Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-23
HER NATURAL RESOURCES
Cuba Possesses Great Wealth in Soil and
Climate.
Tremendous Prosperity fs Sure
When Peace Reigns AGnin-Rich
In MineraIs-Fine Forests.
From the Chicago Tin es-Herald.

From the Chicago Tin es Herald.
Now that Cuba is assured of her freedom
| it may be interesting to inquire into the
resources Of the country and ask what may
| be her prospects for prosperity when she
| is no longer restrained and overtaXed by
| the greedy government of Spain. The area
| of Cuba is about 1900 square miles. Its
greatest length is 80 miles and its breadth
| ranges from 70 to lbs miles. Perhaps there
| is no space Of earth the equal In size to
Cuba that can begin to compare with her
| in the production of those things that are
useful to man. Antonio Y Morales, noted
authority, has prepared a table showing
| the variety and quantities of the staples
| that can be raised a tract of thirty
three acres in Cuba. A farm of that size in
! one year produces thousands of pounds OF
sugar, coffee, tobacco, cacao tchocolate).
| cotton, indigo, corn, rice sage, bananas
and yucca. The choicest lands of Cafffor-
nia-noted for the variety and quantity of
their products-cannot approach the soil of
Cuba in this respect With its mild cli-
| mate. its exuberant vegetation and the
eagernesS of the earth to respond to the
slightest efforts in the way of culture,
Cuba offers an ideal home for the man in
love with the agricultural life.
The commerce of Cuba, even under the
blighting rule of the Spaniard, has been
great. In 1893, before the curse of war fell
| on the island Cuba exported T1S,204 tons of
sugar and produced S15,S94 tons. Its ex-
ports of molaSses to the United States
alone in that year were 1854 hogsheads.
OF rum the exports were 9,30S pipes. In
1893 the Cuban exports of leaf tobacco
were 22T 1865 bales. OF manufactured CT
gars 147, 365,0OO were exported and of CT
garettes SO, 1913 packages. These are
only the main exports. They show what
may be done with the eXhaustleSS soil and
climate of the island when its people were
in condition of virtual slavery at a time
when chattel slavery had been abolished
only seven years. 1t is an axiom of eco
nomfc science that free labor is indefinitely
more productive than slave labor, and the
Industrial growth of the United States is
an example of the expansion of industry
when enterprise is unhampered by the
curse of slavery and by foreign political
interference. Cuba's chief industries were
growing in spite of the drain upon her be-
tore the present war began, for in 1894 her
total production of sugar was 1854 PA TONS
an increase Of DIS $40 tons over the pre-
cedng year.
Infinite in Variety.
The natural resources of Cuba are infinite,
one may say, in variety. Of her area only
~ per cent is under cultivation, Z per cent
Is not reclaimed and per cent is under
forests Great tracts of land are practical
ly unexplored. She had in 1894 a popula-
| ton of a little more than 1.5oO,OOO. OF these
nearly one-third have been starved to
death during the present war. Cuba could
support in plenty population of 1O,OoO.o0o.
Her forests are stocked with the finest
wood in the world-wood several species
of which are as hard iron, turning the
edge of the AK and remaining imperishabie
under water There are found woods in
valuable for the dye industry, ebony, CEDAR
rustic. lancewood. mahogany, rosewood,
Jocuma acana and many others. There are
fifty varieties of palm. Her fruits are val
| liable and little cultivated. The climate is
he live ND fha
orange, the lemon, the pineapple and the
banana are Indigenous.
The mineral resources of the island are
great, yet the mineral industries are in
their infancy. Almost all the metals are
found in Cuba. There are gold, silver,
mercury. copper, lead and all the forms of
aSphatum; antimony, magnesia, copperaS,
gypsum, red lead, ochre, salt arsenic tale
and many Others. Copper is abundant in
all the metamorphic rocks of Cuba 1t is
true that coal is yet undiscovered. bat
Under a free republic capital would flow
into the island and there is no doubt that
true coal would soon be found to replace
the bitumen that is now used and which
is found in springs and mines in great
quantities.
Mineral Wealth.
Cuba is rich in marble, awaiting the cap
ital Of the Spectator. Great deposits OF
this rock are found, and in the Isle of
Pines there Is marble of a quality as fine
as the best Of that material used by the
sculptor. Beautifully colored marble and
Jasper are common. On the coasts are i'm
mense deposits of rock salt, and there are
also unlimited quantities of the purest
white sand, capable of being converted into
fine earthenware. Even the illustrious
Humboldt was amazed at the richness and
variety of the mineral wealth of Cuba
How much of this wealth has been utilized
may be gathered from the fact that at
the end of 1891 the total number Of mining
titles issued in Santiago district was 296
OF these 13S were iron, IS manganese and
s6 copper.
AS a pastoral country Cuba was more
productive century ago than she is now,
but her pastures are broad and rich and
the possibilities are unlimited. Cuba, with
her grand natural pastures, was just be-
ginning to raise fine Durham and Devon
shire stock when the ten-year war DESC
lated the country and put stop to the in
dustry. The millions of acres of free land
in Cuba are ready for the agriculturist,
the cattle, sheep and hog raiser, the cot
ton and fruit grower, the miner and the re-
ducing plant. and even for the silk grower
and manufacturer The mulberry tree
grows to perfection in the island. Silk
worms, according to DR.. Auber are more
prolific and productive in Cuba than in any
other country on the face of the globe
Here is land prepared to yield up utilities
that will add immeasurably to the happi-
ness of the world awaiting to blossom
into garden and swarm with population:
TO develop almost every art of peace; to be
converted into an Industrial microcosm in
Is waiting the hour when the capitalist
assured of peace and uninterrupted growth,
may safely enter and reap the harvest
which nature has prepared for man In the
mlsruled, throttled and neglected Pearl of
the Antilles.