The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-15
THE RACE QUESTION IN cUBA.


political factor Cuba's race question Is OF
recent development. A Spanish decree
issued In 1888 declared the freedom Of all
children born Of slave mothers after Sep
TENDER II OF that year. An act Of July.
1870, gave freedom to slaves who had served
under the Spanish flag. to slaves who had
re5ched 90 years Of age, and to those be-
longing to the State. An act Of October,
1885, declared the slave system forever
extinct in Spanish dominions. In 1898 a
proclamation issued by Captain General
Calleia virtually fixed the civic status Of the
blacks on a par with that Of the whites.
The color question had little or no place
in Cuba's life and affairs prior to the Amer
lean occupation in 1890, The negro was a
field hand or a small farmer. His ambition
was the ownership OF a little patch OF
ground and a hut that he could call his own.
As a slave he played his part in the ten
years war. Is8s-7s, by the orders Of his
master. As a freeman he fought In the war
OF independence, ls95-ss. The color line
adjusted itself. White and black worked
together on the plantation and camped
and fought together during the revolution.
The caste feeling was vague and Indefinite,
because the race question was not agitsted.
The blacks and the mulattoes made no at
tempt to step over social or political boun-
diaries. In a few instances OF exceptional
intellectual attsinments there was a cross
ing Of the line. but even in those cases there
were decided social restrictions. Black men
and mulattoes were members Of the Cuban
Asamblea; Morua DeIgado and Juan Quail
berto Gomez were in the constitutional
conventions; Delgado In a Senator. and
there are several colored men in the House.
All these mingled with their white asso-
ciates on terms OF entire equality in the
work OF tho various bodies. in their polit-
ical organizations and on the streets. but
very rarely indeed in the homes. There
was a decided shudder in Havana when In
the spring of 1899 the uncouth and illiterate
negro General Quintin Bandera, with his
staff OF colored men. occupied rooms for a
few days at the Hotel Inglaterrs.
At the close Of the revolution in 1898 the
blacks as a whole dropped Into their accus-
toned place and resumed their industries.
Some remained in the field until the final
disarmament in the spring Of 1899. A ten
dency to race solidarity first made its APP
pearance during the American occupation.
a result, beyond any doubt, Of the attitude
oI tDt IuOuednue Vi i1UltTlCdnEt EOHIucIb anu
civilians, who swarmed the island at that
time. This attitude and its influence was
in large degree, undoubtedly, unconscious.
The Americans took with them their more
or less pronounced race prejudice. Grad
ually the blacks drew more and more
together. though not at all aggressively
The movement might be regarded rather
as instructive, a physical association Of those
who saw a barrier being raised against
them. So far as the Law was concerned
their civil rights were fully recognized.
General Ludlow closed and kept closed an
American barroom because it's proprietor
refused to serve the mulatto General Eligio
Ducasse, who entered the place as the guest
OF white companions. Such race question
as there really is began to take on deini
form in 1899.
Cuba's Constitution simply presumes the
political equality Of white and black by
stating that Cuban citizens are native
born or n~aturalized, and hat all Cubans
nave equal rights before the law With
the usual exceptions all male Cubans
over twenty-one years of age ave the
right of suffrage" Even under such con-
ditions Cuba's race question has been OF
slow development. and il would to-day be
Of so little importance as 10 be practically
non-existent we're il not for the baleful
work of a few who seek their own adj
vancement by promising the blacks a share
In their success. So far as political afilia-
ton is concerned. we're the Moderates to
start a revolution tomorrow the percentage
of blacks in the ranks Of the insurgents
would be the same az it was in the
so-called Army of the Constitution In the
recent trouble. The Liberals are the party
OF the majority and therefore nave the
greater number of negroes, but they also
nave the larger number OF whites. think
it a mistake to regard the Moderates as
the party of white responsibility and the
Liberals as the party of negrodom. So
far as race is concerned the two are on an
e1ual footing under normal political con-
ditions. Juan Gualberto Gomez was a
Moderate until a political deal threw him
out Of the seat in the House to which he
was unquestionably elected. Morua Del
gado was a Moderate until the fusion Of
last fall placed him in the Liberal ranks.
Within the last few weeks. almost within
the last few days. the Cuban race question
has assumed a prominence which it never
held before. The conditions which attend
its appearance leave only one inference
possible. That is that some. perhaps many.
oil the leaders of the recent ven
promised the blacks a generous share in
the fruits of the uprising in order to obtain
a following, and the redemption Of those
pledges is not Immediately forthcoming.
II that is the case. as IL seems to be, certain
white politicians may find that they have
stirred up a black hornets nest. The
situation may even become dangerous.
Charity Collectors in New York Saloons.
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