smile is note
worthy, but in view of the generations
of oppression by the most cruel masters
in the world it is indeed not surprising
that the Cuban born again has not yet
learned to laugh.
The carnival was free to those who
stood up \ charge of five cents was
made for those who sat on the iron
chairs plentifuny provided in the Cen
trail park in the heart of the city. About
this park went the parade, round and
round and W and down the Prado, a
handsome boulevard reconstructed and
beautified by General Wood; a street as
wide as Western avenue and appearing
as it would look in Topeka were the
center filed with handsome well
trimmed shade trees in two rows. along
which were broad, smooth pavements
lined by an ample driveway on either
side and bordered by additional side
walks.
The English language is as yet rarely
spoken in Havana. I tried a few jokes
upon the BARRIERS, bootblacks and thu
cab drivers and in no instance was &
smile forthcoming. I have attempted
some witticisms in English in Topeka
with the same result but from the es-
pecialy contrived effort I am satisfied
that in Cuba the result was because The
artisans I addressed could understand
not a word of English.
IT seems strange indeed that coun
try. as near to us as Kansas city to To
Deka should be so foreign in all its Gus
toms. ways and methods. The com
merce dominated by Spain makes tn
: money almost exclusively Spanish
with some success / distributed a con
siderable quantity of the American me
dunn of exchange at the shops wher
American dollars We're taken, although
the American language was not spoken
: and where the hotels have learned t.
: charge New York prices and accep
. New York. money at the rate OF $40
per day.
My experience in buying cigars wa
not altogether satisfactory, but this Wa
only the continuation of like result
that had come to my purchases il
America I visited d large cigar fac
tory in the city and found that tn
labor employed was union; that tn
wages earned We're from $500 to 500
a day: that there are women who ear
$3.50 labelling cigars and that the pro