Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-13

could compete by means of improved meth
DDS with any tobacco raising section of the
United States. Mr.. Duke said:
"A 5-cent Havana cigar would sweep the
deck and destroy much of the domestic
cigar business. and such cigar could be
produced in great quantities if the United
States did away with the duties now levied
on Cuban imports. Cuba produce ten
times as much tobacco as she does now,
but under present conditions she cannot
find sale for more than is now produced.
Heavy Tobacco Crop.
The tobacco crop in Cuba this year will
be as large or larger than any in the his
tory of the island, and as tobacco is ceiling
in Havana for 40 cents a pound It will be
profitable crop for the planters. Good
prices will be maintained throughout the
season, for this is the first good crop for
several years. and the market is in con-
dtion to readily absorb all that is offered.
Should the next two years be equally favor
able from a productive point of view the
market will be. glutted. as it was in 1892
when the price of tobacco in Havana fell
to about II cents, or below the cost of
profitable production by the primitive meth
DDS still employed on the plantations.
1t would appear from this that the grow
ing of tobacco in Cuba is not susceptible
of any great expansion in the near future
for it Will be some time at least before the
United States will agree to let the produce s
of Cuba into the United States free OF du,y
This reasoning does not apply to Porto
Rico with nearly as much force for the
reason that the possibilities of extending
the tobacco output Of that island are very
limited, and the quality is not that of the
Cuban tobacco. Before the war Porto Rico
found a market for considerable of her TO-
bacco in Cuba. but 1t was in enc sense of
the word an Illicit trade, fer it was sent
from Cuba into the United States as Cuban
tobacco. When Spain prohibited the i'm
portation of Porto Rico tobacco into Cuba
the price in Porto Rico 1rDppa6
There are some possibilities in the sugar
business in Cuba, but these are principally
In the substitution of modern for old ma
chinery, and the building of more central
or jobbers mills, where the small growers
of cane can get their product pressed.
There are quite number of these central
mills now, but there are sections of the
island entirely lacking in facilities for the
small planter who has not sufficient capital
to provide his own mill and market his own
product. The sugar business the world
over, however, IS suffering from an era of
low prices which makes it unattractive for
the investment of capital at this time and
the planters of all the islands in the West
Indies are complaining of difficulty in max
ing both ends meet, The business will re-
Vive somewhat in Porto Rico If the United
States makes some concessions in the tariff,
but Cuba as a foreign country, will have
the same difficulties to contend with as now
for many years to come.
Agricultural Conditions.
Agriculture in Cuba is the agriculture of
the tropics the world over. 1t has been
found in the past that the farmers of the
temperate zone seldom made a success
when they were transplanted from their
natural habitat to the warmer countries
though there are some who claim that Cuba
offers superior advantages to the gulf coast
of the United States to those who desire to
engage in the growing of fruit and vege-
tables for the neighboring and northern
markets. There may be some hope for for
eigners in this direction, but it Is not well
to grow too enthusiastic. for even Mexico,
with the advantage of fast rail facilities to
the United States. has not succeeded in do
ing very much in this line, and the Ameri-
can colonies. In Mexico may all be said to
have failed. Men with capital sufficient to
operate on large SCALE supply their own
transportation and cold storage, and who.
in brief. can take care of every branch of
their business themselves. might find profit
in Cuba, but If the Individual American
farmer expects to come here and make him.
self a comfortable home and an income he
is most liable to disappointment and loss.
In the first place. he Is unfamiliar with the
a4ricutural conditions necessary to sue.