Evening star., 1898-05-06
RESOURCES OF CUBA
They Have Been Only Partially De-
veloped Under Spain.
BRIGHT PROSPECT IN fHE FUTURE
United States Will Gain Much by
Unrestricted Trade.
SPANISH OFFICIAL GREED
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

ing from distinctly commercial point OF
view, victory for the United States in
the present war and the consequent open
ing up Of Cuban ports to unrestricted trade
and commerce will be one of the greatest
things ever accomplished by the American
people. The profit upon our business with
Cuba for a few months following the ces-
sation of hostilities will fully repay all the
money spent in the war. When the gran
deur of the idea Of freeing the downtrod-
den, oppressed island dawns upon Europe,
he continued, several Of those nations will
regret not having demanded the political
emancipation Of the island long ago. and
thus secured to themselves the tremendous
business which will come from Cuba to the
United States. The wealth and resources
OF the island have been and still are great
ly underestimated.
II have been all over the country on
horseback, and tell you that not one-half
Of Cuba is under cultivation. Her crops
can easily be trebled. Even her farming
methods are not yet modernized. The sale
Of modern farm machinery In Cuba, once
peace is declared. will be enormous. II
Cuba was not perfect garden she would
not have progressed as she has under the
Spanish rule. In that respect she is an ex-
ception. People do not generally under
stand to what extent the Spanish have tyr
annized over that beautiful island. =
Have Been Taxed to Death.
''Cubans have been taxed to death. and
the worst Of 1t Is that the money thus col
lected has not been expended for the bene-
fit Of the people there. but went to the
home governmental least what remained
of it after the local officials had extracted
their ssealings.
THE custom house at Havana has long
been one of the worst pest holes In the
world. Bribery of the port officials has
been a common thing for years. For in
stance. there is no duty on corn. but there
is high tax upon flour. According to the
rules. every tenth barrel must be opened
and inspected. A deal will be made with
the collector whereby cargo of flour will
be admitted for small payment, which goes
into the pockets of the officials. The cargo
will be labeled corn, and every tenth bar
rel Is filled with that article and given
distinguishing mark. Thus it is passed
through the hands Of the collaborating out
of every ten barrels containing flour.
Many thousands of barrels of -four have
also been shipped to Havana covered with
a cargo of coal. Cheese is sent down in the
center of barrel Of potatoes. and jewelry
is often stored in a case of wooden ware.
Every branch of the government is noto-
riously corrupt. J
I'm introducing goods these officials had q
to be bought up all along the line from7the
highest to the lowest. If the Spaniards saw
that you were getting a foothold and sell
ing considerable quantities Of goods they
Immediately arranged for a special tax to
cover your line. Thus all progressive move
these drawbacks the United States has
been constantly increasing her trade with
Cuba for fifteen years and millions of dol
lars have been invested there. Modern
methods have thus been introduced to some
extent. Many of the natives still care for
the sugar in the old-fashioned way.
Saving Effected by Machinery.
while Cuba had the best seed tobacco
in the world. they allowed vast quantities
to go to waste. We introduced drying sheds
which saved all that was formerly wasted.
The Introduction of machinery effected a
saving of 20 per cent in caring for sugar
cane. These and other reforms and changes
were being slowly accomplished under
Spanish rule. and the strides made under
an improved government will. in my opin-
ion, astomSh the world. Take Mexico, for
example. Our business men commenced
trading with that country fifteen years
ago. She was then using English and Ger
nan machinery on a small scale. Our ma
chimes were lighter and did the work as
we'll. We soon got the trade. At that time
Mexico did not manufacture goods of any
kind. Now she has the finest cotto!. and
paper mills In the world and is making
wonderful strides in civilization and ad-
yancement. Just as soon as she broke the
Spanish yoke the improvement commenced
and has continued ever since. In Cuba a
Spanish landowner is content so long as
his plantation earns him sufficient in
come to allow his living in splendor i'm
Madrid or Paris. He does not care for i'm
provements or machinery. There Is no GO
aheaditiveness about the Spaniard. He Is a
royal entertainer, but dishonest in his bust
ness dealings, not sparing his own brother
In matters of money and business. Span
1ards have no idea Of machinery. There are
no engineers and few mechanics among
them.
Fever ConAned to Havana.
THE yellow fever was exported from the
gulf states to Cuba, and 1t Is confined al
most exclusively to Havana. 1t could be
easily stamped out by the establishment
of sanitary regulations and the cutting of
canal from the harbor to the ocean The
Spanish government made an appropriation
for this work, but it was stolen by cor
rupt officials and the work was never he
gun. Cuba's climate Is naturally healthy,
and the observance of sanitary rules will
make 1t free from contagious disease like
yellow fever
Leave Gomez alone and he will take
Havana unassisted. All he needs Is am.
munition and provisions. He is a grand
strusgling for Cuban Independence, incit-
frg the people to insurrection and leading
them against the common foe. He is one
or the greatest men In the world today.
ciate his sterling patriotism. With q hand.
ful Of men he has held the Spanish army
at pay for months. protecting the thou
sands OF his men. who. lacking weapons,
H"sS oSci WiciuLiS AGRICULTURAL lm0lementa
to raise ediblss for the army
"One of the most striking things in any
country which Spain has dominated at one
time or another Is the fact that the people.
70 matter from what race they spring
consider themselves superior TO and viii
rot associate with the Spaniards Even
though they are descended from. Spanish
blood they despise the race and are ever
ready to combine for the overthrow of the
Spaniard and Spanish rule"
-
IMPROVED STEERING QUALITIES.
A~RemaFkable 0ain Secured I'm the
Japanese Battle Ship Yashima.
From the New York Tribune
A paper Of much interest was presented
to ths Institution OF Naval Architects In