New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-09
MONEY QUESTION
Com licated by Use of american
and Spanish Coins.
IrrOm Special Correspondents of The Tr4bune.l

IRON Special Correspondent The Tr4bune.l
Havana. Cuba, February IS
Havana finds itself to-day in peculiar trouble re-
rardng its pocketbook- II comes from the use Of
hoth American and Spanish money SILVER &c Zig,
snd IL consequence the value OF silver coins has
gone soaring. Two weeks ago one could get s/S5
COR an American dollar at any corner fonda or res
,srrant il has been worth much as 81 Is To-
ssv the best price offered is 81 70 and sharn trad
,rs are giving only 81 Is.
IN consequence Of this rise in silver there is sur
fer;ng among the poorer classes in the Cuban cap
nsl Many OF them are paid on an American
money basis They got along very well when an
American collar would buy s. IS worth OF goods
the grocery, the wine shop or the drygoods store
NoE that the premium has been cut in two they
are making great hue and cry about IT,
The Mayor has appointed special committee TO
confer with tie merchants in an endeavor TO lind
some solution the difficulty. This committee
WI also take up the matter with the officials OF
she ronublic Havana hnalciers do not believe
that l.e committee can do anything. as the value OF
The So .nsh dollar must be regulated by the price
d, tie silver, OF which is made. AS long as
mixed money is used the classes must suffer
when silver is high. as the merchants no way
Of arranging sliding scale OF prices.
Santiago de Cuba merchants took this mixed
money question into their hands some time
age They decided at a mass meeting 10 use
nothing but United States money in the future. and
,hev have gradually been retiring the Spanish silver
which was in circulation there. They allow only
n cents for the Spanish peso. which in Havana
has purchasing value OF s. and actual value Of
from So 50 cents according the price of silver
This ironclad boycott OF Spanish money has re-
sulted in great gain several lines OF trade The
drivers a the cabrioles. OF which there hun
5-.as are bound by law TO charge only a peseta
Gov single trips within certain district. The
,.seta is worth 20 cents (spanish}. but the cab
drivers want 10 charge an American quarter
Or their services
ore solution offered for the Havana problem is
~. adoption OF American United States coin as
the standard in all lines OF trade. II is now the
o~cal standard OF the island One must pay
s.-e.tcar fares and for postage stamps in American
,o-s, or give a liberal premium Taxes and duties
are not payable IN Spanish money. The objection
70 following the plan OF the merchants OF Santiago
Dc cuba IS that II viii make the city too Amer
ca2.
The common people OF Cuba not becoming
Anercanized They seem 10 fear that the United
s.ses VII vet step in ana pull the string that was
attached 10 the proclamation giving them SELF
government. They have no. Yet come honestly to
believe that the evacuation by the United States
army vas for good and all, IL they behave them
selves IN political matters.
Tfis row nearly eight years since the 5th Army
corps LANDED on the southeastern shore OF Cuba,
and in short campaign terminated the struggle
which ire Army of Liberation had been waelns Tor
Years For several years American troops were
chartered about the island. and since Evacuation
nav tens OF thousands OF American tourists have
roaraed about the island Up TO yesterday 25'"o
tourists had landed in Havana since the season
opened.
Yet today. IN FL Havana, there is hardly cab
driver who speaks the least English Outside. OF
he hotels the walters knowledge Of English is
irited 10 three words-hghball, whisky cigars
Il Santiago de Cuba II is even worse though every
one knows the value OF United States coins Along
The line Of the Cuban railroads where American
csrital is being generously invested, Spanish re-
mains the tongue and there seems be absolutely
10 effort or intention az effort TO learn English
there are many persons who believe that this
zrti-arnericar feeling fear viii shortly attain
the dignity Of becoming political issue The
present adnainistrs Jon under President Palma is
populs-ly supposed TO be more under the influence
o. the United States than IL has any idea OF being
You gave Is our liberty" groTled q Cuban OF
gone Prominence IN discussing affairs with the
Tribune correspondents. Liberty! Fine sounding
word hut al in the sound. You gave US liberty,
but you took away our pleasures-the cockhght'
the lottery. the bullhEht"
But think what Cuba has 70 gain from the IN
PRODUCTION II ca pital from the United States OF
te7ed the correspondent. who had just returned
from an overland trip the length OF the island and
vas Impressed with the way in which vast areas
o. waste country were being opened up
you Americans are after the best that the coun-
trv affords was the Cuban's view. If you would
Just keep your hands OF. and leave Us alone we'd
develop our country"
One hears in the Havana clubs OF an incident OF
tTo months ago. which did not get into the news
papers, but which shows the temper Of numerous
and powerful element among the Cubans.
In ~ the statue Of unpopular general when
STU stands IN Colon Cemetery, was defaoed by
Etudents n the university al Havana. The Spanish
authorities were greatly aroused and. being IN
able md the identity OF the real offenders they
ordered class OF eighty Cuban youths TO stand up
and every tenth one was called 70 be shot. The
Sentence q death was executed upon eight Of the
young students on November y, 1s71, when they
were lined ID against the wall Of the penitentiary
81 tie end % tho Prado and shot by Spanish SOL
o.ers. A beautiful monument erected in their
honor a. the right OF the I>rado by the Cubans af-
terwsrd, and each year II is decorated with floral
E.es,Ls
One night a. the beginning OF this winter l. Is
alleged that young Americans drove past me
monument and took OF the wreaths- Ihey
were followed by Cuban who was on watch. ana
tb soon he located their dwelling the ponce
We're called 10 arrest them. one OF the young men
tfompt-y proved 2 abb. The other was heid Tor
I4eL The Cuban had witnessed the alIeecd
t-e-l vas unable 70 pick out the prisoner from d
-o"d or otherwise 10 identify him. The judge
- about 30 release him for lack or evidence.
l-eI, T. is said and the story Is vouched for by
sine ~ the most prominent Americans IN havana;
- Students ~ the university held a meeting anu
80 WORD 10 she Judge that II the American was
o' punished by Imprisonment they would make
a oenlocFfration against every American IN Ia
tahs They were much aroused and would doubt
- nave carried out their threat At any rate lile
lang american sentenced TO twenty uagS III
s1-s and served the term.