The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-04

fenced to imprisonment for life on Ceuta.
He was a prisoner there until released at
the termination of the Spanish American
war; when he was liberated at the request
of the United States. He was appointed
civil governor of Havana province under
Gen. Brooke; Gen. Wood selected him as
a member of the cabinet on account of
his well known energy, integrity and ex-
ecutive ability. Gen. Rivera speaks good
English and stands as the representa- tive
of everything that is progressive in Cuba.
His views with reference to the present
condition of the island, it's needs and it's
possible future are highly valued by Gov.
Gen. Wood.
Hard Lines i'm Eastern Cuba.
,g'sThose provinces which lie east of Ha-
vana namely Matanzas, Santa Clara,
Puerto Principe and Santiago de Cuba,
said Gen. Rivera day or two ago, "have
always been given over to the making of
sugar and the breeding Of cattle. The
herds of the great meadows of Cana
guey and adjoining provinces were en-
tirely destroyed by the armies of Spain
and the insurgents. None. was left for
breeding purposes even, and to introduce
new stock from outside sources will neces-
state an expenditure of much money
ITO replant the vast cane fields of these
provinces and to rebuild the great sugar
plants which were burned during the rev.
olution will require still larger amount
of capital. Up to the present time this
much needed sineW of peace as well as
7,-ar. has not been forthcoming, except in
a few fortunate localities. AS a natural
result the condition of the people OF the
Oriente to-day is serious. AS there are
but few mills to grind cane and on ear
tie to herd, there is little or no work for
the country people to do. And as the
cities and towns depend upon the prosper
ky of the surrounding couptry they also
ore in straits The city of Sanctu Es-
piritu. Santa Clara, situated in one of the
richest and most beautiful regions in all
Cuba. is almost depopulated, owing to the
enforced emigration OF people VINO must
leave or starve to death.
"Each eauiiro or countryman, who
owns or can rent a piece of land, raises
enough sweet potatoes, corn, yucca, etc,
10 FIJI the mouths of his own family. but
having neither farming implements nor
animals with which to cultivate large
tract. and totally lacking in means OF
TRANSFORMATION to market, he has been
debarred from the privilege of trading
farm products for shoes and clothing, and
compelled to live a life closely resembling
that of the savage. In one respect he IL
worse off than the savage, for the latter
can bear and use arms, but the Cuban
has not the privilege of owning shot
gun with which TO provide meat for his
nOuSenoid.
Cuba's Great Need Is Money.
"Of course this state Of affairs produces
more or less discomfort. not OF necessity
with the American administration, but
with conditions in general; with life IT.
self. Hunger is the greatest dernoralizer
and breeder of crime In the world. To be
hungry and at the same tineito be good,
TO be your natural, your better self, is
very difficult I know whereof speak;
have been there OF course, the remedy
for the present condition is money. And
of course. the chief reason for the pres
emf lack of capital in cuba is an absence
of confidence on the part OF capitalists,
because of what is called the political
sltuation' to speak more definitely, the
capitalists are afraid of possible uprisings
which would render property insecure.
This lack Of confidence may be attrib-
uted almost solely to the criminal and
maliciously false reports which have been
sent from the island since the fall of San
tiago by men who have been either mis-
Informed or malicious, and disseminated
through the public press and Ny word OF
mouth throughout the United States.
These reports have made sensational
reading matter and. naturally many OF
the people have believed them. A CORE
spondent who sends such matter from
Cuba at the present juncture Is as cul-
pable as the man who cries fire in the