Evening star., 1904-03-12
IN CUBA AND FLORIDA
IMPRESSIONS OF ASSISTANT SEC
RETARY TAYLOR.
Havana Was a Pleasant Surprise
Found Remarkably Clean
and Busy City.

H. A. Taylor, assistant secretary OF the
treasury, and Mrs. Taylor returned home
this morning from visit of some weeks in
Florida and Cuba. Mr.. Taylor said to
Star reporter that he was impressed with
the vast improvements that had been made
in Florida in the past few years by the
railroad companies operating the lines OF
transportation on the eastern and western
coasts of the state.
There Is no middle part Of the state"
he said. 1.-The country is mainly settled by
northerners. There are many pleasant lit
tie villages, consisting mostly of winter
cottages, along the railroad lines. Tampa
is thrifty and growing city. 1t is the
center of the cigar trade in the south. 1
visited one cigar factory. employing over
1000 persons. 1t Is the general impression
In the north that most of the cigars from
Florida are manufactured at Key West.
put, as a matter of fact. most of them are
manufactured at Tampa. Key West is
also thriving city and doing a large and
increasing business. On the east coast Mr.
Fiagler has built line of railroad run
ning from Miami to Jacksonville An the
notels are overfowing with northern Wis
ltors. Palm Beach is the center of attrac-
ton. Many of the most prominent neonIa
in the country are there.
Havana a Clean City.
me- The city of Havana, while II is
typical Spanish city in it's construction is
beautifully located and full of business
and kept scrupulously clean. have never
seen an American city where the streets
and alleys were cleaner than in Havana
thanks to Gen. Wood and others The
country outside the city Is quite pictur
esque and surprisingly fertile There are
forests of sugar cane and vast tobacco
apple orchards without number. The CITY
of Havana is notably lacking in hotel ac.
commodations. There are numerous no
tells there, but they are not up to a proner
standard, and prices are extravagantly
high.
"The first general election was held one
Sunday while | was there. and passed off.
quietly, somewhat to the surprise of the
ofnclals. There had been antic. pa ton of
some rioting In various provinces, but good
order generally prevailed and the people
acquiesced in results.
am indebted for special courtesies to
President Palma of the Cuban republic. the
captain of the port of Havana and Ameri-
can officials, Minister Squiers and Consul
General Stinehart. 1 was surprised some
what at the sentiment there toward this
country.
Not Friendly to United States.
'The native Cubans do not seem very
friendly to the United States. while the
Spamards are especially friendly. OF
course, L do not refer to Cuban officials,
but to the people, who seem to entertain
some sort of fear that 1t is the intention
at no remote date, of this country to an.
mex Cuba. and that American enterprise
and capital will come In there and domi-
nate affairs to the detriment of the inter-
ests of the Cuban residents This feeling
undoubtedly will be allayed as time goes
on The transportation facilities between
Washington and Florida and Cuba are ex-
cellent- The trip be made in a short
time and with all possible comfort The
steamship lines plying between Tampa and
Key West and Havana are especially COM
modious and comfortable"