3
June 2ot 190a
tor, especially built for ship disinfection and
for handling of largo numbers of soldiers and
passengers, arrived at Havana during the latter
part of June, 1900; it is the only disinfecting
steamer in the world and is provided with the
most modern apparatus, including shower baths
and robing and disrobing rooms sufficient to han
dle 1,000 persons, daily. The experience of the
army in Montauk Point in 1898 suggested many
improvements in the matter of disinfection, and
these suggestions have been utilized in the con
struction of this vessel. Curing the month of
June, 1901, this steamer disinfected 40 cargoes,
passenger vessels, and 39 fishing smacks, making
a total of 79 vessels. During the first fiscal year
403 vessels were disinfected, together with 4,360
pieces of baggage.
PRISON AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN HAVANA.
The public buildings of Havana are substan
tially constructed and will last for many, years.
.The Spaniards had an eye to the future and built
for posterity, therefore the official headquarters
at Havana and the other cities are large, strong
and massive.
The prison is an immense building, and though
ornamental in appearance is unfortunately sit
uated on the Prado". The condition of the prison,
by the way, has been much improved during
American occupancy, a fact to which the Cubans
point with much pride and satisfaction. The
Palace, occupied by the governor general during
Spanish rule, is a commodious structure near tho
wharf, and Former Governor General Wood has
made his headquarters here, as have the heads of
the various departments of the government.
When I called upon the mayor, the able and
accomplished Senor De la Torre, I was ushered
into a reception room which was formerly the
crown room of the palace. There my attention
was immediately attracted by two splendid oil
paintings of large size. One represented Cortes
landing in Cuba, and the other the landing of the
Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth Rock. In the nrst
picture the great Spanish explorer appeared as tho '
central figure; he was mounted upon a war
horse and around him were cannons, guns, sabres
and chains. The second picture represented a
group of unarmed men, women and children; one
held an open book, while on tho ground were
epade and pick and saw. The pictures were pre
sented in 1867, by Senor Miguel de Aldama, tho
wealthiest Cuban of his time, who, a year later,
was a prominent leader In the war begun for tho
independence of Cuba. The pictures contrast the
doctrine of colonization by conquest with tho
peaceful methods employed by those who go forth
to build a new home in a new country. There is
an exquisite humor in tho gift and tho donor
would have felt fully repaid if he could have
known that those pictures would for thirty years
mock every kingly gathering and utter their mute
protest against arbitrary power and colonial piis
government. Bull fighting and cock fighting have been pro
hibited during the intervention, and "Jal Alai," a
very skilful ball game, has taken their place to
eome extent But for the gambling that is encour
aged by the "Jal Alai" company the game would
be deserving of praise.
HAVANA A FUTURE WINTER RESORT.
Havana is destined to be a popular winter re
Bort for American tourists. It is only three and
one-half days from New York by steamer and
only little more than a day from southern Florida,
and its climate affords a delightful retreat from
the rigors of a northern winter. Tho hotels are
well kept and sufficiently commodious for the
traveling public, but as tho number of American
tourists increases there will doubtless spring up
jother hotels, built and conducted upon the Ameri
can plan.
Tho one great and overshadowing need, of
Havana Is a sewerage system, and that subject is
now being considered. : It has not been thought
advisable to run a sewer into the harbor becauss
; .. 1
The Commoner
it has no outlet, and the fact that the Gulf Stream
would carry into tho harbor any refuse matter
emptied along the seacoast makes the problem a
difficult one; but that it will be soon solved is
certain, and thon no city on the Western Hemis
phere will bo moro attractive to those who havo
the time and means for travel.
To Americans Santiago is almost as Interesting
as Havana, because it was' tho scene of the de
cisive land engagement of tho Spanish-American
war as well as tho scene of ono of tho two great
naval battles of that war. The harbor of Santiago
is as well protected as tho Havana harbor, but
is not so large.
Nature has also done much for tho harbors at
Cienfuegos and Matanzas and both are prominent
shipping points for tho exportation of sugar.
There are now moro than 150,000 tons of sugar
stored in the warehouses at the latter place. The
harbor at Matanzas is an open ono, but largo vc3
sels anchor in deep water about a mile from the
wharf and have no difficulty in loading and un
loading from lighters. Like Havana, tho city
draws its water supply from springs, and, lying
upon the side of a hill, it can be more easily
drained. Captain Hay of the United States army,
who was in charge of tho military government as
well as the custom houso at that place, says that
Matanzas Is now the cleanest city he has ever seen.
Ho is also authority for the statement that tho
Cubans are law-abiding and very easy to get along
with. There is near .Matanzas the famous valley
of the Yumuri, an excellent view of which is
obtained from tho old church of Montserrat, sit
uated on a high hill near the city. There is said
to be no more beautiful view on the island, and for
that matter it would be difficult to find a more
pleasing one anywhere. The caves of Bellamar,
about three miles from Matanzas, are also highly
praised.
Tho Isle of Pines, which lies just south of
Cuba and is still held by the United States, sub
ject to final-settlement by treaty, is said to be tho
healthiest of the West India Islands. Much of
the land of the Island has been bought by Ameri
cans, and several English-speaking communities
have already been estalished there.
JJJ !
Tax Reform in Pennsylvania.
The tax reform league of Pennsylvania, having
Its office at 708 Peiln avenue, Pittsburg, Is calling
attention to the fact that according to the auditor
general's report farmers and home-owners of Penn
sylvania are paying $16.50 in taxes for each thou
sand dollars in value, while the steam railways
pay but $2.75, tho street railways but $4.75 and
the telegraph and telephone companies but $3.29.
Chairman Creasy of tho democratic state com
mittee, a representative farmer as well as a loyal
democrat, has been bringing these questions be
fore the people of his state and much interest Is
being aroused. Such inequality in taxation ought
to stir even the republicans of Pennsylvania, and
it will bo surprising if the facts do not excite
a pronounced protest against republican rule In
that boss-ridden state.
JJJ
The Same Old Serpent.
Tho New York Tribune thinks it has made a
point when it says that "tho Filipinos are not
threatened with loss of their independence because
they have never, at least for three centuries, had
independence and they cannot well lose that which
they do not possess and have not possessed'
Something like that might have been said of
the American colonists.
The Tribune also says of the Filipinos: "For
many generations they were under Spanish sov
ereignty without dispuU or protest When finally
they did revolt it was not for independence, but
for a redress of grievances."
Something very like that might have been said
of tho American colonists.
, The Tribune says: "The islands are to have
tho largest nractlcable deme of solf-rovernmont.
Something very like that was said of tha
American colonists by George III. ,
The Tribune says that this government does
not intend to oppress the peoplo of the Philip
pines. -
That is exactly what George III. said W th
American colonists and It Is exactly what has
beon said by every other king and emperor who
sought to impose his authority upon a people.
JSJ
Lots of Five.
The proper distribution of democratic litera
ture is a mattor that should intorcst every demo-
crat. Democracy appeals directly to the mind and
heart Tho rank and file of tho democratic party
is true to tho traditions of tho party, and will not
consent tofan abandonment of those principles
upon which tho party Is founded. The gravest
danger confronting tho party is that tho rank and
file will bo deceived by the specious cry of "har- -mony"
that is raised by men who havo never
hesitated to betray democratic principles in order
to advance their own selfish interests.
Tho Commoner is published for the purpose of
applying democratic principles to all public ques
tions, and for the purpose of keeping thoso prin-
ciples clearly before the people. Tho Commoner
has so much faith in the honesty of the rank and
file of the party that It belioves that a few men in
each precinct can defeat the plans of the "reor- '
ganizers," and a small number of watchful and
zealous democrats in each county in a state can
prevent the emasculation of democratic principles
and bring about an indorsement of the principles
enunciated in the Kansas City platform. The in
fluence exerted by Tho Commoner is limited only
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tion increases its influenco in geometrical ratio.
Earnest and enthusiastic democrats in each com
munity are in a position to enlarge the influence
of The Commoner in their neighborhoods, and in
so doing will be building up democratic sentiment
that will bo manifest at the polls in a sweeping
victory for democratic principles.
The publisher of The Commoner, for the pur
poso of enlisting tho aid of democrats in extending
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and feel amply rewarded for his labor by the
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In order to further this plan all who are inter
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