The times., 1899-06-14
CUBAN and PORTO
RICAN INVESTMENTS
English Syndicates Buying
Land in the Islands.
The Uncertainty of Title of Prop
erty a Great Drawback.
The Rejuvcnation of Santiago by
General WOod-The Improved
Condition of Havana.

"Why American capitalists are allowing
English syndicates to secure the cream of
the land of the islands of Porto Rico and
Cuba, and especially the latter. l am at
great loss to understand" said Major A.
L. Belts, of Ohio. last night to a Times
reporter. Major Belts has just returned
from a twelve weeks trip through The
islands. Continuing he said; English
men are buying everything in the shape of
land they can get their hands on in Cuba.
Many Englishmen, agents of syndicates,
can be seen riding on their ponies through
out the island, getting options on property.
One syndicate bought one and one-half
million acres through a single agent last
month.
The price of land varies from % cents
to $500 an acre. Very good sugar land can
be secured, however, for prices ranging
from So to SO an acre. These low prices
are due to the owners of plantations having
lost everything save their land during the
war, and in order to begin operations
again it is necessary for them to sell some
of their land for cash. 1t is these pieces
of property that are being purchased by
English money. In fact, much more Eng
lish money is going into Cuba today than
investor seems to be much more cautious
than his English cousin. / think much
of this is due to the fact that the English
are thoroughly convinced that America
will not and cannot let go of the Island of
Cuba, and, therefore, their investments
will be perfectly secure.
IF our future policy in reference to the
island was declared / think it would be
great deal better. AS it is. the average
have
fdence to make an investment in Cuba
that he does in Porto Rico. American
money is going into the latter island very
rapidly, and it is, in my judgment solely
| from the fact that the policy with reference
to that island is settled.
Land values in Porto Rico are fully 40
per cent higher than they are in Cuba.
There is still an abundance OF virgin SOIL
| in the interior of the island, which is just
| as good if not superior to that on the
! coast and when transportation facilities
| have once been established this land will
! double in value many times. Capitalists
! can make no mistake in investing in the
| lands Of either island. for the time will
never come again when land can be bought
at such a low figure. and in my opinion
| in ten years it will be worth four times as
much, to say nothing of what can be
! raised on 1t in the mean time. The more
| RAPIDLY Englich and American money is
| invested the quicker the island viii become
Americanized.
zone great drawback to investment in
! Clba is the uncertainty Of the title to
/ property and the absolute authority of the
! Spanish notaries. 1t is a custom of the
/ old Spanish law that the notary shall
! Keep the records OF land titles, and as this
office has descended for generations in the
same families they have become very in
| dependent and their fees are outrageous.
| | know of one case since the war ceased
where a fee of $4,000 was charged for re-
| eOrding a deed. and another charge OF
| $1,000 for recording will. A fee of 5000
was charged to an acquaintance of mine
| for copy of deed.
Major Belts has made several previous
visits to the islands and was much i'm
pressed with the improved conditions ap-
| parent there now. Santiago, he says, is
/ in excellent condition. What Major Gen
eral Wood has done in Santiago is simply
wonderful" said he. Il think it would
be impossible for the Government to find
4 an officer to replace General Wood so far as
energy and aggressiveness are concerned.
He has taken that city, which was 300
years behind the times, and in a few
short months has given it a magnificent
sewer system, a fine water works, put all
electric wires underground, and is at pres
ent laying five miles of asphalt pavement.
These improvements are all paid for from
the customs receipts Of the harbor at San
| tiago, a portion Of which are also diverted
to pay the general expenses Of the island.
1t has been a wonderful lesson to the ma
tives in the way of showing them what
American push and energy can do. The
generals plan of having work done on the
improvements at night as well as day was
something new to Cubans and created
much surprise.
Havana also looks like a different place
Its streets are clean, and it presents NOR,
the air Of an European city than the other
places The streets are swept every day
and the transformatiCa is commented or
by all. AS a result Of American rule the
death rate in the island is very much lower
now than it has been for many years. The
last two days l spent in Santiago there
were no deaths recorded, while one yeal
ago the deaths averaged 200 day. Thi!
is wonderful change.
"One mistake We are making. in my
opinion, is in taking the sports OF the
people away from them so suddenly The
people are very much like children and tC
deprive them of the sports they have beer
accustomed to for so long and not suppl!
other forms Of amusement is going to ere
ate unrest This same experiment wal
tried by President Diaz OF Mexico sew
eral years ago. and after a brief time h
was forced TO again allow bull fighting. H
has since. however. been gradually doiny
away with this kind OF sport until nov
there are very few bull fights in Mexico
In my opinion this would be the bette
course to pursue in Cuba. 1t Is tn
younger generation Of the natives of tina
island that are going to make the show
ing for civilization. and until that time
will be necessary for US to keep a hol
on the government. 1t is amusing to Sc
the Cuban boys in their quest to learn t
speak English. They will accost you a
every turn and say something to you Il
English with the hope that they may lear
new word to repeat"
Major Butts is an enthusiastic expan
zionist, and predicted that with the Nc
aragua Canal built, and our Eastern pos
sessions well in hand, the United State
would eventually be the workshop of tn
world, and the West Indies would be tn
garden spot of the United States. with tn
winter homes of the rich on their shores
Indians Penceabic and Quiet
RaDOrts from tho Indian agap.e stattor.