The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1920-07-22

few drunkards among them. They
regard drunkenness as a crime, a dis
grace, and those with whom | have
talked, who could speak English, have
told me. that the poorest, the plainest
Cubans teach their children from al
most infancy to look upon drunken
ness with dread and horror of what
it may lead to. One old man told me
Of a law which was rigidly enforced
by the aborigines of these South A.
merican countries before the Spanish
discovered and settled up this coun-
try. This was the law: "For de-
frauding a minor or ward of proper
ty, for thieving and idleness, for in
temperance or drunkenness, for alien
ating a wife's affections or hus-
bands, vice versa, ETC." For the vio-
lation of any of the above named
crimes, the penalty was death and the
body sacrificed as a burnt offering to
the Great Spirit. Mr.. Abbott in his
history of Cortez's invasion and e..
quest of Mexico, mentioned Just such
laws as existing among the natives.
Of Cuba's total population of $780,
004, there are ATT, 7,7S6 of voting age,
about tifty-five per cent of this num-
ber are said to be illiterate. In con-
sidering these figures one can easily
understand why Cuba has not more
stable government. At this time
there are about 1925 American set
tiers upon the Island. They are in
small groups or colonies in every Sec
tion or province, and their influence
in the way of education is beginning
to awaken the Cubans to the fact, that
a good government cannot be main
tanned without a good citizenship,
which they can never have without ed
ucation, and they are fast beginning to
realize that ignorance is the parent of
vice and crime as well as all the other
debasing evils which make men revo-
lutionary barbarians. They are an
moments time be stirred to savage
butchery, or through another impul-
sive vein, be caused to give you the
hand of friendship, or join with you
in tears of sympathy and sorrow.
Such is the Cuban. What he needs
is educational training, example and
precept.
Some Cuban Food Prices.
This is most vital question here.
One which seems to be an unsolvable
one to the whole world. Were it not
for what we Americans call exorbi-
tant wages for all kinds Of services
performed, the wolf would be at ev-
cry door and window in Cuba, but
thanks for these, the Cubans are able
to live well, save some money for a
"bad luck" day, and dress in purple
and fine linen" Here are some prices
paid spring chickens 60 cents per
pound, Y. C. sugar 35 cents, conden-
ced milk 35 cents per can, beef steak
so to rs cents per pound, sugar cured
hams 80 to 80 cents a pound. Every
thing else in proportion. In this city
granulated sugar is difficult to obtain
at 40 cents a pound.
And at present there seems to be
nothing in sight which will change
these conditions. They NAV continue
for a decade or a generation, unless,
we can get more labor back to the
farms, nothing but production can
turn the channel which leads to a
reasonable, normal state in prices.
The first sensible thing is to get the
world at peace. Disband the great
armies, send the young men back to
the farms. Teach them civilization
and humanity instead of barbarity and
heathenism. Beat their swords and
rifles into hoes and plowshares. Their
cannon into other farming imple-
ments; and also teach them "to learn
war no more, and by instruction
bring them to realize that the law of
supply and demand is the only just
and legitimate regulator of prices to
live by. Drill them in the handling
Of agricultural implements, by which
life, health and happiness are created
and sustained, instead Of the manual
of arms, those deadly. barbarous, un-
civilized implements, which create and
perpetuate on the other hand nothing
but death and sorrows, poverty and
misery, hunger and starvation. Let
the governments of the world cease
to give bonuses and pensions, thereby
creating idlers and vagrants. Except
to disabled soldiers not able to work.
II is from such methods as these that
we may look for change reversion
which will bring US prosperity and
happiness.