Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-09-19
CUbA'S SAD PLIGHT.
DROUTH HAS ALMOST RUINED CROPS
THIS YEAR.
BUSINESS DESPERATELY DULL
DEsoLATIoN WROUGHT BY WAR
AND WElLER CONTINUES.
No Return of Prosperity Until Farm
ers Are Helped Back to Their
Homes and Political Future
of the Island Is
Settled.
BUSINESS DESPERATELY DULL

NEW YORK, Sept 1s.-William Willis
Howard, general manager of the Cuban in
dustrial relief fund. who has recently re-
turned from Cuba, says:
Cuba is in pitiful state. Instead of a
rainy season, Cuba has had drouth. Not
since 1874 has there been such long con-
tinued dry weather during the summer.
The result has been disastrous. The Unit
ed States weather bureau reports that all
small crops have been ruined. Sugar cane
has been SO damaged that the crop next
year will be less than the crop ground this
year. The most distressing feature of the
drouth is the destruction of the corn crop.
Even under favorable circumstances the
corn crop would have been pitifully small.
for it 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 will yield not more
than 10 per cent.
On our relief farms We have better corn
than any l have seen in Cuba, due no
doubt to the fact that we put more labor
on the growing crop than any one else
was able to do. We have one field that
will give full crop. another that will give
three-quarters of a crop. and a third
that will produce from third to n half
Business in the cities is desperately dull.
The hotels are empty, restaurants are idle,
and all small affairs are lifeless. Large
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 people
mistook for genuine prosperity has died
out. There can be no return of prosperity
in Cuba until the farmers have been
helped back to their homes.
In the country the desolation wrought
by war and Weyler still continues without
abatement The big planters have been
able to do only a little toward the rehabil-
itation of their properties. They have as
yet been unable to obtain money with
which to resume operations. Money will
not be Forthcoming until the political con-
ditions are settled.
The sugar and tobacco growers favor
annexation as a business measure. Free
trade with the United States would serve
just as well. Cuban politicians and office
seekers want independence. Any method
of giving them offices would satisfy them.
The bulk of the people want only 4
chance to earn living. Anything other
| than Spanish rule will suit them.
| Any one who denounces the Cubans as a
dirty, lazy, worthless people is guilty of
| sIander. Any one who asserts that the
/ Cuban will not work speaks without
knowledge of the subject. Cubans come to
our relief farms in swarns TO beg for a
| days work. Not one huA get cte,tae to beg
for food. Our relief farmis are giving sup
port wholly or in part to- about $50 per-
sons. of whom GOO are dependent women
and children. We have workers in our
| fields who should be i'll the hospital. Some
| of them have insisted on working until
| they dropped in their tracks through sheer
| fatigue. The Cuban will work il any one
will give him q chance.