The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-19

In this way they obtained the highest re-
suits, extracting the maximum OF saccha-
rine matter from the raw material.
AS these concerns were content with
moderate rate of gain on their principal IN
vested and aided by the bounty, they soon
entered the field for supplying the world
market, the result being that the value or
sugar steadily decreased, until for the last
three years the price paid to the planters
has only averaged cents pound
The average Cuban planter accustomed
as he was to large profits, found II very
difficult to successfully carry on his business
on the reduced margin, and owing to the
lack of administrative ability, many We're
forced to the wall and failed.
1t was probably this fact that led so many
of them to place their properties IN me
hands of American capitalists, as only by
the expenditure of large sums for the in
stallatfon of improved machinery could they
expect to make sugar at proht and sucs
cessfully compete with their beet-root rival.
WASTE OF SWEETNESS.
The Cuban sugar cane contains an ave-
erage of 16 per cent. of saccharine matter,
but up to the present date with existing
machinery, the ''ingenios'' have only been
able to extract on an average of per cent,
or one-half Some estates claim to have ex-
tracted as high as 1Oia and IL per cent, but
this can be considered as very extraordi-
harry and exceptional, and extremely doubt
full for the chemist or sugar boiler who can
obtain such results would soon be rolling
in millions"
Many planters claim that there are only
two things that can again restore the pros
porous times of old, and these are. either
the invention Of some process whereby they
can extract more sugar from the cane, or
the annexation of the island to the United
States, which would abolish the present
duty and allow them successfully to drive
out the European product.
AS the first step in this direction, they
advocate the settlement of the present war
on the basis OF home rule, ana then, wnen
the people are sufficiently educated in self
government, to initiate movement
towards annexation, based on payment to
Spain of so many millions of dollars
Others are more outspoken and eagerly
advocate the immediate annexation OF the
island without consulting the wishes OF Ell
Their the SpaniardS or the Cuban insur-
gents.
not win the war by force of arms, and in
the next breath declare that they Will ac-
cept no solution that is not based on absos
lutte Independence.
The Spaniards emphatically state that I'M
der no consideration will they listen to any
proposition Of this nature; and owing to
the campaign of the rebels In persistently
holding out in the hills, without present.
ing front, it is difficult to see how they
can expect to suppress the revelation for
a year or so to come.
In the meanwhile many of the sugar eS-
tates except those that employ special
pay taxes on both sides. AS the rebels
have positively prohibited the continuance
of work in many instances, and have sworn
to destroy the factories of those who dis
obey their order. it is clear that with many
planters it is only a question OF time when
thew will have to abandon the struggle,
withdraw their protection and allow the in
surgent to carry out his threat, providing
something does not happen in the near fu-
ture to end this seemingly intermInable
struggle.