24 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



But the ravages of war tell no more deso- 

 late tale than is found in that section. One 

 lone sugar mill is active, where once there 

 were forty-two. The coffee plantations 

 have disappeared and only a few struggling 

 groves remain. The fertile valleys and hill 

 sides have been turned into pastures because 

 their owners are no longer able to sow them 

 in cane. Many of the old palaces, their ma- 

 hogany doors daubed with common white- 

 wash, have become the dilapidated homes of 

 the descendants of the c.x-slaves of their 

 owners. — Rev. M. N. McCall, Superintend- 

 ent, Home Board. Cuban ^Missions in the 

 Christian Index, Atlanta, Ga. 



New Line for Trinidad. 



Concerning the line uniting Trinidad 

 with the trunk line of the Cuba Railroad, 

 the president says that he is at present pre- 

 paring to arrange for the subsidy of this 

 line, whereby Trinidad will be restored to 

 its formal agricultural and commercial su- 

 premacy. Legislation favorable to the 

 construction of a line connecting Caibarien 

 with Nuevitas is recommended. — Message 

 to Congress. 



Occultism in Cuba. 



The two adverse forces to the spread of 

 Methodism are Catholicity and Occultism, 

 and, contrar\- to universal belief. Occult- 

 ism is the more difficult to overcome. With 

 many of the natives Catholicism was asso- 

 ciated in their minds with Spanish oppres- 

 sion, and thej^ were turning to Occultism, 

 which was found to be a more formidable 

 foe. Buddhism is flourishing there. — Rev. 

 J. A. Rice in the New Orleans Picayune. 



Dr. Wu Ting-Fang on Cuba. 



Dr. Wu Ting-fane, minister from China 

 to the Uni'ed States, Mexico. Peru and 

 Cuba, has just returned to Washington. 

 Speaking of Cuba he said that he saw signs 

 of improvement there — asphalt streets and 

 public works— which augured well for the 

 future. 



He was asked if there were any signs of 

 another revolution in the island, or if the 

 people were satisfied with the present gov- 

 ernment. Dr. Wu replied that he had not 

 made any investigation as to revolutions, 

 but that the people seemed to be getting 

 along very well under the present govern- 

 ment. 



"It's a new government, and the people 

 must develop along with the Republican 

 form of government," said Dr. Wu. 

 "Every nation must advance. None can 

 stand still. If it does, it falls to pieces. 

 I was surprised not to find more Americans 

 in the island." 



The Maria Herrera Not Heard From. 



I'ho Maria llorrcra, of the Herrera Line, 

 left Havana on Nov. 7th last for Porto 

 Rico and way ports. She was due at Ponce 

 Nov. 11, just before the West Indies cy- 

 clone of Nov. 12 and following days, but 

 has not since been heard from despite a 

 diligent search Ijy sister ships of the line 

 and cable inquiries, and is believed to have 

 been wrecked. She was 278 feet long and 

 registered 1.341 tons net. 



No Sports on Workdays. 



A lengthy circular has been addressed 

 by the Cuban Secretary of the Interior to the 

 provincial governors ordering them not to 

 issue permits for cockfights and other sports 

 on workdays during the approaching grind- 

 ing season. 



The Secretary of the Interior says the 

 prospects of a large crop and the great op- 

 portunities offered to the working people 

 are powerful reasons why all possible meas- 

 ures should be taken to prevent idleness at 

 a time when all the energies of the country 

 people should be devoted to the production 

 of what promises to be a phenomenal sugar 

 crop. 



While playing a game of baseball in 

 Havana, Cuba, recently, the Detroit 

 "Tigers" became dissatisfied with a decision 

 of the umpire and started to leave the field 

 when they were informed that they would 

 be arrested, as peaple had paid to see the 

 game and it must be played. Hurrah for 

 Cuba. The child has become the teacher 

 of the father. This would be a good law 

 in everj' state in the Union and perform 

 wonders towards preventing the disgrace- 

 ful and petty "quitting" that characterizes 

 certain athletic teams. Hurrah for Cuba. 

 —Franklin (Pa.) Herald. 



Church Chapels Destroyed. 



While the Ven. W. W. Steel, Archdeacon 

 of Havana, was in Philadelphia in Novem- 

 ber trying to raise funds with which to re- 

 place the two Episcopal chapels destroyed 

 by the late hurricane on the Isle of Pines, 

 word was received that another, at Guan- 

 iguanico, in the extreme western end of 

 Cuba, has also been wrecked by the same 

 storm. This building was erected a few 

 years ago through the efforts of the con- 

 gregation, which consists of Canadian 

 Churchmen, and it is a very serious loss, 

 as they will probablj- be unable to re- 

 build. 



The properties of the United Fruit Com- 

 pany in Santo Domingo were recently sold, 

 according to the annual report of the com- 

 pany and the proceeds invested in sugar 

 properties in Cuba. 



