The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-02

Guilty in believing that full half Of
the native population of New Cuba is
of African descent. The negroes in
Santa Clara had drifted there from the
sugar estates in the outlying province.
When we learned that each of the
large estates in question used to en-
plOy from 1000 to 5000 negroes at a
time, their great number was not so
surprising. These Cuban negroes are
mostly uneducated laborers, unified,
Of course, for holding government po-
sitions Yet many of them are groWl-
ing ominously. They did the fighting,
and now that independence has come,
they want a voice Of their own in the
law-making. Cubans, however laugh
at the idea Of a negro problem.
These niggers,' said the Cubans in
Santa Clara, will go back to the cane
fields. and work just as peacefully as
ever"
Many of the estates, through perse-
cution and conflscation, have fallen
into Spanish hands. The mere sugges-
ton that Cubans may now govern Cuba
fills these Spaniards with terror Scores
of them are in Santa Clara awaiting
the issue|Cuban independence or an
neXation. And how they pray for an
nexation! This is, one of the many
things Americans will have to inVesti-
gate in helping New Cuba. Capital
will not rush In offhand. In the South
1t was not until years after the Civil
war that fortunes were made. In
Santa Clara the Cuban merchants I'M
derstand the situation thoroughly.
They liken Cuba to an ill-used indi-
vidual who has been rescued by a pow
erful friend from persecution and pow
erty, and told to go ahead and begin
life anew, with the promise of every
possible assistance from the benefac-
tor. From Santa Clara to Santiago
the journey included the crossing Of
the oft-described trocha. Once beyond
this
MASS OF BARBED WIRE
that formerly marked the line between
SPANS Cuba and Cuba's Cuba, we
were practically in a jungle. The
desert we had left behind was really a
civilized country compared to the -coun-
try which we now entered, this Cuba
Libre, which insurgents held during
all the war. Here, in the province Of
Puerto Principe, were not only no rail-
roads, but no roads for wheeled We
hlcles. Excepting in the vicinity Of
| the town Of Puerto Principe. there is no
road over which a carriage or wagon
can pass. Here is a most important
| neld for engineering enterprise-the de-
Yelopment Of transportation facilities
What is now known as the Royal road
Is merely a broad strip of country.
| sometimes fenced by cactus and barb.
nOrS6-
back. Two days of heavy rain prac-
t1cally stops traffic in all directions
Here is great opportunity for build
Ing common roads. There Is plenty of
stone for the purpose. Sucff roads as
now exist cross rivers and streams nv
! fordS, which are impossible soon after
| the rains set In. The necessity for
bridges is great. Our progress was nm
eVentful, monotonous. Heat and mos
| quitoes were the only enemies encoun-
tered In desperation, we hurried on to
| the coast, through miles and miles of
virgin forest, where the finest ma
hogany was in evidence, where rich
| iron mines were merely indicated. to
! the valley of Guantanamo Here is the
coffee district of Cuba. The planta-
tons We're deserted, but not in ruins.
Cofree In greater quantities than ever
| VIII be raised here, just as the cultiva-
ZION or tobacco In the province Of Pinar
del Rio, west of Havana, will soon
again be thriving Industry. It will
| take more than war to deprive Cuba Of
her natural wealth. Every foot of
| ground over which we journeyed is
| capable of cultivation, and that with
| out hard work. There were no untiIla-
| Bile declivities or rocky areas. as in
| connecticut; no fields of sandy land
| as In Florida. The islands area IS
about equal to New York state. and
only 10 per cent Of this resourcefuI
area has ever been under cultivation.
AT last we reached hamlet, q place
| OF adobe houses only. All the inhabi-
| tants were gone. But small patches
| of ground here and there were planted
with coffee, or sugar cane, or tobacco.
ellison Willets,