16 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



Thousands of colored electric bulbs imi- 

 tating the Cuban flag and coat of arms added 

 brilliancy to the scene, illuminating every- 

 thing within their reach. At the doors, at the 

 windows of the houses, everywhere, on the 

 sidewalks, on the streets, smiling dark eyed 

 senoritas and gesticulating men could be 

 seen cheering Gen. Menocal whenever they 

 caught a glance of him or heard him speak. 

 In short, old and young, rich and poor, alike 

 acclaimed him as the man of the hour, the 

 hero of the daj'. Moreover, Havana's leading 

 actors and actresses sang and danced for the 

 public typical Cuban "rumbas" and "can- 

 ciones criollas," and an eloquent speech was 

 delivered by Ricardo Dolz, editorial writer of 

 El Dia, a Conservative newspaper of powerful 

 influence and large circulation. 



The tliird and last political manifestation 

 the writer witnessed was a splendid banquet 

 in honor of ex-President Alfredo Zayas (at 

 the time Liberal candidate for the Presidency), 

 which culinary affair might have ended in a 

 riot. The trouble brewed in this manner. A 

 number of Zayistas (followers of Zayas) went 

 to the opposing party's meeting house with 

 the determined purpose of inviting the then 

 Governor of Havana province (Gen. Asbert) to 

 attend this social affair, but the followers of 

 the latter, believing they were coming with 

 hostile intentions, began hurling flower pots, 

 chairs, and all other objects they could lay 

 their hands on. Several shots were exchanged. 

 Women shrieked and fainted. Men ran and 

 hid themselves. The officers of the law had 

 to interfere. Fortimately, however, nobody 

 was killed; no one was seriously wounded, 

 and the Zayistas were able to finish their ban- 

 quet peacefully, relegating into forgetfulness 

 this disagreeable and unexpected incident. 



A political manifestation in Havana is in 

 truth worth while seeing. The native who 

 beholds it feels the flame of patriotism scorch 

 through his veins, and the foreigner gazes on 

 this most fascinating and original specatcle 

 with pleasure and amazement. Sumptuous 

 banquets, like the one above mentioned, fre- 

 quently take place to boom popular political 

 leaders. Impromptu addresses are delivered 

 (for most Cubans are William Jennings 

 Bryans; they excel in the art of oratory), 

 while an orchestra renders select pieces to 

 the rhythm of the kissing champagne glasses. 



Everybody in Cuba, from the bootblack to 

 the millionaire, discusses politics. They give 

 their candid opinions regarding the Presiden- 



tial candidates they like and dislike. On the 

 cars, in the open cafes, during the theatrical 

 intermissions, everywhere, any time, political 

 questions are asked and answered. The local 

 newspapers, the weeklies, the monthlies, in 

 fact all the periodicals pul)lished in Cuba, fill 

 their columns with politics! politics! politics! 

 In conclusion I may say that, judging from 

 what I have seen and heard during my recent 

 trip to Havana, I think that either President 

 Mario G. Menocal (Conservative) will be re- 

 elected or ex-President Jose Miguel Gomez 

 (Liberal) will once more occupy the Cuban 

 Wliite House chair. — -N. Y. Sun. 



A MONTH OF CUBA 



When there is no occasion to invoke the 

 Piatt Amendment the American people are 

 scarcely aware of the existence of Cuba. It 

 occupies meagre space in the cable news. 

 There is no chronicle of what happens there. 

 Yet life is never dull in sub-tropical Cuba; in 

 fact, it is highly colored, active, and often 

 exciting. Something is always going on. 

 Romantic tragedies are not unconunon; the 

 comedy element is never absent; the quaint 

 and the curious arrest attention; the political 

 world is like a kaleidoscope; in short, Cuba is 

 ever interesting. 



Pass Cuba in review for a montli. What 

 richness and variety of incident; Manuel and 

 Adalberto Zayas, brothers, fight a duel about 

 a girl at San Jeronimo, Camaguey, and the 

 youths both die for love. At San Antonio de 

 los Banos Senora Eduvigis Monte de Oca 

 shoots one Jose Ferrada, a man of evil repute, 

 who steals into her house during the absence 

 of the Senor's husband. There dies in Hav- 

 ana Eleuterio de la Hoz Gandarilla, ex- 

 municipal judge of Caimito, from a bullet 

 wound in the abdomen inflicted by Narciso 

 Cadenas, municipal employee at Caimito; 

 and on his deathbed the ex-judge charges his 

 successor with conspiring to remove him. 

 The bullet is often mightier than the ballot in 

 Cuba. 



Lottery news is sought with avidity every- 

 where. Poor people in Cienfuegos holding 

 fractions of a ticket won the capital prize of 

 |;100,000. Is it surprising that Cubans of 

 high and low degree believe in the national 

 lottery, though it may shock the moralists 

 and pain economists? For five minutes on 

 September 14 trains on the Cuba railroad 



