The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-03-15
NEED
FOR ANNEXATION.

Some Santiago Cubans So
View the Situation.
GROWING DISSATISFACTION.
Correspondence of the Associated
Press
Santiago de Cuba, Feb. 2s-The
complexion of political affairs in the
province of Santiago has been grad
ually changing since the beginning
Of January This is due to more
than one cause, but the main reason
is probably the fact that the people
themselves are out of sympathy with
everything, even a benefactiou. that
comes to them through sHabana
Men who 9 few short weeks ago
were enthusiastically in favor of an
nexasion are to-day talking about
war against the United States if the
troops are not removed from the
island by July Il S.
The business men,of Santiago are
very glum over the condition of
affairs and say that it is. impossible
for people TO invest any large sume
of money in the island until some
settled for of government is estab>
lished and that form Cuba to be an
independent republic would mean.
the utter ruin Of the island even
supposiBg that the CuDans were.
better able, to govern themselves
than any people in The world. for at
one blow the sugar industry would
be annihiiated as the United States is
in possession of Puerto Rico on the
one eide aud Of Hawaii on the other,
which are also two great sugar pro
ducing islands and the sugar from
those places would go into the
United States free of duty, whereas,
even on the best terms, the sugar Of
Cuba, unless the island was annexed.
would have to pay some duty and
would be eentirely unable TO compete
with that of the other islsnds.
Herr Schumann, the German CON-
sul here, an Influential business man,
says that nothing would please Ger
many more than for Cubs TO become
Independent, because it would mean
that they wonld 'atill be able with
their beet sugar, to hold their own IN
the United States He believes that
Cuba has great possibilities before
her; bnt,, from a purely business point
of fview,s be thinks -it is impossible
for the island to succeed IN any way
unless annexed to the United States
Other merchants here are fayora-
bic 10 the Gnbans getting home rule,
in The way that any state ID the
union has, believing that they should
have the right TO govern Themselves
id the matters of local taxation, efec.
tions and everytbing OF that nature.
But it is absolutely impossible in
Santiago to find any man Of business
any man who owns any
large amount Of land, or any man Of
who does not say that he
is strongly in favor of annexation to |
the United States, not as amatter Of
sentiment; but as q matter Of, purely
business COMMON sense, though many
Of them agree that had,sPnestc Rico
and Hiwaiiii:no BEEN annexed. they
would have been in. favor of Cuba:
being an independent republic:
Manysthousand of fmen have grad 4
uaily;drifted into the city expecting
wotk. Hhis; -however1;is was impos-
sinleeto suppiyaabem. with, sforzthe'
work thstawas, toashavey been given
tobe suspended owings tor
from : Hsbana that .the
estimates are.svery large :for this
proaince5 sathougb $59;e80 of the
revenue Df the 3aee month was sent ao1
HsbsnassK s5kg 1925 5sara
=Theeawoxk Of roadmakiBg on aau
extensive scale has practically been
stopped, and eahsS dredging of the
haubor. and numeroussim Improvements.
that were intended have had to be
delayed .on,this account. -
All these causes combined have
tended to raise spirit of dissatisfac
ton to say nothing of the long delay
in the. payment of the employees who
are paid from Rabana.
In this province, in the course o.
the next three weeks. there will only
be the four white regiments and the
Ninth immune available. A regi-
ment of regular cavalry ie very
badly needed 10 the department aud
uoya n hare II conld do a lot To nre