16 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



"We still confront another difficulty which is not in the way of the United States Govern- 

 ment. We are 1,200 miles from our base of suppUes, and consequently must order our material 

 in large quantities. P'requeutly we have as many as 2,000,000 sheets of paper for stamps 

 on hand. One must recall the size of each sheet, 18 by 20^ inches, before the magnitude of 

 such a bundle is realized. This paper is kept in a specially built warehouse; it is carefully 

 ]iacked so that our one biggest enemy, humidity, will not affect it. Other supplies are pur- 

 chased on about the same scale." 



Foster's comparisons are illuminating, not only with regard to himself, but also concerning 

 the general sentiment of Cubans toward Americans. 



"I had occasionally heard," he says, "that there was a certain antipathy toward Americans. 

 I found this to be absolutely false, not only regarding myself, but also my companions and 

 those Americans whom I met on the island. The Cubans are cordial and gratefully appreciate 

 what the United States has done toward aiding them to better government. 



When I took charge I found that the labor officials in different branches of the plant were 

 more than anxious to do whatever they could to make my work lighter. They were especially 

 helpful to me while I was struggling with the Spanish language. Time after time they 

 would correct my mistakes. They did it in the politely pleasant way which leaves no em- 

 barrassment. 



One thing which the new bureau has done is to overcome largely the Latin prejudice against 

 girls going out to work. Time was when this would have been regarded as a disgrace. Now 

 it is accepted as honorable. When Foster first took charge he had a httle difficulty in per- 

 suading relatives of the girls that the government did not expect them to serve as chaperon. 

 It is a custom as ancient as the Latin race that no girl shall go forth unless she is accompanied 

 by an older person. Many mothers tried to enforce this custom on the bureau of engraving 

 and printing, but were eventually persuaded that their presence was not necessary in a business 

 establishment. 



THE OSTEND TREATY 



The war in Europe is bringing many his- 

 toric names into review, and one, Ostend in 

 Belgium is associated with L'nited States and 

 Cuban history. The Ostend treaty is well 

 remembered in American history. The mani- 

 festo was really issued from Aix-la-Chapelle, 

 but it has been always referred to as coming 

 from Ostend. President Franklin Pierce di- 

 rected the United States Ministers, James 

 Buchanan in London, John Y. Mason in Paris 

 and Pierre Soule in Madrid, to meet and con- 

 sider the subject of annexing Cuba to the 

 United States. Continued revolution in 

 Cuba and filibustering expeditions there 

 from this country brought the matter under 

 consideration. The commissioners met at 

 Ostend, from whence they adjourned to 

 Aix-la-Chapelle in October, 1854. They ad- 

 dressed a letter to the L^nited States govern- 

 ment declaring that the purchase of Cuba 

 would be advantageous both to Spain and the 

 United States, and urging that if the island 

 could not be acquired by purchase it was ad- 

 visable and would be justifiable for our own 

 protection to seize it. 



The manifesto, it is generally known, was 

 the work of James Buchanan, and though he 

 was elected President two years later, no 

 practical results followed. 



In 1856 the manifesto was denounced by 

 the Repubican platform and not defended 

 by the Democratic pronouncement. 



The annexation of Cuba then involved 

 the question of the extension of slave terri- 

 tory, and hence its political bearing. 



It is a strange fact that though the United 

 States had for a long while given evidence of 

 a strong sentiment in favor of Cuban annex- 

 ation, when the final and inevitable conflict 

 with Spain about the island came, it was not 

 annexed. 



POSTER BOARDS IN HAVANA 



"Fifteen years ago, there was not a poster 

 board in Havana. Now there are 18,000 

 lineal feet and there is a constant demand for 

 more space. The posters are printed, for the 

 most part, in Spanish, but some of them, as, 

 for instance educational posters are done in 

 both English and Spanish. The majority of 

 our posters come from Spain, France, Ger- 

 many and other European countries. "^ — -In- 

 terview in the Poster with Mr. Thomas F. 

 Kennedy, vice-president of the Havana Ad- 

 vertising Association. 



PROHIBITS SALES OF MORPHINE 



Druggists in Cuba have been warned 

 against selling under a heavj' penalty, mor- 

 phine, heroine, cocaine and other derivates of 

 opium, except on physician's prescriptions. 



The measure has been adopted owing to the 

 extraordinary number of cases of intoxica- 

 tion from these drugs reported from all 

 sources. 



NEW ELECTRIC LIGHTING PLANT 



A twenty-year electric light concession, 

 with an option for ten years additional, has 

 been granted to Chas. F. Fetter and others, 

 to build and operate an electrical plant in 

 Nueva Gerona, and to extend their wires all 

 over the Isle of Pines. 



The machinery has been ordered and part 

 of it has been shipped. 



Crude oil will be used for fuel in the new 

 plant. 



The buildings to house the plant are to be 

 brick and cement. 



