The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-11
ssThe Smile of the Sea-

| Cuc cFcI plCuulCoquS AA6
country Of wonderful resources
Add to these its geographical position
and we have the factors Of glorious
product. 1t is within easy reach Of
New Orleans and other large markets
Of the United States. Transportation
is cheap. The United States and
Cuba are reciprocal in productions
We find there a ready market fol
manufactured goods, and the island
sends us sugar, bananas and other
tropical productions. A tremendous
trade would spring up under free trade
conditions.
Cuba is the largest sugar producer
in the world. The Constancia planta-
tion near Cienfuegos produced, accord
ing to the last Cuban census, $4,000,
600 pounds in year. With Ameri-
can energy and enterprise the island
could be made to produce 50,OOO,OOO
tons easily. There would be heavy
competition among experts in the pro-
duction of sugar. These lands would
be scientifically cultivated, and the
cane reduced by the diffusion process.
This is stepping process. The cane,
finely chopped up, is placed in large
iron cylinders and submitted to the
same process as tea in the housewife 9
teapot. Thus there is not more than
one-half of l per cent. Of saccharine
lost.
Cuba will be market for sugar
making machinery, electric light ap-
pliances, railroad supplies, wooden
ware, etc. In fact, there will be a
ready and constantly increasing mar
ket for all our productions, from
clothes to catnip.
At present Cuba grows 3O,OO0.O0O
pounds Of tobacco leaf, which opens
up field for American manufacture.
The 25, COO, 900 cocoanuts raised annu-
ally show the need Of active and ener-
getic capital in cocoanut oil factory.
The 20, 100000 bunches Of bananas
now grown yearly can be more than
doubled after political differences have
been settled and the trade of America
sets in. Material is abundant for the
manufacture of soap, coarsely ibered
clothes and many kindred industries.
Fruit farms on an average make large
returns after three years, except the
banana, which yields abundantly after
the first year.
On the mountain slopes in the east
ern, central and western parts are the
finest coffee lands in the world. In
| 1860 there we're 800 plantations run
ming at large profit. This kept up
for eight years, when the wearying
ten years war ruined them. They
were either devastated or allowed to
decay. All these will be revived in
regenerated Cuba. 1t requires only
small capital to start coffee planta-
tion. A half crop is grown the third
year, and the fourth year sees the full
yield. 1t pays from % to 100 per
cent. on the capital invested, which is
much too fascinating problem to re-
main long unsolved by Uncle Sam 8
enterprising family.
The mineral wealth of the island is
incompatible and ine1haustible. The
copper mines are exceedingly rich,
and added capital and energy will
| develop them to much greater de-
gree. The iron mines are capable OF
producing enormous quantities of Bes-
semer iron ores. These ores are very
valuable and known the world over to
manufacturers as Spanish ores" AS
time strides on the smoke of factory
chimneys will be no novel sight in the
now paralyzed island. In a business
as we'll as political sense, Cuba has a
wonderful future.
Evidence of its richness is given by
the fact that Cuba was self-supporting
as early as 1927. Since that time it
has prospercl steadily and exceeding
ly. It has paid Spain since 1927 from
81 100000 to 100000 yearly. 1t is
a country wonderfully prosperous, and
increases in prosperity when let alone
by it's own and other peoples. 1t has
growu steadily richer despite the fact
that It's per capita taxation is three
times that of the United States. Now
that Spain must forever keep hands
off the little island, and American
thrift will be infused into its slow
Southern veins, we shall see great
things from it.
The climate of Cuba is in many
parts delightful. Being insular, the
heat Of the sun is much tempered by
cooling breezes from the surrounding