The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-11-09
industries ON the Island Are
Crippled by This Condition
and Capital Is Shut Ont.
HARD DPROBLEM TODE SOLVED
Great Amount Of Capital Is Awaiting
Investment There. but Unsettled
Conditions Make II impossible.
Correspondence Of Tho Associatod Press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
SANTIAGO DE CUBA. Oct. z.-The
main problems 10 be faced by the pro-
vince Of Santiago. IN fact that OF the en-.
tire island OF Cuba. In It's effort 10 throw
on the lethargy Of centuries. are those
which 10 a greater or lesser degree az
filct all communities. namely. capital
and labor.
With regard to tho first there are a
very large number Of people only desIr-
Ing an opportunity TO invest In the
island as soon az a settled form OF gov
ernment ls decided upon. but who natur-
ally, under present conditions, know
Ing nothing regarding the future safe
guards 70 property or the amount Of
taxeA 10 be liyied. or the stability Of the
future government when formed. hesi-
tate 20 risk their money. In this province
alone II II estimated that there are
fully twenty millions Of dollars only walt
ing for an assured form OF government
10 be at once invested In business enter
prlses
A still greater problem to be solved
IL the labor question. Tor even the exist
INK Industries are crippled for want Of
hands this particularly applying TO the
mines. The pay Is from Is cents a day
upwards. or about the same as Is paid
In the phosphate mines OF Florida. and
the mines win board the lab0rers at
q cents day
II may be taken as an established fact
that the present generation OF cubans
viii never become miners. They are far
too enervated and indolent. and the ne
gro race here find the means Of a lsuy
subsistence too easy at hand to have
any Incentive to labor. They may do a
little light work In the shade: they may
make d few cigars. or they may even
condescend 10 do a little housework II
you do not expect too much in the way
Of cleaning. but what they prefer is to
put on few stars. huge pair OF boots.
enormous spurs and a hat something
wondrous 10 behold. mount an easy going
Cuban pony and parade the principal
streets.
Give this to the Cuban. white, and col
ored. and you have him as pleased as a
cock and about as sensible as an ostrich.
In Santiago there Is another element
adding to the labor troubles, namely. the
Jamaica negro. who is one degree worse
than his Cuban brother IN the matter
Of Industry. There are over 1000 OF his
type here. all wanting jobs as walters,
stewards, Wallets or something equally
ktftf 40 .
island, the digging. mining and labor
that win bring the sweat to mans
brow. the Jamaican negro wants none
Of IL. The problem was long since solved
in his own country by the importation OF
the Indian coolies under contract to work
FIVE years.
The mine owners and other large en-
ployers Of labor are considering some
plan whereby they can overcome the diff
hcuity OF obtaining men. The Spanish
American Iron Company has sent TO
Spain for 500.
No one can take three hours ride
over this part OF the island without be-
ing impressed with the fact that the
earth is about the most productive on
the race OF the giooe, and tnat man
with family and two or three hundred
dollars is probably better on here than
any place in the world.
With very little labor he gets not only
the necessaries OF life. but even its lux
urles. and in addition can always sell
enough TO supply himself anu family with
the things he cannot grow His coffee.
sugar vegetables, fruit chickens. hogs.
goats and tobacco he can raise himself.
To ~1en whose ambition Il is to lead a
quiet. WY. ready-made existence. not
anxious to shine in pohdcs or in any Of
the leading professions. and who have
very modest capital. the province OF San
tiaSo de Cuba offers one Of the choicest
fields in the world.