The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-07-26
FUTURE OF FREE CUBA.
American Enterprise Will Make 1t Il
Second California.

Second California.
From the Manufacturers Record.
With the prospect of orderly ami just
government in Cuba i'll the hands II pro-
oressiy,. and intelligent men. greater IN
tereSt than ever is had in the industrial
and agricultural opportunities Of :he
island. This is particularly the case
among manufacturers of machinery, en-
eineers of various kinds. and persons
who devote their energies 10 works of
public Improvement. As the war pro-
crosses American capital. energy, ana
enterprise are sorting the facts and
looking over the field for the purpose OF
entering it al the first opportunity pre-
pared To reap legitimate gains. Many
pens are occupied in descriptions OF tue
natural resources of the island from ulI-
fereut S~tandpoints. Among them is that
of General Bradley I. Johnson. n
served with distinction from Maryland
in the Confederate army and who since
the war has devoted himself to law ana
literature, and who recently spent some
months in Cuba on a special journalistic
mission. Gen. johnson presents inter
esting facts about conditions in the island
under nominal circumstances. the vast
extent Of sugar estates. the mineral
III III tIN lF' -
While great losses have been intlict-
ed on the great proprietorS. it is incred-
ible how much they have saved and laid
aside in New York. in London and IN
Paris. but not in Spain. The experience
of their ~neighbors in San Domingo ap-
pears TO have made a profound impress
sion on them. Since 1922 Cuba has been
in n condition of combustion. Since 1870,
when the abolition agitation i'll the
United States gave them warning. curl
ously enough they have acted with in
~finitely more discretion. intelligence. and
energy than the great shareholders OF
the South. They deliberately prepared
for the cataclysm. which they had sa-
gacity to see was approaching. but which
we did not. They brought Spanish col
onistS. mainly from the Canary Islands.
apportioned them forty or eighty-acre
farms. QUILT houses. sold them stock. and
fed them. The colOnists cultivated the
land under the direction Of the pro
prietor. and hauled his cane to the sugar
house. where he got his due share of SUI
gar. Under this system the production
Of sugar increased 30 per cent. between
1878, when slavery was abolished. and
1888. and will increase still more when
peace is restored. Now. after this long
introduction. to the point as to the adj
va%ntages offered TO energy, intelligence.
industry. l put aside the question of an.
neXation. y large per cent of Cubans
in the field will oppose it: that is human
nature. After such a struggle, they want
to enjoy the fruits Of victory. Gomez
wants to be President, Garcia to succeed
him. etc
Gen. Johnson, however. contends that
the forces Of nature, the laws of so
ciety. march with irresistible W and
adds:
Il can see movement of the imperial
Democracy manifest toward the Antilles.
Cuba is q part Of the United States as
surely as Florida was-as the mouth of
the Mississippi was. The United States
is bound to establish solid. orderly gov
eminent there. and must occupy the
country until such government is estab-
liShed. The interregnum of military
government will fill the island with
American aiventurers. just as Texas and
California We're filled up. The 1000
miles of railroad will be expanded to TO-
600 miles. for each great plantation will
have its own system of railroads.. Tele-
phones will net the country. In two
years the population of Cuba will
double. Its area is about equal to that
OF Pennsylvania. The yellow fever will
be abolished. The great mouptain rang
es will be cleared and cultivated. Silver
gold and iron will be dug out Of them:
mahogany. rOSewOod-the most valuable
timber in the world, will be rushed into
Baltimore. and the epoch Of the Argo-
nauts in 1919 will be repeated. | have
answered Your question when | tell YOU
that a fair mechanic can earn So per day
and will be able to do so for years after
this mine of agricultural. mineral. and
forest wealth is open to the energy. en-
terpriSe and industry Of the free Ameri-
cans