Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-07-03
PROVINCE OF MATANZAS.
1t Is One Of tho weaIthisst of tho Island
of Cuba.

1t Is One Of tho weaIthisst Of tho Island
of Cuba.
There is but ono safe ground to take
with reference to any statistics re
garding the island of Cuba, that Is tt
accept nothing as more than fairly ap
proximate. The province of Matanzai
is the smallest of the six provincial
districts Of Cuba. 1t is given as GOV
ering $500 square miles, an area a lit
tie less than that of the island of Por
TO Rico, and something under the hah
of the area of the State of New Jer
sey. On the map Matanzas province
appears larger than Havana province
but the area of the latter Is increased
by the inclusion Of the Isle of Pines
At the beginning Of the Cuban war the
population of Matanzas province was
probably little over 27O,00O. 1t /.
now estimated at about 10000. Near
within the past four years. The deatt
rate has included an abnormal per
centage of adult males.
In 1894 the province was said to con
tain, in round figures, 100000 head OF
cattle and 100000 head of horses. To
day the cattle are estimated at 10,00(
and the horses at 1000. The chief in
dustry of the district is sugar-raising
1t includes some of the best sugar
lands on the island. In 1894 there were
10S sugar mills. To-day there are
fifty-five, of which forty-two are in op.
Grafton. In 1894 the province exported
something over 100000 tons of sugar,
or about one third of the entire output
of the island. Still using rough
though approximate estimates, that
amount would represent value of
nearly $20,000,000. The sugar output
for the entire island for 1899 will but
little, If ut all, exceed that sum.
AS far as the province of Matanzas
is concerned, there Is no visible reason
why it should not, in any case, come
out winner. Except under an almost
impossible recurrence of Weylerism
the province could hardly be in worse
plight than 1t has been. The need of
the province, and the same applies
with almost equal force to the whole
island, is not so much government as
honest administration. The province
Is rich: the island is rich. Its income
from the custom house and very linn
tied Internal revenue, combined with
a wholly reasonable taxation of mu-
inequalities for municipal purposes,
will furnish n sum which Is more than
adequate for all requirements.
The problem of Cuba is one of the
utmost simplicity. 1t consists in an
honest and economical expenditure of
an ample revenue which is obtained
by taxation, direct 'and indirect,
which would make the average Amer
lean smile over the amount of his tax
bill. While the island was burdened,
1t was by no means crushed by Span
lsh imposition of taxes for all manner
Of unreasonable purposes, to maintain
war against the people of the island,
to contribute to the peninsular govern
ment and to enrich Spanish officials.
Toward all this, Matanzas, immeasur-
ably rich in her natural resources, con-
tributed her full share. Relieved of
this burden, and bearing only that
which Is right and reasonable, with
honest and public-spirited officials,
whether they take off their hats to the
American flag or to the Cuban, the
wealth and prosperity of the province
of Matanzas are beyond question.