The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-01
THE- CUBAN SUGAR CROP.
A DOlefnf State of Affairs Report of
United States Consul VicIers.

WARRINGTON, Dec 31.-Consul Vickers at
Matsnzas sends to the State department dole
fcl picture of the state of affairs In Cuba and
the sugar crop, He says Since 1878, when the
total crop amounted to ITO 600 tons, the crops,
with varying changes, have been decreasing
until this last they barely reached $4,000 tens.
Careful and 5udicious planters inform me that
the decrease this year, judging from their own
es:ates, will not be less than 80 per cent under
last, or A02, 600 tons less than in 1873 1 think
this estimate is less than the crop will eventu-
ally produce. AT the same time, do not think
it will much exceed 400 600 tons, but think Of
territory capable of producing millions of
tons Of sugar-a land whose nearest point is
less than 100 miles from our own country. and
which, under proper management and a Judi.
cious internal policy, could give to the United
States, per capita double the amount which itt
at present COZ sumes, offering to commerce
only about one-third of its possible productin.
1h the age OF fertilizers and advanced MODES oil
agriculture, and improved sugar-makipg Weo
chiDery, and occasional introduction esoGa
sseam plow, little progress has hgsnlantsr's
And, SO far IS the resuscitaton g. ~ -
exhausted lands is concerne5~ T9;s .'.y.o.;aIa
ing is being, or bas beepono A'o ;,S
fo"d, agricultural is~Pie Iuwaie, oi's'
q 90
PAYMENT Las 20 be made at the end OF the COM
ing sugar crop by notes payable on the SUBJ
se9aent CROP upon which he pays not less than
12 Der cent Tbs is the universal custom; for
do not suppose there is a single planter
who RAYS cash. II the planter fails, the mer-
chants fail. bringing all down with general
crash Merchants being already heavily in
volyed through previous failures of planters,
and moving the condition of the country here,
rs<dse to give more credit, and many estates
drs forced to sell the We cd off their fields and
their cattle, oxen, sheep, and horses at sacri-
fice to buy food with which to feed and clothe
their laborers, ana obtain money to pay their
wages There are estates here capable of pro-
ducine 1000 to 5000 hogsheads of sugar, worth
from S150,000 to $375,000, which are in most
deplorable condition. know of one estate of
5000 hogsheads. which cannot borrow $25 900
to commence grinding. There are great
many others in similar condition. Under the
new Spanish budget Cuba, with population
OF 1921 684, is assessed $34, ,269, $40, exclusive
of the municipal taxes, amounting to about
$3,000,000. There are OF whites but 1,0l2, ,54l
of both sexes, 50 that, as the whites are the
only taxpayers, the per capita is about S37
Rnt the real taxpayers number not more than
125 ,000 and these contribute nearly all the
taxes of which the customs required to fur
nish $40 353 and real estate $144, 154 440. The
taxes are distributed as follows: Estates, large
or small. engaged in either the cultivation of
sugar or tobacco, 2 per cent; small estates en-
gagged 10 raising cattle, 2 per cent. small es-
tstes engaged in neither of the above, per
cent; all channels Of industry, commerce and
professions, and city property, l6 per cent, ex-
elusive, as IN all the above cases, OF Six per
cent. municipal taxes There is nothing aised
on the island in the shape of vegetables
cereals, eve ~ thing that the peoS3o-eat comes
from broad even potatoas,-upon which an ay-
erage duty of 25 per cent IS Collected.