The evening times., 1898-09-09

country in the world. Its inhabitants
Cubans. Spaniards and Canary Islanders
are the very pick of rhe island for thrift
and industry. Their loyal devotion to the
Spanish government has cost them great
sacrifices, which have been made freely
in a spirit of heroic patriotism. Beyond
little maize the people of VueIta Abaja
raise nothing except tobacco.
Their whole efforts are concentrated on
the one crop. which is their sole means
of livelihood They cannot raise tobacco
without oxen. Their oxen are abso-
lutely the only motive power of the land
and without them the country must re-
main at a standstill. or slip backward in
to misery and starvation. Yet knowing
this as we'll as the owners of the beasts
know II, the captain general of the ISL
and has levied on ,neSe oxen once twice.
and again, that they might be driven
away and slaughtered 10 make meat for
the Spanish army. While war continued
and Cuban ports were closed the Cuban
planters felt there was at least a color of
excuse in the necessity of the situation
But since the protocol has been signed
and kilograms from the capital can sum
mon shiploads of cattle from any port in
America to Havana harbor at will. they
say no shadow Of necessity remains.
On the other hand Contiscati of the
oxen means the ruin of the land Cattle
for food can be imported at comparatfve-
~ little cost. yet the Spanish government,
II Is charged, prefers To take and butcher
oxen valued at 500 a pair which can be
replaced only with great difficulty and
after lapse of time sufficient for the
training of new animals
Unless the ploughing is done this month
1t viii be impossible TO raise crop this
season. Tobacco to be good must ne
planted in October. Touacco planted in
any other period is much inferior to that
planted in the fall To plant in October
oxen are needed 10 prepare the ground
IN September. But such demands have
been made upon the people and enforced
by these Spanish soldiers that few oxen
are left-far too few. ii is charged-to
prepare the ground for the crop.
No oxen can be bought or sold in this
island without recording deed similar
to that necessary for the transfer of real
estate in the United States. This law is
being rigidly enforced. Every OK in Cuba
is registered. and the owners of the
beasts can save a few from confiscation
only with great difficulty by hiding them
in the woods and persuading the confis-
eating officials that the animals have
been taken by the insurgents.
In many cases Wnere q few oxen still
remained Mr.. Marx said the owners be-
sought him to buy them, and deeds for
the animals were made out in his nan a
as an American citizen, he giving their
former owners the privilege of purchas-
ing the beasts at the price of the trans
fer.
Since the invasion of yuelta Abaia bv
Maceo two years and a half ago it's in
habitantS have suffered comparatively
little from the insurgents who have re-
spected their property, demanding il on Y
when 1t could not be obtained elsewhere
Their demands were recognized as nee
essities and peaceab!y granted. But the
demands of the Spanish government
have altogether reduced the paope of
the loss of their oxen in time of peace
when prospects We're Frightening threat
en- them with starvation and utter ruin
Meanwhile. although there is an un-
usually good supply of tobacco. the est
of raising it, due to the scantiness of
food. scarcity of labor and payment for
protection and permission to work, has
raised the selling price from 80 to 100 per
cent above the normal profit. But even
at the advance there is no profit for the
growers. most of whom are deep'y in
debt for the neceSsaries of life and now
are desperate when confronted with the
inability to prosecute their one industry.
by which al one time they hoped to sus-
tain themselves and satisfy their c Ii
tors