The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-15
WHEN CUBA IS FREE.
Some of the Beneficient Results That
Will Follow that Event.
Leslie's Weekly.

Leslies Weekly. y
Cube and the Cuban people have never
had chance! Favored with a soil of mar
Yelous fertility, a climate OF perpetual sum-
mer, agricultural and mineral resources of
unmeaSured richness, and a geographical
and strat3gical position that should give her
the mastery Of the southern seas, Cuba re-
mains after centuries of Spanish govern
ment. a. comparatively poor, Wild, Wretched
undeyeloped land, far behind the times in
all that makes for the higher and better
things of modern civilization
1t is the blight and curse of Spanish rule
that accounts for It all. With blindness
in the case of any country except Spain
that nation has treated her noblest and
largest possession in the western hemi-
sphere solely as a revenue producer for an
impoverished and decaying monarchy. The
policy has been all for Spain and nothing
for Cuba. But an end has come. Cuba will
now have a chance.
When Cuba is free 1t will take high rank
as an agricultural community. There can
has before 1T in this respect may be judged
from a recent report Of Consul Hyatt, in
which he says that the soil is a marvel of
richness, and that fertilizers of any kind
are seldom used except in the growing of
tobacco, even though the same crops be
grown on the same field for hundred
years. as has already happened in some Of
the old sugsr-cane fields. If all the land
suitable to the growth of sugar cane were
devoted to that industry it is estimated that
Cuba might supply the entire western
hemisphere with sugar The island has al
ready produced IN a. single year lot export
100 900 tons of sugar, while its capabilities
have only been in the experimental stage.
The adaptabilities Of the soil for tobacco
culture have long been the envy of the
world until cigar that has not some pre-
tension of having at least al little Cuban
tobacco in it stands condemned without, a
hearing. Cuba takes great pride in the
quality of her coffee and until the re-
bellion of 1868 she raised a large quantity
for export. In these two staples alone, to,
bacco and sugar, Cuba may yet easily lead
the world,
When Cuba is free she will gain large
wealth from her mineral resources b Tn af
ficient is known of their variety and extent
to warrant the belief that under the slim
eminent Cuba might not only supply her
own needs with all the leading minerals put
would have a large surplus for export. Inc
iron mines OF the Santiago district have
been worked with much success even curing
the distractions Of the past few years. Inc
ore of these mines is among n the e renest enf IN
of pure iron, and is very free from sulphur
and phosphorus. Silver and gold nave also
been found in paying quantities, and vaiu-
= able copper ore Is abundant IN the Hlouh-
tains of the east 80 bvs
When Cuba. is free, she will take that
commanding position in the commerclal
world to which her unrivaled advantages
entitIe her No island in proportion to its
size has more excellent hafbors many or
them. accessible to the largest snips LIS LIS
can continents and at the entrance to the
Gulf Of Mexico, places 1t in the very mlost
of the largest and richest stream OF oCed IL
destined to grow larger and richer as tlme
goes on When the Nicaragua canal is COM
pleted Cuba will gain all the advansage Og
of the Atlantic must converge 10 reach tllat
new waterway. AS a shipping rendezvous
and supply station IL r npeiI prems ole'
When Cuba is free her people VIII rise
wonderfully in the scale Of, education and
general enlightenment; At present more more
neither read nor write. Outslqe OF the Ioyal
universities and colleges al. Havana, Fuerto
Principe and Santiago de CUBA, Whlcn mn m
lister to a favored few, the education OF the
people has been utterly neglected. an oo-
Iigatory school law was passed IN Iooo, 4u9
the purposes of Spain to keep the Cubans
as ignorant as possible But the natives are
a quick-witted and receptive people, anu
will gladly embrace the advantages OF
free school system such as few OF the
more fortunate have enjoyed in the united
States. Such system or eaucafe n lt 4SS
retrogressive and mediaeVaI pollcy OF SPAN.
When Cuba is free her people may ENJOY
time only one religion has been tolerated
that of the Spanish, Roman Church; Even
Cuban Roman Catholics nave peeh 9iscEl M
mated against. The privileges, dlgnlues
and emoIun1ents of the established church.
such as they are. have been reserved Tor
Spanish-born clergymen ana not ior Cup Pan
church. the natives have been used chleIly
as grist for Spanish mills. 1t is not the
Roman Catholic Church, as such, from
which the abuses have come, but the cnurch
as dominated and directed by Spanish IN
duences for Spanish purposes. Religious
federation is an Indispensable feature or
free government, and that Cuba Is to nave
When Cuba is free she will have those IN
ternal improvements which have been de-
MED her by Spain! The revenues WhlGn
have hitherto been diverted almost Wholiy
ito the enrichment of Spanish ofhclals VIII
be expended, in part, on highways, ran
roads, telegraphs steamship lines systems
of irrigation, and other works OF general
benefit In all these things Cuba Is nifty
years behind this age. She has only about
1000 miles of railroad where she needs and
ought to have, 10000 miles, Her ROADS are
wretched beyond description. Nothing what,
ever has been done towards opening up and
utilizing her valuable timber lanes, the area
of which is estimated at @VO,CO acres.
Practically nothing has been done IN the
Improvement of her rivers ana narpors. All
this will be possible when Cuban revenues
may be retained for Cuban purposes
Great as we'll as freei Thus with chance
to make the most and the best or her mag
nif1cent natural resources, her roomy mar
bors her advantageous position IN the
greatest of the oceans future highways,
with free schools and free church, Cuoa
may yet become in truth as IN name the
Pearl of the Antilles the pride or the world.