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PERSONAL HISTORIC
OF DR. Me SANTOS
Takeo verbatim
and Translated
Literally
F. Valdez.
I was born in Sagua la Grande, Cuba, in 14118. I eeme to toy West eight
months after my birth. Of Icy West I remember very little. I remember that
my father had a bakery, and I saw many horses. I remosiber having been in a
private school which was more to keep me from annoying in the house.
I had tee years and was very fond or a lady that was named Mrs. Fran.
oisoa. She had a baby boy, and I was so Jealous that one day I grabbed him
by the nook, and if he had not been taken away from me, I believe I meld
have smothered him.
I was in Key test until around '94. The greatest impression I had was
when I came to Tampa, and saw an eleotrie street oar, the impression that
it gave me was that how could a street ear move withoat horses. I would stand
up on the seat, and would ask my mother whore were the horses, and she would
tell me that they were behind the street oar. The first thing I did when I
stepped down was to go running to see where the horses were.
The first school I wont to here was the Free Sohoel on 8th Avenue, be.
.(1)
tween ,3th and 14th, The mother superior (superiora) was oalled Mrs. Greer,
All us boys loved her very mush. I did not complete this soiloole
I remember that the Federal Governaent took military possession of the
Centro Espanol when war was declared between the United States end Spain,
We used to hollow through the streets, "hurrah fir McKinley. I also resew
(1) I presume he means the principal.
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ber that they used to sell eertain post oards with the "Mainer(2) painted.
One would plop* the fire from a eigerette ea one extreme. The fire would
travel until it reached the Maine, and prodaee,an explosion.
In 95 there was a great freeze which burned all the @ranges. I is..
member this besause all us boys would go to seareh for oranges.
In 98 or PP we went to Cuba and stayed LA Cuba some three or four years.
'We came back to Key West where my father again opened a bakery. We stayed
in Key West until 1902 or 1903, and I oommeneed learning hew to make eigars
at the fastory of Teodoro Pares. Then my father determined to 'Dome to Tampa
a6ain where he had properties, and I eontimued learning the trade in Tampa
at the faetory of "Prineipe de Gales," and afterwards in the one of San
Uartin, where I 1:inished learning the trade.
Then I went to work in different places, and when I lacked two months
to have 18 years, I went to New York with twe friends. These friends did
not know English and I was the interpreter. In New York I rowelled 18 years
of age. I stayed there some three months. I visited the museums of the
city, the Museum of Natural History, the Aciaarium. where I was much iepressw
ed by the "Hipooampe." or marina hers.. I also saw Caruso sing at the Grand
Opera. Also the Flat Iron Building. Another thiag that impressed me very
much was the hour of the rush at the City Hall, down town, in order to take
the subway. I also 3AW the Brooklyn Brido.
While I was working at the factory ft Regensburg, in New York, I saw
the first snow fall. This was something I had never seen, und I stood at
the window to see the snow full,
(2) Cf. "Remember the Wane.,
-3•
I went to live at 74 street. number 202, where the Madame was an Eng-
lish woman, a very refined lady and of pure sentiments. Her name was Redi-
oca. She fondled me as if I was a son of hers. One day I was going out,
she saw me with a roll of bills, and did not want to let me go out. When
I first went to live here I could not sloop because of the noise of the *loft
victors. The noise was so great that it was impossible for me to sleep, top
til I began to get accustomed.
The most difficult preblem for us was the hour of eating. I did not
know the name of the dishes, and I had to ask for the three. They would
give me the list. and would read and read it, but I did not know what it
was. The only thing I understood was ham and eggs, and we ate ham and eggs
for ft few days, Afterwards I would point out a dish on the list to the
waiter. The waiter would tell me the name, and if I liked it, I would wits
it on a paper.
Cu Sundays we would go to Coney Island and my attentioa was very muok
attracted to see so many people at the beach.
As I had never left tbit family, I felt hems -sick, so I returned to
Tampa, I continued working here as oigarwmaker. Years later I returned to
New York, and remained .there various years. I returned to Tampa around the
year 1911. Then I went to Chicago where I lived various years, always work.
lug an cigar -maker.
From Chicago I returned to Tampa where I remained onm month, and thea
continued to Havana. I stayed in Havana some five or six mouths, I was a
policeman some three months, and resigned because the police were given von'
bad treatment. And then I went to New York.. I stayed in New York two or
.4.
three months.
Fram Now York returned to Havana. as I had been ()ailed for a bottling
factory of Palatino. I worked as interpreter with the engiaeer who had the
construction work of the bottling faetory of Palatine. I worked for about
two months in that oomparly, and than returned to Tampa. I went to work at
lay trade at the factory of Garet* brothers.
Ahile at this factory I entered the school of the Tampa Staines. Cal
legs, and was there some few months. I did not gradaate as I had te return
to Cuba because my father aent for me to put up a business of machineries to
fix shoes, which Wila not carried out beeause I did not wish to °caymans
my father in something on which he could lose the little money which remain-
ed for his old ao.
In Havana I had a friend of ray infancy whose name was Dr, Ubaldo Ubeda,
Optometrist. Be advised me to study that profession. H. insisted as mach
with a gift of persuasisa which was inborn in him. He dominated my **BUOY
of being, which is very indifferent. and I determined to write to the Amer..
loan Optical College of Philadelphia, and I was enrolled.
I oommenced my studies which at first I thought were a failure because
I believed that I could not understand that Bolen**. I must say that Dr.
Moeda; the Doctor and Professor of the University of Havana, Dr. Wotan*
Martine:1 Dr. Magarita de Armas. Professor of the University of Havana; and
aloe her husband, Dr. Justine Baez, helped as at the commeneement of my
studies with their vast knowledge. I gradaated from said sollege with ex.
°talent marks in all the assignments except one.
In ay profession I believe I have had a AMMO.. as I estimate that in
my work of optics, at least in 944 I have not bed complaints.
The business of opties nowadays is like a eorpse with life, as the
competition., so great and destructive that the."ehain stores" make, sell.
ing cheap glasses, and in may cases harmful and injurious to the sight, is
the principal cause why this profession is se extremely fallen. At the
houses of the "chain stores' the &lasses that they ssll are usaally spherical,
and it is proven by the last statistics that more than 50% of the people suf.
for from astigmatisa, and, therefore, these individuals need special eylind•
real orystals, which the "chain stores" do not sell.
As to the New Deal. I believe that it has been a failure as it has pre.
tooted the trusts more than the Ameriean people. Today, the poor are poorer,
and the trusts are richer. Another reasons this is a county that is son.
trolled by the trusts. When one stands on the street, and Glossa his eyes
for a moment, and then opens them and lookss everytning, absolutely all that
one sees is mad. by the trusts. The automobile that passes by, the street
car, the trucks, everything that one wears; shoes, clothes, to. When one
enters a restaurant, he sees the plates, the tables, the spoons, all is nude
the trusts. 951 of what one eats is controlled by the trusts. The trusts
for more than 200 years have been controlling all the industries, and kill
in the small business men. We have reached a state in which the trusts dom-
inate all, as they ftre the owners of the money, or nearly all the money that
there Is in the United States.
The ear ean already be seen between one trust and others; the strongest
will dominate the weaker trusts, and the capital will be recuoed to a fer
men who will control everything.
In my particular opinion, all is not lost. A few men are neeessaryw who
-6.
would have suffioient energy and intelligenee to make social lawss as for
example* all machines whioh displace ten men* should give the salary to
twee ten men* For ,Jxamples oae machine can* manipulated by the lumber of
individuals whioh it displaeos* taking turns by hour, The Capitalist will
have the right to a certain suitable peroentao, and there sannot be a
Capitalist who can have as oapital more than one million dollars. All that
passes this amount the federal government will oonfiscato it for the better-
ment of the community.
The utility companies should be the property of the eommunities. All
poor men who passes 50 years should be pensioned of the government, with a
modest pensiou but at the same time sufficient for the neceasitiez of
each one.
The system of voting in this country should be reformed, as the system
that exists nowadays is Very antivated as it is frustrated in nearly all
the country. One of the principal things that should be done is the 'ear.
net' (identifieatien eard) with the picture and tinier prints to avoid 'rand.
This country gives more salary te the government employees, as a gen.
eral• rule, than all the countries in the world* And from the President down,
the salaries should be out.
It is my firm opinion that if the President doss net ebano his 'Japer.
ialistio and ante-demooratie system with the people* net many years will pass
in which the blood will run here as in France when the revolution; and in
Russia not many years o. For the same reason that the machine eannot be
detained because it is the progress* neither can the right of justice be de-
tained which is demanded by all he produse.
history shows us that every stop towards justice and liberty has been
bathed in blood. The American people are a people well disciplined and
docile, but the American people if some day they should determine to shed
their blood against this imperialistic) and anto.demooratio system, all that
passed in France, and in Russia, will. be a drop of water oompered with what
will happen here.
7:e must take into consideration that the American people have more pro-
gress and oiviliscation than the rest of the world; who know their rights;
who are accustomed to eat and dress, and that today they do not sat nor dross.
The Amorieau people know that in the United ,tatee there it a surplus of
food; there is a surplus of olothing; and there is a surplus of everythiag,
while he 4_eoks all.
Days before the KRA, lard was at .07O per pound, today :day 1935, lard
is at 24. and thus sueoessively all the articles, an enormity; but never.
theists, the workers earn less today than before the NRA.-athose who work-.
and those who do not work, have multiplied to such an extent that if I shoald
say that 25,000,000 workers are without work at the iresent moment, I woald
not be mistaken.
Not long ago Clarence Darrow, the most famous lawyer in the United States
of world f6me, made declarations where he advised that if the government
wanted a suooess, it shoald lean towards socialism, I know that this will
not be done, as human egotism is inborn in the human being, and as I have
said before, all liberty, and all democracy has been baptized with blood. I
do not think of living'Alen that will be carried out, but I have tie absolute
certainty that that has to (male ia one way or another,
I do not believe that Rvosevelt will volve this crisis, for if he had
wanted to, as he proa:sed to the American people, he would have solved it,
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as the Legislature and the Senate have given Roosevelt mere power than any
other president of the United States.
For more than 40 years I have lived in this locality. .I remember from
py first infancy how this legality was gradually founded. Although small I
remember Martin Herrera, the founder of West Tamps..
We lived almost happy, as earning was plentiful, and living was very
cheap, and I remeWber that my father had the bakery in which he made good
business.
REetabanos ejapja come el guarumdol de a peso.' My father made 8000
capital with his bakery. and I remember that at 300 in the morning, one of
the bakers woald knock at the side of the house, and he would got up to de.
liver the bread from house to house. El did this work for thirty years,
and I have the certainty that in the thirty years he did not fall onoe to
go to work, rain, lightning or thunder. I have always been ad admirer of
the virtue and honesty of my father.
The industry grew in this locality to suoh an extent that the Havana
tobaoeo, nade by hand in Tampa, had the largest credit than any other toba.
coo industry has had in the United States. Then the Jews ewes and reformed
the manner of making, cigars, and make them by mould. That system began to
multiply itself to smolt an extent that more ciaars were made by mould thasi
by hand. They sold as made by band, and the consumer was deosived.
Later the "very soientifio" machineries have come for making cigars
w:loh have displaced in this looality more than 15000 operations. The
government has not taken any measures to protect the workers who remains
(2) An expression used in rbor City to signify prosperous, well.being or
equal to the idiomatie expression of "swimning in abundanee.°
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with the arms crossed and gives the manufaoturers all the opportunities to
assassinate or kill of hanger their workers.
There is mush talk about the liberty of the United States. The word
"Liberty" is very much heard in the land of Uncle Sam, but this word has its
limits. I an a great admirer of the doctrines of Jefferson, but from Jeffer-
son to F. D. Roosevelt things have changed very mush. That is to say, from
Jefferson to MeKinley, this was the greatest oountry because of its demoorta.
oy, its ideology of the right of man; but McKinley was the first ApOstle of
the Yankee imperialism. From UoKinley to F. D. Roosevelt....s11 the presidents,
absolutely all, witho.t making exoeption of anyone, have been imperialists
mere or less. It is necessary to read the politic at the United States with
Latin Amerisa. The government of the United States, in eembinatiea with Wall
Street, have taken away and plaoed.presidents in Latin Ameriea. The last
step in the American imperialism was that Roosevelt plowed as president Carlos
Manuel de Cespedes in Cuba; and like Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, were plowed
all the presidents that Cuba has had.
The people of Cuba rebelled against that imperialistic politic, and re-
moved Cespedes in a few hours, and placed Professor Grata San Martin as presi.
dent. This aot greatly displeased the "democratic)" F. D. Roosevelt, and he
answered with 32 warships of the democratic Amarlean marine, to surround the
island and take it by fore.. Thanks to Maxim) and certain other Republies
which kept the Americans from entering in Cuba.
'The order was given that the troops were not to disembark in Cuba when
they were already at the Morro. In one of the ships MAA hull, secretary of
State, to take charge of the governmeat. Oa receiving the telegram of not
disembarking, "hiss el papel"(1) (literal, he made the paper) of going on a
pleasure trip to Panama or other place. That is the (muse why I do not be..
lieve in the democracy of/Oa Roosevelt,
The mutual aid societies forted entertainments here, and many tines "se
foreaba bulle(2) (livoralt noise was made) because the Americans felt a
certain racial hatred toward us, These Amerioans entered the pionies and
would set drunk* When they were drunk "se metian," (literal, they put them-
selves in the women in order to pick a quarrel (Walser bulla)t
One time in one of these pleat's, thera were throe Amerieans, I re.
member that one ox them was ea/led Otto, a bully. This Otto grabbed a girl,
and seized her breasts, Fer sweetheart, wile wee called Mario Garcia, came
after met and told me what the Amerioan and the two others had dons to his
sweetlieart. Then I went to ask an explanation of him. Otto answered in a
oentemptuous way, and at the same time closed his hands to threaten me,
(1) Idioaatio expression equivalent to "He played the part."
(2) Idiomatic expression used in Thor City equivalent to "trouble was
oreated."
(a)
Idiomatic expression used in Thor City equivalent to "plek a quarrel.'
,"to tease." This word "meters*" is a very loose idiomatic expres.
Bien. In Thor City it is used in various forms, such as "fulaue site
metido con oiolana"..-a oertain person is in love with a oertain wo-
man, This idiea is pow used in plass of the former idiom of "carver
el ouboi (literal...parry the buoket) to make love. This expression
has now almost ocepletely disappeared.
14 also have "el so metae eon una mujer"-.B. teased a lady "espeoial-
ly it it Is in reforone, to an old lady; if however, it is in reference
to a girl it means that he is trying to make love to the girl. 14.
also see la Tbor City, especially among the boys when they are fight.
ing, and one ohould ask the reason, one or the other will says "El so
metio oommigc0" Be plaited a quarrel with met
In the present ease it means "they troubled the woman."
This idiomatie word is alve used in nor City in place of the Cuba*
word "piropear" (to flirt, to flatter, Sometimes made use of Jude?
Gently.*
Rapid as a tiger I threw the first *oimbonhase,(1.) with all my mil. MA
fell behind a deer whieh was half opens The other two threw themselves on
as, and I answered the atteek with all the anger and indignation, with all
the power of l years (more or less), and of two oonseoutive years of gym.
WA/a this combat was being unfolded, there was at the pavilion more
than five hundred plums. The 400rre sorre(2) (run run) was terrible. I
continued fighting with these two hulls in stature, weight and age. Then
a policeman ORAO of more than cix feet in heights leaping over the *hairs
to get to me. Re lifted me in weight (se levant° en pose) by the shoulders,
and plaood me behind a row of ohaira, where for the moment I remained entren-
oiled from my enemies.
I was baptised in the Catholic) Chung of Segna la Orande, Province of
Santa Clara. My family never Zeroed me to go to ohcreh, but in Tampa, my
teacher was an ardent Catholic), and foroed ms to go frequently to ehureh.
"liege a embollarmo tant:1 with her stories that I came to be lay brother
(5)
(nonigate) at the church. Today when I remember this, I laugh teoause of the
(1)
An idiom used in Thor City of Cuban origin, equivalent to "terrific
blow." I presume it is derived from *bathe.," a bomb. This word it
also used in a different sense meaning a terrific explosion, as when
they say) ioiste 41 simbonbazo?" (Did you hoar the terrific explo-
sion?)
(2) This is another one of the idiomatic expressions used in lber City. It
is used as a noun expressing rush, or rumning for cover,.
(3) an expression which means suspended in the air.
(4) A oolloquialism of Cuban origimal. Its equivalent in English would be)
he enthused me so mush,'
011,1P•111
lies, so big, that they told me of the Christian dostrines and others. I
have arrived at the firm oonvietion that religion, as Charles Marx said, is
"the opium of the people."
The writers admire most in the United States are, first of all, Sharp
wood Eddy, and Arthur Brisbana. I have read different great authors, but I
had never read a book with so great an honesty as the one Sherwood Eddy wrote,
and whloh is entitled "Russel Today."
I do not believe there is any God4 and neither do I believe in any super-
stition. Whosoevor believes in God is a true blunderer (or mistaken) **qui..
vocado."(1) Mho has seen this being?
(6)
What he really means is alter bey or aoolyte. This word imonigate"
is very often used 134 Dow City without its true meaning, and very
often used in a despisable way as Ltu ores an nonigate." NOS are a
monkey, or you are a sissy, secording to the infleetien used,
(1) Mr. Santos had originally used the word "Berrao0 and then asked to
have it shafted to gegaivooado." The word "berraoo" is a disrupted
form of "bellaeo" meaning doseitful. In Thor City the word °berme."
is very often used, and convey.; a despieable moaning. Its equivalent
in English would be "fool."
an single. Many of my friends auk me why I have not married, and I
answer them the truth, that with the women I would have married, she was not
worthy of me beoause she was a woman of a 'muddy oondust."(2) and would have
been a very great grief to my parents, In order to get rid of her, I had to
leave for Havana, so as to forget her, for in Tampa whenever she would look
at me with those great blimp, eyes, it made me go bask with her.
I must state in making these deelarations that I was one at so many fools
that believing in the so much "oaokled" (oaoarado) NSW Deal, and that I went
to deposit my vote for the one who is today President or the United States,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, who has *isoepcionado* (deoeived) my nest pure illus..
ions with respoot to the solution of this great crisis which &offsets "OA 10
mas profundo,.(4) (in the most profound) the people of the United States.
(2) Prostitute
(3) A oorrapted form of the noun 'deoepoion', (daception, &wave, dis-
illusion). It is very seamonly mood in nor City, althongh it is an
inoorreot verb. It can be termed as a colloquialism.
(4) An expression conveying the meaning of "very deeply."
I wish to state also that I will not vete again for any oandidate for
President of the United States, who belongs to the Demooratio or Republican
party, as I believe that anyone of these presidents has not an ideology
really demooratio and just, for these of us who work., and produce, and are
respectful of the 1.m.