The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-02

foreigners DeloTe tney can plant cane
or tobacco.
The debt question alone proves posi-
lively that Cuba cannot continue Span
ish. If there is to be any future for the
island she must unload her debt and
have a new deal. By the last census
the population of Cuba, in round num-
bers is as follows:
White natives .,.....,......,........ $4,000
Negro natives ....................... 100000
White foreigners including Span
laruS ''..''''''.'''..'........ 14OuO
Chlnese ........................... 10000
Canary islanders .................... 10000
Total ............................ 900
According to the Diario de la Marina,
the debt in round numbers is $500. .000,-
600, which, distributed among a popu-
lation of 100000, gives a per capita
of $333 The debt of Spain Is $780,
100000, or s67.6O per capita.
The annual interest charge is about
$50, 900 900, or $50 per capita of the popu-
lation of Cuba.
But of the 100000 population of
Cuba there are only 1875 taxpayers,
of whom 93,S51 pay on real estate and
2O,105 secure licenses, or permits, to
carry on commerce and industry. which
makes the debt equivalent to $3.50 per
capita of the taXpaying population, and
the interest charge upon each about
$3.50 a year, without taking into con-
sideration other contributions ,neces-
sary to carry on the government and
maintain the enormous military garri-
sons that have been required to keep
the peace in Cuba for many years. The
calculations are also that the Cuban
debt is being increased at the rate of
$10,00000 a month, which will con-
tinue as long as Spain can borrow
| money to carry on the war, because,
as formerly, the entire cost OF the sup
| preston of the rebellion and the main
| tenance OF peace is charged to Cuba.
A small portion of the revenues Of
| Cuba are. however, raised by direct
| taxation. Most of them come from Gus
| toms duties and, according to the
| popular belief, the peculations by the
| customs officials amount to thirty per
| cent. of the revenues. In other words,
| If the receipts from customs were hon
estly collected the income of the gov
ernment would be one-third greater
| than 1t is now.
| The average per capita tax in Cuba,
| as reported to the Spanish cortes at
the last session, was $3.50 for the
whole island; which is, however, an
unfair statement. because but a small
portion of the population contribute to
the public treasury either by direct
taxation or by the consumption of i'm
ported goods.
POPULATION AND RESOURCES.
Although a large portion of the is
| land is yet untouched by the hand of
| man and even uninhabited-in fact,
large area has never been explored
the population is comparatively dense.
and averages forty-flve persons to the
square mile, while the United States
has only twenty inhabitants to the
square mile. There has been rapid In
crease in population both from natur-
al causes and by immigration. The
only other countries in America which
have increased more rapidly are the
United States, the Argentine Republic
and the island of Puerto Rico. Cuba
shows an increase of 140 per cent in
her population since the first census
was taken, In the value of property
the increase has been even greater
Before the present rebellion the aver
age per capita wealth of the island
was $53l, while that of the United
: States was S407. The investment OF
American capital amounts to about
$50, 100000 while that of our foreign
| capital is estimated at IS, 900, 900.
The resources of Cuba are not fully
appreciated. Besides sugar and coffee
: which are her great staples, the tslanC
= abounds in mineral wealth. Gold anC
silver have never been found in payin,
quantities, but copper was mined by
the natives before the voyage of Col
umbus.
r The exports to the United State
t alone formerly amounted to from $2
00O 900 to $3,000,000 a year, until the de
D velopment of the Lake Superior prop
critics and a protective tariff made tn
: business Improbable.
! The iron mines of Cuba, which ar
: located in the eastern province of San
. tiago, overshadow all other industrie
t in that section, and are the only one
t that have attempted to continue bus
ness during the present insurrectioI
They represent an investment of owe
$5,O00,000 of American capital. The
=, employ about 1,500 men and ship to tn
United States from 80, 900 to SO, 900 tor
of ore, said to be the richest in tn
world, yielding from 60 to 67 per cen
+. of pure iron. free from sulphur an
| phosphorus. This ore is used chief
at Bethlehem and Plttsburg, Pa, an
> at Sparrows Point, near Baltimor
h There are important manganese mine
owned by Americans, which ore is il
dspensable in the manufacture of stee
= There are also extensive mineral il
terests in the mountains of Cuba thi
are entirely undeveloped, but hay
long offered a temptation for the il
Is vestment of foreign capital if thel
e were any assurance of peace and pr,
Il lection.
.e END MUST COME SOON.
= Until ten years revolution Cuba raj
II ed a large quantity of coffee for e2
'e port, but the plantations were entire
l. ly destroyed during that war. Sine
= then the product has not been suff
'e cient for local consumption. The il
n dustry was gradually reViving, how
E. ever, when the present insurrectio
ID broke out, and the new orchards we
'p again destroyed. 1t takes sewers
re years to bring a coffee plantation
d. maturity, but, unlike sugar, it can
r profitably raised on a small scale ar
= can command a local market so tn;
lie it is a poor mans crop. But l will n
re resources OF Cuba. 1t is we'll unde
lie stood to be one of the richest spots {
ID earth, and everybody believes that