THE CUBA i^EvlEW 



29 



HOTEL CAMAGUEY, IN ITS PICTURESQUE SETTING. 



night balls at these clubs that one sees the inhabi- 

 tants to the best advantage. The first Sunday we 

 were there, we elected to go to the Cuban club, 

 having heard that it was the live- 

 lier of the two. We sat on the 

 balcony, which encircled three 

 sides with the duennas and other 

 spectators of the hall 

 looked down upon the 

 dancers. On the floor 

 was a heterogeneous col- 

 lection consisting of 

 black-coated Cuban civ- 

 ilians, officers of the 

 Rural Guard, handsome 

 and impressive in their 

 gilt-embellished khaki 

 uniforms ; a captain of 

 the United States army; 

 two young Canadians 

 (temporary residents of 

 the city), and a host of 

 Cuban women, many of 

 whom were beautiful, but whose pale cheeks the sensuous danson failed to flush. They 

 were dressed in very bright colors, but despite the heat none wore a low cut corsage. The 

 Cuban danson is very peculiar and consists in swinging your partner around and around 

 in a narrow circle to a sort of waltz step accompanied by the weird throbbing strains of 

 once-heard-never-to-be-forgotten music. 



Between numbers we were led to a queer little cafe below stairs where upon bare 

 wooden tables and from a bar at one end of the same room we were refreshed with a 

 peculiar and insidious beverage made from limes and Rum Bacardi, the famous native rum 

 manufactured in the city of Santiago. 



News from Havana. 



Political Notes. 

 From our Own Correspondent. 



THE rumors that elections would be held in December were not true. The proba- 

 bilities are that such elections for a new president may be carried out in June. 

 However, the unforseen is always happening and the political weather vane 

 always shifting. 



November 14th Juan Gualberto Gomez called upon Governor Magoon with a request 



that salaries of congressmen and senators should be paid to them, as they have not 

 received any part of such pay since the Intervention. Virtually there is no congress; 

 however, some representatives have been paid. 



Ex-President Estrada Palma was in the city recently on his way to his old home in 



Bayamo. The documents which Estrada Palma had prepared in explanation of his 

 recent course were withheld from the public upon due reflection, but these papers will 

 be valuable records for Cuban history. At present Estrada Palma takes no active part 

 in politics. 



Major Black's report on public works submitted to Governor Magoon shows that 



thirteen million dollars is the sum total required for necessary improvements which were 

 provided for in the Cuban budget, and many will have to be omitted for the present, 

 only the most essential being considered. 



The report divides the improvements required into three classes : 



First: Works which have already been contracted for. 



Second: Works being carried out already under the supervision of the provisional 

 government. 



