The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-06

diplomats transactions between Washing
ton and Madrid. tobacco continued to be
exported by the thousands OF bales as
face OF the prohihttfve decree; and on ev-
cry pound Of 1t Weyler pocketed liberal
commission. After the plantations were
ruined the great factories OF Havana
some OF which employed from 100 to 100
men and girls. had to shut down for want
OF the leaf to work on; the Florida cigar
towns were filed with hundreds Of Idle
and half starved Cubans and The insur-
gent army felt keenly its loss OF revenue
from that source. The proprietor OF la
Honrdes" told me that before the decree
his factory made up five thousand pounds
OF tobacco every day, the average daily
output being 60OO0 cigars. 1t nearly broke
his heart to have to play into Weyler's
hands, so to say. by diseharging his en-
ployes, knowing that would suffer and
many actually starve TO death: but what
else cold he do, being himself face 10 face
with restitution? After the insurgents
had destroyed the plantations and stored
tobacco. a little continued to be raised.
perhaps one-tenth Of the usual crop. in the
back yards of fortified villages and in
the zonas de cultvo. designated by wty-
Ter for the planting OF gardens to sustain
the reconcentrados-fOr TO give the EVIL
One his due 1 do not believe the arch
murderer deliberately intended to send
the people 10 doom that befel them.
Happily those days Of darkness and
49, ii 81 g.
time In her history. is at liberty to make
the best of her resources. But the TWEEN
tieth century will be well advanced be-
fore the famous Vuelta Abajo can four
ish again as OF yore. Whole towns have
been wiped out and 50 per cent of the
population are in their graves. Neither
American occupation nor absolute inde-
Tendence can I'LL the place OF the spanLh
tobacco trade in Cuba, or what It nigh,
have been without excessive taxation
the close alliance OF the island with the
Old "Compania Generate Tobacos'' yield
ing an enormous revenue to both govern
ments. The future Of tobacco production
in tho island Is as uncertain as that OF
the Alaskan Kiondike. Soon as Ameri-
can control was assured, after the sign
ing OF the protocol. tobacco buyers and
manufacturers made advances to the We
gueros; but too late to accomplish much
that year. This year, II excessive rams
do not injure the crop-they will do con-
siderabiy better. Some sanguine manu-
facturers who have watched the ups and
dqwns Of tobacco for half a lifetime as
sert that the old output. worth thirty
million dollars a year. will soon b.
doubled In Cuba. while Others are equally
strong in the opinion that the indu .tly
as a national affair. is practically dead
as a dor nail" Since the war foreign
capital has been interested IN Cuban 10
bacco and wealthy syndicates have rur
chased lands and factories. The area OF
its cultivation has been enlarged: nut not
always with best results for TOBACCO.
Ike coffee. Is very particular about !ts
environment Two years age Tho csis-
bratsd Henry Clay company. ~ IA
bana. tried the experiment OF tobacco
raising in the Isle Of Pines; but fjr ROM
unknown reason the sCIl there e. Dot
suitable and the product was almost IN
salable IN quality. Americans who are
not thoroughly trained IN the whole bust
ness Of tobacco growing would decidedly
better turn their attention 20 something
else FANNIE Z. WARD.