The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-02

the town from the deck of the ''Moltke,' -
disturbed much OF the time by rumors
Ina, lnal the authorities would finally re-
tent and allow US ashore. But they
oion,t, SO, at noon today, we steamed
OUT 10 sea, with the band playing ma
elonal airs. At other places we have
and curious, but the people of Havana
were sullen. You would suppose that
an unusually big ship containing $40
excurslon1sts from the United States
would attract little attention In Ha-
vana harbor. but it didn't, and, when
We went out of the harbor today, the
excursion1stS waved handkerchiefs at
the people to be seen on the docks and
streets' but the CubanS made almost no
response; they paid no attention to us.
1ou would suppose that the arrival of
big ship in Havana harbor, carrying
s4O Americans would attract some at
tentlon from Americans living in Ha-
vana, but it didn't: we saw no Ameri-
cans around the ship during our stay
OF 30 hours, except Ed Dennison, for
merly of Atchison
Inc TACT is, We were very badly treat
ed In Havana. and every passenger on
the Moltke" was as mad as a hornet
ON leaving for Nassau; even Harker,
the Model Husband. was mad in his
say, tits a shame" 1 contended all
along that If Mrs. Harker had been
trusted with the MANAGEMENT of our
side or the case. we would have got
sired to take for Florida followed US
out OF the harbor in a taitalizing way,
ana Its smoke was seen until late this
AFTERNOON. 1t will land its passengers
In Florida at o'clock this evening. On
cur departure from Havana, we passed
within few feet of Moro castle. and
I longed for a frecracker, that might
blow the place up.
In one of the booklets sent me by Ed
NtAnn1Snn 10 ~ "a f0f Fvr
committee, found the following, sign
ed by the mayor of Havana:
To the Tourist: The city of Havana
opens 81, hsr gates to you; She welcomes
at your command. Accept the city's
greeting, and be assured that Havana,
and, with her, all Cuba, extend to you
a very hearty welcome"
Still, $40 tourists visited Havana on
the 18th of February, 1910, and were re-
fused permission to land. The mayor
of Havana does not represent his peo-
pie. who are lacking in ordinary court
may coax the mayor of Havana to say
in a boom circular, 1 shall always be- |
lieve Cubans hate Americans, and that
they think SO much of cigarette smok- |
ing and bull fighting that they neglect |
ordinary politeness. There was really |
no good excuse for refusing US per- |
mission to land, except the caprice of |
some pig-headed official.
The literature of the boom committee |
OF Havana refers to Cuba as the |
Blessed Isle. "If you will not be hap |
py, stranger" the Havanese are quot |
ed as saying, then leave! This is the |
place of gayety." The boom committee |
of Havana writes entertaining litera- |
tufe, but the progressive spirit is lack |
ing among the Cuban people. Every |
thing worth while in Cuba has been |
done by foreigners; men of politeness. |
The invitation to strangers to visit |
Cuba comes from the hotel and shop |
keepers, and not from the native Gu
bans. who prefer the old dirty way.
Is spoken in winter. The summer sea-
son, and the rainy season. are almost
here, And Cuba would /
still be a breeding place for yellow |
to the rescue of 1.-THE natives. It may
also be said with equal truth that there
would be no Cuban republic had not
American visitors planned it, and in |
B good many useful Cuban institutions,
by foreign capital, claiming |
that they applied the torch in the name
Of Liberty, but had not American Wis
TORS gone to the rescue, the natives
would still be shooting and bawling OBJ
scene names at each other, as they |
have done since the beginning of his
Lorv until their nearest neighbor be- 1
came annoyed beyond endurance Dy
Cuban noise and filth, and insisted on a |
quieting down and a cleaning up.
I was favorably impressed with San
Juan, in Porto Rico, but was not with
in Cuba. If you must invest
In the West Indies, go to Porto Rico,
where the natives have always had
sense enough to appreciate the rain of |
American dollars. The Cubans are a |
sullen, turbulent people, who are never
happy unless they are dirty and op-
pressed. They have had liberty and
cleanliness forced upon them, and can't
become accustomed to either. There
are plenty of good people in Cuba, bu!
few of them are pure-blood Cubans. If
The natives would treat visitors politely |,