The Indianapolis journal., 1898-11-08
LABOR is SCARCE.
Cubans and Jamaica Negroes VIII Not
Work In Santiago.

Correspondence of the Associated Press
SANTIAGO DE CUBA. Oct 29-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 afffict all communities,
namely. capital and labor. With regard TO
the first, there are very large numbers of
people only desiring an opportunity to in
vest in the island as soon as a settled form
of governmentfis is decided on. but who nat
urally, under present conditions, knowing
nothing regarding the future safeguards to
property or the amount of taxes to be levied
and the stability of the future government
when it is formed, hesitate to risk their
money. In this province alone it is esti-
mated that there are fully twenty millions
OF dollars only waiting for an assured form
Df government to be at once invested in
business enterprises.
A still greater problem to be solved is the
labor question, for even the existing in
dustries are crippled for want of hands.
this particularly applying to the mines The
pay is from 70 cents a day upward, or about
The same as paid in the phosphate mines
of Florida. and the mines will board the
laborers at % cents day. 1t may be taken
as an established fact that the present gen.
Grafton of Cubans will never become min
ers. They are far too enervated and in
doient, and the negro race here finds the
means of a lazy subsistence too easily at
hand to have any incentive to labor. The
Cuban may do d little light work in the
shade; he may make a few cigars, or he
may even cOndeScend to do a little house
work If you do not expect too much in
me way of cleaning, but what he prefers
IS TO put on few stars, a huge pair of
boots, enormous spurs and a hat sOmething
WOndrous to behold, mount an eaSy-going
Cuban pony and parade the principal
streets. Give this to the Cuban, white or
colored. and you have him as pleased as a
child with a new toy, as proud pea
cock and about as sensible ostrich.
In Santiago there is another element add
ing TO the labor troubles, namely. the ia
maica negro, who is one degree worse than
his Cuban brother in the matter of indus
try. There are over two thousand of his
type here. all wanting jobs as walters, stew
ards, Wallets or something equally easy; but
as to the real work of the island the dig
ging, mining and labor that will bring the
sweat to mans brow, the Jamaica negro
wants none of 1t. The problem long
since solved in his own country by the i'm
portation of the Indian coolies, under con-
tract to work five years The mine owners
and other large employers of labor are con-
Sidering some plan whereby they can over
come the difficulty of obtaining the men.
The spanish American Iron Company has
sent to Spain for SOC men. No one can take
- three hours ride over this part Of the ISL
and without being impressed 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 off here than any
where else in the world. With very little
labor he gets not only the necessaries of
life, but even it's luxuries and in addition
can always sell enough to supply himself
and family with the things he cannot grow.
His coffee, sugar, vegetables, fruits. chick
ems, hogs goats and tobacco he can raise
himself To men whose ambition 1t is to
W. 10 owl
not anxious to shine in politics in any
Of the learned professions. and who have
an the world.