The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-09
THE POSSIBILITIES OF CUBA.
NH. a. f. MOYNELO TALKS OF THE
FUTURE OF THE ISLAND.

Savannah Board of Trade, ana
VIII Have an Interesting and VAL
liable Report to submit to the
BOard-Cuba VIII Soon Recover
From Her Disasters and Become
One of the Richest Spots on the
Globe.
Mr.. A. E. Moynelo has returned to 5a-
| vannah, after spending nearly a month in
Cuba. where he went as the duly author
lied commissioner of the Savannah Board
of Trade to investigate trade conditions
| and ascertain what opportunities there
were for opening commerce between this
city and Cuba. Mr.. Moynelo also had mat
ters Of private interest to attend to, but
the greater part of his time was devoted
to matters in line with his instructions
from the Savannah Board Of Trade. He
will make a full report of the results of
his Investigations 10 the Board of Trade
within day or two
When seen yesterday Mr. Moynelo said
that he preferred not to give out the con-
tents of the report until he had submitted
il TO the Board of Trade He talked inter-
estingly. however, of the many things
which he saw in Cuba. Mr.. Moynelos
statement of the condition of things in the
island differs greatly from that of many
others who have been there recently and
also the newspaper reports.
"The newspaper reports have done the
people of Cuba great injustice said Mr.
Moynelo. "They are not such people as
have been pictured Instead of being I'M
grateful, they are very grateful for what
this country has done for them and every
American is a hero in their eyes. The
whole country was greatly devastated by
the war and the population was greatly
reduced in circumstances. 1t is too early
yet for the country to have recovered from
the effects of war, and yet great deal has
been accomplished. l visited Havana Ma
tanzas, Cardenas and points in the prov
ince of Pinar del Rio The population
Throughout a large part of this country has
returned TO work, and in many places fine
crops are growing. The tobacco crop of
Pinar del Rio is very large and is in very
fine condition. In all probability it will
prove to be a very valuable one"
Conditions in Cuba are so different
from what they are in this country said
MT. MONiltlO, tudl II Is not DOSSlDiG lOI
Americans to properly conceive of the inn
mense possibilities of the island. Had
this country been devastated by war as
has Cuba the work of recovery would be
one of many years. In Cuba the recovery
will be very rapid. This win be due 10 the
remarkable fertility of the soil. In a coun-
try where three crops of corn can be rails
ed in a year, where the cotton plant is a
tree and lives for years. where the grass
co mid bat ar61x
moved before it is ready to be moved
again, where fruits and vegetables grow in
profusion all the year round, and
where cane, tobacco and other
| valuable crops grow luxuriantly
il viii be impossible for the people to re-
main poor. Plant stalk of cane in the
ground there and you can gather twenty
'or more crops before 1t is necessary to
replant, cutting several times a year Gu
has resources are not simply agricultural
There are magnificent forests of the fin
est hardwoods, she has the finest build
ing stone in the world in unlimited guam,
titles and ineXhaustibe beds of beautiful
marble. There are lakes of asphalt ana
other valuable deposits and the mountains
are fun of valuable ores. 1t is a country
of immense possibilities and one whose
| development viii be extremely rapid. Ha-
| Vana is now a very large city, and / be-
| lieVe will have IN a few years a million
| inhabitants. Being situated at the mouth
| of the Gulf, IL is in position to controi
| an immense trade with Central and South
| America, as wei as with North America
and Europe, to say nothing Of its own
| valuable commerce"
Havana" said Mr. MoyneIo. lin an
swer to a query, is the distributing point
| for all of Western Cuba. Ii has connec.
| tons by rail and by water with all i'm
portant points in the western half of the
| island, for which it will continue to be
the distributing point. A steamship line
from this port to Havana would place
| Savannah In touch with all points in the
! provinces of Havana and Pinar del Rio.
! as well as Matanzas, Cardenas and num-
| Der of other points of commercial import
| aEce. Such line win be necessary If
Savannah expects to secure any consider
| able commerce with the island"
Mr.. Moynelo said that ii was n mis-
take to suppose that The merchants or
Havana are without capital TO do busi
ness. There is plenty of capital there
he said. THE Cuban planters were the
chief sufferers by the war Their nlan-
tetions have been ruined. The Spanish
merchants of Havana have not suffered
greatly. and they have ample capital win
which to do business"
Being well acquainted i'm the island ON,
| having many friends, as well as relatives
there, MIR. Moynelo was able to Obtain in
formation as to business conditions ana
financial resources of business bousae
which would have been inaccessible 70 ,r
ordinary American citizen, especially on.
who did not speak the language. This
| Information Is Likely to prove of valueN 10
those members Of the Board of Trade
who are able to take advantage of II
| Col. Mario Menocal the new c,,taf ..
police of Havana, is a cousin of Mr. Nov
nelo's, and he also has a brother In tSa
island who IS large planter These con-
| nections and his wide acquaintancasbir
gave Mr.. Moynelo opportunities for an i11
sight into the real condition of afra,r,
which could not have been obtained Other
| wise.
THE Cuban are not in such n dissa+is-
fed state as they are represented as he.
ing said Mr. Moynelo. They are beine
g1Eera"y placed IN charge of the local
governments by the military authoritIos
and are well pleased with the administers.
ton of affairs by the Americana nv.
Crbans do not desire the Americans ~
/ nav their army fop thar, ~