The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-11

tHdU WOulu nave UetIl lleCcSSdiS
had iron bridges or trestles been re-
sorted to. An extremely easy grade is
maintained. which also increases the
length of the road, sometimes quite
unnecessarily. 1t is said in explana-
ton that the contracts We're let by the
mile, and that as many miles as pos
sible were made.
FEW GOOD ROADS.
On these few good roads all kinds
Of vehicles are, of course, used, tour
lists being served by carriages which
can be hired at very reasonable rates,
while the local public patronizes num-
erous coaches running on a daily
schedule and offering very cheap rates
of fare, a journey of twenty-five miles
costing about 40 cents. If one wishes
to leave the highway he must rely on
his own legs or those of the sure-foot-
ed little donkeys, which form the gen.
eral means of transportation through
out the islands, the macadamized roads
or "carreteras" reaching only a very
small part of the agricultural popula-
tion. All other roads are, however,
mere paths of the toughest character,
usually filled with loose stones and
in the winter season forming the beds
of small torrents. Not the slightest
attempt at improvement is made and
so difficult is transportation that even
on these most valuable islands, with a
superlative temperate climate and fer
tile soil, there are still large tracts Of
land sparsely inhabited for lack of
means of access. For centuries the in
/, otc Of TO
of these islands have been paying a
large fraction of their slender incomes
in taxes without having the advan-
tage of a single public improvement,
not even a passable road.
The same amount Of taxation paid
over to an honest and efficient govern
ment and expended for local purposes
instead of being sent away to Spain
would have made one of the garden
spots Of the world, Climate, soil and
geographical position are most favor
able. With good roads and proper IA
cilties for storing and distributing
water the Canaries might become a
valuable possession.
A greater blessing could not come to
the good people of these islands than
to fall into the hands Of England or
the United States. The assurance of
good government would stimulate the
investment of capital in numerous pay
ing improvements. The amount of cul-
tivated land could be widely increased
and would support in plenty a much
larger population than at present and
the employment of laborers in these
improvements would be an immediate
relief to the very hard time into which
the gradual impoverishment of Spain
through the Cuban war has plunged
the people. During the last few years
wages and prices of local products have
steadily declined, while imported arti-
cles have advanced through the de-
probation of Spanish currency.
Should the eXigencies of war throw
these islands into our hands the OBJ
jections urged against tropical colo
nies will not apply. With the latitude
of central Florida and finer and more
equable climate, 50 that all subtropical
and many tropical fruits can be grown
with perfect security from frost, and
with a geographic position nearer to
the European market than any region
able to compete in these products, the
commercial value of the Canaries would
not be open to doubt The English
have already slightly colonized the two
principal islands, many invalds and
merchants have taken uD permanent
residence there, some families for sew
eral generations. For many years We
have been supplying coal, petroleum,
lumber, and strangely enough, Florida
water for the Canaries. and for the
West African trade. conducted by Eng
lish and German steamship lines which
touch there.
The English population would be
| much larger if ii had not been for the
| irresponsible and corrupt Spanish gov
| ernment of the islands, under which
| one may find himself at any time al
| the mercy of an ignorant soldier or of
| fetal for some real or fancied viola
| tion OF a real or fancied local regula
| tion or tax law. The purchase anC
| conveyance of property, and especially
| of water-rights, are also matters OF
| great difficulty and insecurity. With q
| civilized government assured, there
would undoubtedly be a large increase
| in European, and especially English
population, to say nothing of colonists
who would go out from this country
| The present inhabitants, too, would
| prosper as never before, and they are
| a people worthy of such good fortune
/ The peasantry would supply a large
| quantity of cheap and efficient labor
and more intelligent classes are gen
orally desirous of progress. With goot
| government and good schools a com
plete change might be expected in {
single generation, as the example o
English superiority has already turned
attention to the possibility of improve
| ment.
But the great and unique value o.
the Canaries to us would be as a dis
tributing point for our products anC
manufactured articles. All the ives
and South African and large part o
the South American and New ZealanC
steamers take coal, water and provis
ions at Las Palmas or Santa Cruz
Four or five steamers a day are thu
served, so that with base at tlv Can
aries we could lay siege to the world
| commerce at an enormous advantage
for none Of the European nations oc