The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-11-29
Can The Pearl Of The Antilles
Readily RGclpGrate
FIFTY YEARS EXPERIENCE
Veterans i'm Sugar on the Islands.
Present CondItion-Laborers
Live Stock.

sugar, Boston, has been engaged IN the /
Cuban trade for half century, and the
Island of Cuba and all that appertains
! thereto in the line of business endeavor
| is as familiar to the members of that
firm as the affairs of their own coun-
try. Edwin f. Atkins has several times
appeared to the sugar tariff and he is
known in the trade all over the world.
His views upon the Cuban question
are well defined and OF interest 10 the
general as we'll as the special reader.
What do you look forward to as
solution of the Cuban question:" he
was asked by representative of the
Boston Transcript.
mo one can tell what to expect yet,
he replied Il have no doubt, however,
that fair vote of the island, if it
could be taken, would find the great
majority of the better class OF people,
Spanish and native, in favor of annex
alton to the United States"
What is the actual condition of the
island now, after these three years of
war on every hand?"
|
was 1,OSO, 900 tons. The destruction of
1.-THE cane by fires reduced the crop of
1896 to 100000 tons, and that of 1897 to
219, 900 tons. The current year brought
a better condition of affairs to the SUI
gar districts, where matters were COM
paratively quiet, and it is estimated
that $40, 900 tons were made, only 200,-
900 of which was shipped previous to
1.-The declaration of war by the United
States.
what is the condition Of the fields
where damage has been done?"
While the insurgents have burned
each year vast acres of cane fields and
many factories, the factories so de-
stroyed were, as a rule, of the smaller
class, and many of them had been pre-
| viously abandoned. The more import
( ant places were protected by private
armed guards or Spanish troops, or by
both and while cane fields have suf-
fered, the factories of those properties
-. are as a rule, intact. Burning of cane
renders it useless for sugar making
after few days, but does not destroy
the roots. Cane does not require re-
planting yearly, but is a perennial, and
in Cuba the fields will last in good con-
dition for four to twelve years, accord
a ing to location and the nature of the
3 soil, and in some cases even much
e longer. Cuba probably has cane enough
to produce next year $50, 900 to 100000
tons of sugar, if it can be harvested.
The difficulties will be: great scarcity
q of labor, want of working oxen to
j haul the cane, want of money to pur-
chase supplies, and lack of credit.
Mules cannot be utilized to any great
; extent owing to the nature of the
{ country, which requires a heavy two
wheeled cart. Trained oxen are diff
9 cult to obtain at any price. Laborers
}. from the states are unaccuStomed to
d cane cutting, nor could they stand the
d, necessary exposure to the climate. 1t
remains to be seen how these difficult
ties can be overcome"
But do you not look for an UMPIRE
= cedented development of the resources
of the island within a comparatively
, short timer"
''This depends largely upon the atti-
tude of the United States. If the ISL
: and is to be annexed, it offers great
opportunities for investment, and all
minor difficulties can be overcome. II,
= on the other hand, an independent
. great difficulties in the way of business
government is to be established, l see
enterprises, aside from the stability OF
such government; and l very much
doubt if, under. such circumstances,
Cuba would prove a profitable field for
investment or would develop rapidly.
What particularly in the attitude of
the United States seems menacing to
q the future of Cuba?"
The staple crops OF the islands are
and continue to be sugar and tobacco
Upon these crops and principally upon
sugar depends the consuming powers
. of its people, their wealth and the sue
cess of local business enterprises. IN
der our present tariff law, the standard
Y grade of Cuban sugar, sc test, pays
S1.6S15 per 100 pounds. Its value &c
the manufacturer does not exceed $
per 100 pounds in United States curren
- cy, or say cents per pound, frequent
~ less. This is equal to an ad valoreH
rate of So per cent. Rates upon tobacco
are still higher Under an indepen
dent government, Cuban sugar would
= have TO pay duties in the United States
while still competing with our domes
tic production. as we'll as with free SUI
gars from the Sandwich Islands-al
l. ready mart of the United States