The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-20
DROUTH RUINS CROPS IN CUBA
Relief Agent Declares Su0ans NOT
EcsGars but Workers.

New York. Sept. 18.-William Willis
Howard, general manager of the Cuban
Industrial Relief fund, and who has re-
Gently returned from Cuba says: cuba
is in pitifuI state. Instead of rainy
season. Cuba has had a drought. Not
since 1914 has there been such long
continued dry weather during the sum
mer. The result has been disastrous. The
United States weather bureau reports that
all small crops have been ruined. Sugar
cane has been so damaged that the crop
next year viii be less than the crop
ground this year. The most distressing
feature Of the drought is the destruction
of the corn crop. Even under favorable
circumstances, the corn crop would have
been pitifully small, for 1t was planted IN
driblets here and there. on the outskirts
of the towns by poor people who had no
means of doing any better. The weather
bureau reports show that the best Of the
corn crop in a few favored localities, VIII
Weld not more than Is per cent On our
relief farms we have better corn than any
that I have seen in Cuba, due, no doubt,
to the fact that we put more labor on the
growing crop than anyone else was able
to do. We have one field that VIII give
a full crop. another that viii give three
quarters of a crop. and a third that will
produce from a third to a half
Business in the cities Is desperately
dull. The hotels are empty. restaurants
are idle. and all small affairs are lfeless.
Large business concerns are scraping
along as best they may, in the hope that
the future of the island may be definitely
settled. The gradual withdrawal OF the
American troops has materially lessened
the amount Of money in circulation. The
hectic flush Of unreal prosperity which
many persons mistook for genuine pros
perity has died ont. There can be IA re-
turn Of prosperity in cuba until the farm
ers have been heIrad back 20 their homes.
In the country the des0lstio1 wrought By
war and Weyler SIN continues. almost
without abatement. The big planters have
been able 70 do only a li,tie toward the
rehabilitation OF cheir properties They
have as yet been unable TO obtain money
win which 20 resume operations. Money
viii not be forthcoming urtil the political
conditions are settled.
The sugar and tobacco growers favor
annexation as a business measure. Free
trade with the United States would serve
Just as weu- Cuban politicians and Office
seekers want independence. Any method
Of giving them Offices would satEty mem.
The b1lk OF ;he people want only chance
70 earn HFrE- Anything other than
Spanish r1ie SSH su.t them
Anyone who derouuoes the Cubans az
2 dirty. lazy worthless people IS gusi'y %
SANDER Anyone who asserts tzst The
Cubsn win NOT wo-k- speaks without
knowledge % the subject Cuaaas cgnas
. our RELIEF farms s. swsrms - beg for
lays work Eet ere has yer cone Il
beg FOR fsod. Our relief farms srs giving
support Wro7IT o. Fl par - a5ogt 20
persons. ~ vazn 90 are dependent women
ard caisE-er we Rave wsrEers s. cur
fslds uho sz7a1s - r. ire has7ltaL sv=ne
~ ;hern Save Insisted 81 working unfl,
saer srpps- IN tse-r tracks ta-ousa sheer
ta.zzs