New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-01

y ENN
they build Of the leaves and bark Of this same
stately tree They sec the beauty Of the tree |
nut not the desolation and misery that lie at it's
foot 1t Is hard to realize that country Of
such great natural beauty can hide so much |
human misery. IF the Cuhans could eat seen
cry they would all grow fat" remarked Mr.
Howard
Why is IT that such a fertile country should
remain so long desola,e in timee Of peace" he
was asked
well let us take the Mohawk Valley for in
stance Suppose that YOU swept that valley
bare OF every farmhouse, every barn every head
OF cattle and every single thing. animate or in
animate, that could sustain life. suppose.
moreover. that YOU drove all Of the farmers.
penniless and hungry. into the towns and cities.
ana left the Mohawk VALLEY a desert over
grown with weeds and long grass: suppose
that after one-third Of these penniless farmers.
whom YOU had driven into Syracuse. Rome
and Utica. had died OF starvation and disease
and the rest. mostly helpless women and chill
dren, were living from hand to mouth on what
they could get from the government suppose
that YOU told these remnants to return to their
desolated farms and be happy How many
would he able to return? How many would be
tole 10 rebuild their ruined farmhouses and
barns. how many would be able to replace their
farming implements. their cattla and their barn
yard animals? II word. how many Of those
thrifty capable Mohawk Valley farmers would
be able 10 go back into a desert empty handed.
without morsol of food. without clothes. with
our tools or seeds and make a new beginning
in life? Ny own people have been the pioneers
ia this country for generations but none Of
them were ever smart enough for such prob
lem that
FETTERED To POVERTY
That is just the reason why cuba Is one
great stretch of dosoation after a year Of peace.
We have supposed that the Cubans were more
capable than our best Mohawk Valley farmers
| We have supposed that the Cubans if assured
their freedom. would arise from the ashes Of
their ruined homes. from the vacant stretches OF
| their desolated farms. and rehabilitate them
| selves without our help. We have taken il for
/ granted that the thousands OF orphans would
| care for themselves that the destitute widows
would build new homes and that the empty
| handed farmers having neither work animals
agricultural implements nor seeds. would dig
! up the stiff soil with their hunger shrunken
| fingers. and borrow seeds from the birds of the
| air"
Why have the big plantations not resumed
THAT is easy OF answer We have on our
relief farms. working for five cents an hour.
| men who own large tracts Of excellent farm
what he would say. why he did not resume th.
s,,gar nil tnstoa, ~ "'U r""nu '' ~ c't,
! Ave cents a dav. He looked Al m. a moment
| as though questioning the sanity OF my inquiry.
| Then he held out his hands palms upward. and
said. That Is why His hands We're empty"
The bulk OF Cuba's agriculture existence de-
! penis on the cultivation Of sugar cane WIN
| raw sugar selling for only ~ cents pound ON
| the sehC"ast III Nuha. thei" are rev capitalists
WHO WI" . rvhu l1onrH 10 owners OF upan sutai
Ta,a'V 1900 ne i'.riI uI''Io" III me SuEaI iI,uuS
au.'u 10y we wal CAV ,Hr ""Hu'd' ,'I - ="
,, 50 "i az "i''"H anu a ~ " " ~
"s' n.V liiai h'as ~ ,Ir ~" 'id5 'm'
- az MINUS "'''''' ''""'" I''''f '
~ ~ i,,,,., .,t t. ~, ,t, ,i..
.rt ns ase,,,,,S tbat w.. ,,i,ti,,, 80 r,,i.,,,
snear is nov' onatiftb If what H. vas hfore th.
,,a, - C,,Ia,, .,,,,.,, ;,h i, , .ic.b 80 tb.
normal nrodurtior nfr.rad rn. sal. is nnfv 80
cents q ',,o,,od dii,..r.l 80, ,,a ,.,,'ast ,,haf
20 ukel, ~ H.. tho ,ric. ~ ergar .,.bn tb,. ,ro-
durtion is rostorad - IFS n0r,i,aI tulko The
capitalist who has MONEY 70 invest hesitatrs