The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-06-04
CUBA in FUTURE.
Likely to Be an Ell Dorado for Ameri.
caps with Brains, Sense and
Little Capital.
II. s. Garfield in Times-lIcraId.

H. S Garfield in Times-Ierald.
Cuba is the smile of the sea-" says
the ever picturesque lngersOll. 1t is n
country of wonderful resources. Add
to these its geographical position, and
we have the factors of a glorious pro-
duct. 1t is within easy reach of New
Orleans and other large markets Of
the United States. Transportation is
cheap. The United States and Cuba
are reciprocal in productions We find
there a ready market for manufactured
goods, and the island sends us sugar,
bananas and other tropical productions.
A tremendous trade would spring up
under free trade conditions.
Cuba is the largest sugar producer in
the world. The Constancia plantation
near CienfucgOs produced. according to
the last Cuban census. $4,000, 900 pounds
in a year. With American energy and
enterprise in the island could he made
to produce 10000, ,0Cl tons easily. There
would be heavy omIetition among eX-
perts in the production Of sugar. These
lands would be sufficiently cultivated,
and the cane REDUCED by the diffusion
process. This is a stepping process.
The cane finely chopped uD, is plac Il
i'm large iron cylinders and submitted
to the same process as tea in the house
wife's teapot. Thus there is not more
than one-half Of per cent. OF sacchar-
ire lost.
Cuba will be market for sugar
making machinery, agricultural mach
inery, electric light appliances, railroad
supplies, wooden ware. etc. In fact,
there will be a ready and constantly in
cr2asinG market for all our produa-
tons, from clothes 10 catnip.
At present Cuba grows 10000 900
pounds of tobacco leaf, which opens up
a field for American manufacture. The
25OO0,OO0 coCoanuts raised annually
show the need of active AM energetic
capital in cocoanut oil factory. The
2000O,00C punches of bananas now
grown yearly can be more than doubled
after political differences have been
settled and the trade Of America sets
in. Material is abundant for the manu-
facture of soap, COarscly lbeTed cloths
and many kindred industries. Fruit
farms ON an average make large le-
turns after three years, except the "a
mana, which yields abundantly after
the first year.
on the mountain slopes in the east
crn, central and western Darts are the
finest coffee lands i'm the world In
1850 there We're 500 plantations running
at large profit. This kept up for eight
years, when the wearing ten years war
ruined them. They were either devas-
tated or allowed to decay All these
viii be revived in regenerated Cuba.
1t requires only small capital to start
coffee plantation a half-crop is
grown the third year. ana the fourth
year sees the full yield, Il pays from
% to 100 per cent. ON the capital invest
cd, which Is much 700 fascinating a
problem to remain long unsolvod by
Uncle Sans cntcrprising family.
The mineral wealth Of the island is
incompatible and ineXhaustible. The
copper mines are exceedingly rich, and
added capital and energy will develop
them to a much greater degree. The
iron mines are capable of producing
enormous quantities of Bessemer iron
ores, These ores are very valuable
and known the world over TO manu-
factnrers as "SpanIsh ores" As time