Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-09-07
THE TRUTH ABOUT CUBA.
Another Interesting Letter from Mr.
II. CUM to His Father-in- Law,
Mr.. Jos. DeIIer.

DEAR My promise to
write you long letter | know is
still unfulfilled; whether or not this
will answer ! will leave for you to
say.
The subject which the folks at
home" are most interested in-'Mat-
tiers and Things in Cuban-has been
50 thrashed out that it is most diff
cult to add anything new. But much
which you read in the papers is so
garbled that | will venture to de-
scribe the situation as ! find it, and
| wish to add that speaking the lam
guage and coming in contact with
all classes of people | think have a
good opportunity to judge.
AS | have frequently stated before
| believe Cuba to be one of the most
favored spots on earth. Although
considered as in the tropics, it's eli
TnItG r. more temperate 'tfi1;fr~ ar e.
part of the {. :. It is subject to no
prevails in the States. The cause
for this is easily found in the pre-
vailing winds.
The climate being so favorable.
nothing but absolute neglect on the
part OF the human beings occupying
this island has ever made it un-
healthy to live here. The proper
sanitary measures taken and en-
forced vii, make this the healthiest
spot on earth. In the large cities ON
this island go much has been sinned
against nature that much money
will have to be expended and some
time will have TO elapse before the
aforementioned condition will exist,
but in smaller and newer towns and
towns which will in the future spring
up, in the interior and on the farms,
even now the sanitary conditions
are perfect.
Climate and sanitation being ia
cal question. The soil of Cuba is as
varied as it is in the whole of the
L. :. Aluvial clay with black or red
soil not very deep is everywhere to
be found. There is 40 grass, grain
or food plant that cannot find favor
able soil, there is is no fruit but can
be successfully grown here. Many
varieties of crops can be harvested
here twice "A year. And yet all
these favorable circumstances COM
bine not alone to make it the most
desirable climatic and sanitary spot,
but also the most productive. This
island, as for all its products, has
simply been discovered again. 1t is
true it now produces immense crops
of tobacco, sugar, some rice and cof-
fee, though a very little of the neces-
saries of life; yet there is but one
per cent. of the arabic land under
cultivation, poorly cultivated at that,
and this cultivation is carried on
under as much of IA feudal system as
it existed "A thousand years ago in
France and Germany and as it now
exists in Ireland.
Here these wonderful Productive
lands lay idle because they are
either in the hands of non-residents
(rich men and corporations at home)
or are undivided estates. Many
lands are claimed by these people
aforesaid that do not belong to them,
and in fact few owners can definitely
prove their boundries. Small own
ers (the middle classes do not exist.
Is ii therefore to be wondered at that
in the midst of this plenty there is
starvation? 1t may be claimed that
the several wars of revolution have
brought about so much misery, but
it is not SO. righteousness on the
part of the governing class, the land
owners and the rich, has brought
down the poor classes to the brink of
starvation SO that it required but
little incentive to rise ia rebellion
and only leaders were needed.
When | come To explain to you the
character of the people of Cuba aud
the political situation you will un-
the causes better, | will
now return 70 the subject of soil and
its productiveness. Now, if in the
the near future such soil favored by
such climate should so into tile
hands of the tiller, think IF the pos
sihilities this island bids fair to offer.
Today the grass even goes to
waste, there being no cattle to browse
il oil. The cause again-the sup
posed owners of the lands don't care
20 pat them on and the poor man
can't In this connection | wish to
state that not only is the condition
of ownership primitive, but the sy,-
tenn OF taxation also belongs to |
4 - f.,,