The herald., 1898-11-08
The Main Problem

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Oct. 25.-Corre-
spondence of the Associated Press.) The
main problems to be faced by the province
of Santiago; in fact, by the entire island OF
Cuba in it's effort to throw off the lethargy
of centuries are those which to a greater or
lesser degree afflict all communities, name
ly, capital and labor.
With regard to the first, there are very
large number of people only desiring an op-
portunity to invest in the islands as soon
as settled form of government is decided
upon, but will naturally, under present con-
ditions, knowing nothing regarding the fu-
ture safeguards to property or the amount
of taxes to be levied, or the stability of the
future government when it is formed, hesi
tate to risk their money. In this province
alone it is estimated that there are fully
$20,0O0,OO0 only waiting for an assured form
OF government to be at once invested in
both enterprises.
A still greater problem to be solved is the
labor question, for even the existing indus
tries are crippled for want of hands, this
particularly applying to mines. The pay
is from 70 cents day upward, or about the
same as paid in the phosphate mines OF
Florida, and the mines will board the la
borers at % cents day. 1t may be taken
as an established fact that the present gen.
Grafton of Cubans will never become miners
They are far too indolent, and the negro
race here find means of lazy subsistence
too easy at hand to have any incentive to
labor. The Cuban may do little Light
work in the shade, he may make few ci-
gars, or he may even condescend to do a
little housework, if you do ont expect too
much in the way of cleaning but what he
prefers is to put on a few stars. huge
pair OF boots, enormous spurs and hat
something wondrous to behold, mount an
easy-going Cuban pony and parade the
principal streets. Give this to the Cuban.
white or coored, and you have him as
pleased as a child with a new toy, as proud
as peacock and as foolish as an ostrich.
In Santiago there is another element add
ing to the labor troubles, namely the Jamai-
can negro, who is one degree worse than
his Cuban brother in the matter of indus
try. There are over 1000 of his type here,
all wanting jobs as walters, stewards, Wallets
or something equally easy; but as to the real
work of the island, the digging, mining and
labor that will bring the sweat to mans
brow, the Pamaica negro wants none of it.
The problem was long since solved in his
own country by the importation of the In
dian coolies under contract to work five
years. The mine owners and other large
employers OF labor are considering some plan
whereby they can overcome the difficulty
OF obtaining men. The Spanish American
Iron company has sent to Spain for 500 men.
No one can take a three hours ride over
this part of the island without being i'm
pressed with the fact that the earth is about
the most productive on the face of the
globe, and that a man with family and
two or three hundred dollars is probably
better of here than anywhere else in the
world. With very little labor he gets not
only the necessaries of life, but even its
luxuries, and in addition can always sell
enough to supply himself and family with
the things he cannot grow His coffee.
sugar, vegetables, fruit, chickens, hogs, goats
and tobacco he can raise himself. To men
whose ambition it is to lead a quiet, easv
ready-made existence, not anxious to shine
in politics or in any of the leading profes.