The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-18
Marked Difference in the Island
Since the War

Marked Difference in the Island
Since the War
Havana, Dec. 10.-Although lack OF work
fo- the idle is for the moment disturbing
| Cuba more than the problem Of where,
some day, she is going to get ier sAply
Of workers to develop large industries,
the need Of encouraging immigration has
been recommended by planters to the
American government. There is here an
insurgent army numbering. 1t was esti-
mated last spring, some 40, 900 men. When
this army receives what the Cuban AS
sembly terms some benefits of service"
it will, the Assembly alleges disband, and
resume the occupations of peace. If the
men do that they will supply part of the
labor market for the time being, and as
soon as the food and medicines of gem
erous Americans begin to restore the
wasted reconcentrados, there will be ad-
ditiOnal laborers for the fields. Besides,
immigrants from the c. nary Islands 600
arrived on one boat yesterday, and from
Jamaica, have been numerous since the
war ended. Of what value the Jamaican
will be. the planters are doubtful. They
do not expect it to be high. because in
Jamaica the best labor is the labor of the
indentured East Indian coolie. Planters
are familiar with the Canary Islanders,
/ however, and regard them as the most
desirable workers, especially in tobacco
raising. They are used to the sun and
the rains of the climate, and they are
more industrious than the born Cuban.
They are also more interested in what
they undertake TO do. Among the great
growers of tobacco the custom is to rent
a small holding of land TO a desirable i'm
migrant, charging for rental one-third or
one-fourth Of what he produces. II the
immigrant has no money for tools, or for
| supporting himself until the crop is sal
able, the owners of the land make him
a sufficient loan. After this and the rem
tai are deducted from what he makes the
land yield, the owners buy from him the
| remainder of the crop; and thus he is
started. For this kind OF collaboration
the tobacco men have learned that the
requirements are singuarly well met in
the Canary Islander. Negroes are of lit
tie use" the chief one Of Cuba said to-
day; they take no personal interest in
their labor beyond seeing that it yields
them a living. Cubans have ma ambition
either, nor Porto Ricans. 1t is the fault
OF their physical condition. which is so
run down that 1 feel that I could foretell
you the time when there will be no more
Cubans-they Will be an extinct race. The
Canarians are hardy, energetic; you could
not wish for more useful tenants of your
property. do not know what the linden
tured East Indian has done in British
colonies, but here we are content if we
have Canarian workmen.'
.f,a
lantic that large industries cannot be
developed in tropical colonies without
forced labor or at least "some form of
ipdentured labor" does not appear to be
true of Cuba When slavery was abolish
ed here. it was feared, as in the cotton
fields of the Southern States at the emsn-
cipation, that the only means of culti-
waiting great tracts of land in A warm
country was being taken away. But su-
gar men now use the system of the to-
/ bacco men-let some of their own soil to
men who will till It. Yvit. plat Of land.
one man can raise eight or ten bales of
tobacco annually; If he hires assistants,
/ each of these can increase the production
proprotionately. But they must be able
! to labor in the sun ny day, and be will
/ ing 10 get out with "A lantern at night
keeping constant and intelligent care Of
their delicate plants. It needs the tireless-
ness OF the New England farmer and the
heat-immunity of thn-blooded Southern
races to cope proitably with nature in
Cuba. and 10 immigrants thus qualified
| opportunities viii soon re numerous.
Mr.. Book. whose syndicates control fac
! tories and about all the Vueita Abajo, or
western part of the island says that there
are now in those ravished. forsaken re-
1 gions only 6.0G0 tobacco laborers. where
there were before the war, prosperously
/ employed. 5000 or more. In order to
! preserve some OF his labor facilities for
resuming planting. h esent 1.209 of his
( farmers to the Isle Of Pines. built houses
FOR them. and supported them there. Now
/ ne is bringing them back 70 Cuba. and
I employing them in rebuilding the dry
/ sheds and setting up the dryng-sticks
/ that were burned everywhere in the war,
now by the Spanish and now by the in
( surrectos. What an outlay this means on
( ans plantations may be guessed at wTlen
! il Is known that just for the drying-sticls
/ alone. small yard-long saplings cut in the
woods and driven into the ground. he has
/ lust paid out IS. 90 Meanwhile Of course
week a little will be cut in Pinsr Del
Rio. and the temptation 20 bring in leaf
/ from o. her countries and put it into "Ha-
vana cigars" Is tremendous. on this ac-
/ count Mr. Book suggested 10 Mr.. Porter
I that a high import duty here on all tohac-
( ca was necessary % protect the quality
T and reputation Of Havana cigars and yes
! terdav it was learned by cable from
4 Washington that TINS safeguard mas been
granted.
Evidently the ROYAL Lottery expected
+ that President Mckinley would suggest
! independence for Cuba. for * arranged.
{ several days before the message 10 Con-
4 gress came out, TO have drawings regular
: y as heretofore, and specified dates reach
inS INFO June. L has government; iot-
; terry. and pasd Web. and the director tells
me that l. j impossible that the Cuiaus
viii not continue il even II the Americans
Z interrupt i. Lately the plan has been u
offer $500 In prizes for which rieke :
selling - rSleoero were issued: thus. =
( al tlckets were sold the loctery-S profit
1 was s35.oeo eacn drawing. and + al we-e
not sold. then the chances were so much
thu less against all ,he prizes being drawn.
The evacuation Of this part % re IS
. land by The Spanish aaS been thus far
the least spectacular .ac-sou imaginable.
They have been going from this port.
+ three OF four ship-loads q week. hu- 50
quietly tha, trey have caused less com
( motion IN the city tina, 1he Nav exodus
Z q Americans II Europe causes in New
York Some days in the quarter near the
! harbor ore comes suddenly u7an a COM
Continued on Tenth Pase)