New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-21

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Province has been called the core OF autonomy
IN cuba Much was expected from it by the
enthusiasts who believed that the new regime
only needed little urging to secure its accept
ance by the mass Of the Cubans Their hope was
70 begin at the top and work downward. The
province lies in the middle O: the island. Influence
from it might radiate eastward through the in
surgent strongholds Of Puerto Principe and San
raso I; might spread westward through the
partially paclaed provinces Of Matanzas and
Habana.
santa Clara IS rich in both sugar and to-
bac-o. The sernbiance 4 the pacifcation which
autonomy was expected 10 bring might have
conserved some Of its natural richness and
enabled il 10 reap enough of the fruitfulness
Of the soil 70 relieve the distress which has been
50 ap7alling and also TO conserve something for
the coming season. when both crops might be
made the agency OF restoring the old-time pros
rerity Briefly. il may be said that the to-
bscco crop is fair though In the Remedies dis
t~.,: e does not come VI 20 expectations. The
tobacco has been forced 10 the exclusion Of other
PRODUCTS even Of vegetables. The insurgents
cannot burn II 50 readily they DO the sugar
cane al least not until Il IS cut and dried ready
f7~ shipment. In some places they have found
a substitute for fire. They have made rough
harrows % barbed wire. tied these 70 their horses
tails and ridden recklessly across the fields.
tobacco field once subjected TO this treatment
has as little commercial value as a similar area
O. charrel cane.
This destruction. however. has not been gen.
era Though the Indispensable small Span
ish rerchants-who either own or hold mort
CAGES on the tobacco crop complain bitterly Of
their anticipated losses, the crop will be as good
as could he looked for In the midst % war and
deso,ation. The quality may be poor. but the
quantity Will he fair
THE OUTLOOK FOR SUGAR
For sugar the outlook IS rot SO good. Gomez
has been inexorable in the enforcement Of his
order against sugar grinding in Santa Clara
Province. The exemption which the planters IN
ire neighbo-ing province Of Matanzas finally
secured has not been extended Willingness TO
BAY the insurgent tax Of 20 cents a bag has not
been sufficient 20 gain immunity. Cubans who
were known 10 be in sympathy with the insur-
rcction are having their devotion 70 the cause
tested when they see their own plantations in
ashes Within a week the writer has watched
he smoke rolling up from a score Of canehelds.
and in the majority Of instances he was told
that the owners were either Cubans or Ameri-
cans who sympathized with the Instruction
30 effort is made 10 destroy their mills. The
ruins q the ".ngerios" or sugar mills, are
numerous enough al ove- the province, but
most q them are grass-grown. and the walls
were leveled IN the first year u the war Be
tween one-thi-d and one-fourth o. the mills
seem 20 be grinding Internationally Many Of
them are rushing burned cane 20 the mills. II II
can be cut within six days from the time II Is
burned the cane is worth grinding. though the
quality q the sugar is below the standard
The mills which are running are expected 70
grind one-tourth the cane they would in normal
times. This does not apply 70 the Cienfuegos
district There The crop VIII be much larger
POSSIBLY two-thlrds OF the average Nearly
every nh has been able 70 DO some grinding.
The country around Cienfuegos is level the in
sr-gen.s are weak and the military protection is
s.-org Tha. is why the sugar production IS
good = Is not. however. relatively as large as
n Natanzas and Cardenas and X does not come
I'd % the promises OF the hopeful Boston sugar
Planters who gave assurance that full crop
would be ground this season. Il is large by
COMPARISON with the northern AID central parts
Of The province.
4 CONTRAST FROM THE FORMER TRADE
A. the port ot sagua Ia G-ande a few hun
6rsd bags % sugar have been loaded on a small
American schooner which lies in the harbor A
large four-nastc- from Portland Ne. is there
AWAITING = cargo. She IS Of 10000 sacks bur
6Ar rou- thousand are ready 70 be loaded.
The LACK - the remainder OF her cargo may
cause an indefinite wait. While waiting her
captain INDUCES in "reminiscences OF former
years when a. this season between forty ana
So. ,esse,s would be lying OF Sagua loading
sugar The planters take the situation Win the
philosophy which three years Of warfare has
so-ca4 mr., toA-o. Though the days slip by
when thew are able 10 grind. the end Of that
reri,d viii not come till May. II an armistice
sbou1d he arranged by which a temporary peace
shor,d come they might be content 10 walt TIL
June and then manage 20 grind a fair part OF
he crou. Though an immense area Of cane
feds has been burned vast acreage IS sun
untouched By the flames Though the "eeus
grow rank in much Of it, they nave Ho' YET
drawn all the sap from the cane. Inc painters
would guarantee 20 get considerable sugar rom
these weed-grown canehelds The opportunity
denied them. they speculate on the s'erhi'ess
with which Maxine Gomez IS enforcing the ~
surgeat decree against sugar-Grindlhe. I"e
purpose is 10 show the inability OF me Spans"
military authorities 20 protect the peaceiD4 pu,
e-,..s ~ .ortcu,ture The demonstration outside
q the Clenfuegos district is compete, anu w
planters would be glad 10 acknowledge II DF
5a,.,,. .,s S,a,isb earrisors which they are
compelled 20 support, withdrawn iron" '''7''
plantations This 100. IS denied 'he"'
PrTrABrr cONDlTION OF THE PEOPLE.
The condition Of the people % me pio ',"-'
can be judged from the paralysis IN 'ne pio1u
ton q the leading staple The wretcheoheSS y
not vociferous or on parade Cro"ds o. me
miserable beings known as the Fecoh'e"'' .UoS
are 10 longer seen. Many Of the D'nios' u
palm huts in which they were nerde1' 90.
vacant. The evidences q the eyes S"DN .'.a
they have rot been put back in the Gun ~,
for they are not 10 be seen there. az 20,
hGts tsat were u1roofed Do Neyle -