New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-12
PROBLEMS IN EAST CUBA.
POVERTY AND DEPRESSION THE CHIEF
CLOGS TO POLITICAL RECON
sTRUCTIoN.
sANT1Aoo's DEPENDENCE on HAVANA AuTHoRI-
ry FOR coNrRoI,-JEALousY OF THE CHIEF
cITY-LocAL SELF GOVERNMENT.

sANr1Aoos DEPENDENCE on HAVANA AuTHoRi-
rY FOR coNTRoL-JEALoUsY OF THE CHIEF
cITY-LocAL sELF-GovERNMENr.
TYRoM A CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUSE.1
Santiago de Cuba. May I.
In an earlier letter attention was called to the
exceptional progress made In this city and
province toward settled and stable civil govern
ment The administrative reforms Instituted
by General Wood during the nine months OF
the military occupation have indeed lifted
Eastern Cuba from a state OF desperation and
impoverishment to one Of comparative public
tranquility and fairly mended material fortunes
To an American observer this phase OF the situ-
alton here appeals as by far the most signih-
cent and important. There are other phases.
however in which the pessimistic critic from
the United States and the impatient native
grumbler can find a certain amount Of salts
faction. For some minor causes of discourage
ment do remain. and some additional problems
will have to be solved here, as well as In the
other more backward provinces. before the
American intervention can be said to have ac-
complished its final and perfect work.
Here as elsewhere in Cuba. except In the city
Of Havana and in certain districts about Glen
fuegos Matanzas and Santa Clara, the chief
clog on reconstruction is an economical rather
than a political one. II by a stroke Of the pen
agriculture could be revived and the rural popu-
Iation put to productive work all mere political
questions would speedily settle themselves. But
beneath the embarrassments which beset the
military and civil authorities will be found al
most uniformly the haunting problem of fur
nishing employment to labor while the fields
lie uncutivated and the great sugar mills, ex-
cept in favored spots. are grinding barely
enough product for local use. In this province.
which bore the brunt both Of the Cuban nsur-
rection and OF the war between the United
States and Spain the task of reviving agri-
culture has been an almost insuperable one.
A DEVASTATED COUNTRY.
Two years Of guerilla warfare had left un-
touched only the rich sugar belt along the
Cape Cruz coast. The whole interior had been
devastated. and once prosperous country towns
had been burned abandoned. Between lS9o
and 1890 the inland city Of Bayamo had shrunk
in population from 10000 souls to barely 2.oOo
Agricultural tools had been destroyed and the
habit of cultivation had been lost. The FORMER
field hands had taken to arms and formed the
backbone of the Cuban Army in the East. Since
the American occupation 1t has been possible to
do little or nothing toward re-establishing agri-
culture The small farmers have had no money
with which to renew their stock OF implements
and mules The large planters. on the other
hand crippled by the loss of two years crops,
have been unable to raise the enormous
REQUIRED TO maintain their mills In operation
Uncertainty as to the length OF the American
occupation. combined with certain apprehen-
sions OF the future under native government
tat.
planter can borrow only at 8, 10 and ~ per
cent Many sugar estates are already heavily
mortgaged, and, as under the military govern
ment's recent decree. foreclosures on realty are
forbidden for two years longer, capital is not
violently attracted in the direction Of sugar in
vestments.
In Matanzas and Santa Clara provinces, those
least affected by the native insurrection, sugar
mills have ground continuously for the last
three years. and there now some visible
evidences of return to normal agricultural
prosperity, AS political and business confidence
increases some Of the Manzanillo mills will
probably reopen. But so general is the pros
tration Of agriculture In this province that full
year will be required to re-establsh steady
market for labor and thus insure internal tran
guilty and content.
THE CUBAN MISJUDGED.
A signal injustice was done the Cuban char
acter by the impatient and omniscient critics
who drifted into Santiago in the wake Of Shat
ter's army. To their overstrained imaginations
the average Cuban was a lazy and cowardly
skulker, whose only ambition was to avoid work
and gorge himself on army pickngs. No picture
Of the rural Cuban could be more inaccurate.
Shiftless like all tropical peoples, and careless
Of the future, the Cubans Of the country towns
and villages have, nevertheless both the ca
pacty and the desire for work and IL is the
universal testimony of Government officials who
have had 10 open roads, construct telegraph
lines or transport supplies through the interior
Of the island that the natives can be depended
upon for faithful and efficient labor. 1t is Cen
eral Woods opinion that even in the widest
country back of Santiago brigandage would
soon go out Of fashion were steady employment
offered 10 this turbulent population. In
and about this city and at Manzanillo. HolguIn
and some other points the military government
has wisely endeavored TO tide over the hrst
stress OF industrial prostration by engaging in
street and road building and other public works
While Santiago Province remained independent
of central control the expedient of thus apply
ing the revenues TO relieve local distress proved
highly successful. Now, when estimates for
expenditures have 10 go to Havana for approval.
any particular urgency may be long past be-
fore the necessary authorization is returned.
With perhaps $4,000 Of Santiagos customs
revenues diverted monthly TO Havana. the scope
OF relief work has been greatly limited, and to
this Limitation. more than to any other cause,
the occasional outbreaks Of brigandage in this
province may be attributed. These outbreaks
are sporadic and can easily be controlled But
they will cease probably only when the present
economical crisis ends and the revival OF ag-
riculture offers abundant employment for all.
Were the Foraker amendment to the Army
Appropriation bill not In force. work on the
proposed Cuban Central Railroad from Villa
Clara 10 Santiago might be begun, and thou