New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-27


by syndicate of manufacturers. and he en-
forces his own views in the corporation of which
he is the head.
NEED OF BANKING FACILITIES
What the ordinary tobacco grower in Ptnar
del Rio and other parts of the island wants most
Is increased banking and warehouse facilities
At present he is too much dependent on the ad-
vances from the large estate owner from the
professional money lender. In the uncertain
period Of the future when the island gets a
system of country banks the probability is that
tobacco growing will receive its greatest slim
illus
There is an ever present fear on the part both
of the small farmer and the tobacco planter
that the Cuban product is going TO be corrupted
by the introduction Of the Porto Rico leaf
Whenever hint is given that the present pro-
hibitory tariff against Porto Rican tobacco may
be modified this whole province begins to fer
ment. Meetings are held. memorials ad-
dressed TO Washington and TO General Wood.
and an agitation is set on foot which is only
quieted when the assurance is given that such
notifications are not contemplated. The Ha-
vana Tariff Commission, which is framing the
new schedules, is a constant source of uneasi-
ness 10 the Vuelta Abajo. 1t will not breathe
freely until the commissions Iabors are COM
cially. few weeks ago an intimation was
given that consideration would be shown Porto
Rico by permitting the entry of it's tobacco into
Cuba. though at pretty stiff rates At once the
protests began. and they still kept up.
Ostensibly the objection to the introduction of
the Porto Rico leaf is its nferiOrity 10 the Cuban
product and the alleged fear that it would cor
rupt the quality Of Cuban tobacco and destroy
its markets. The statements made by Porto
Rico tobacco growers controvert this claim. They
always have asserted that a certain proportion
of their product. which is not very large in its
entirety. is equal to the Cuban leaf in quality
and, moreover that it is smuggled into the island
and utilized by the dealers and the manufactur-
ers who make the loudest outcry against its in
PRODUCTION openly.
When the War Department put a prohibitive
tariff on importa tons of tobacco from the United
States into Cuba the Cuban producers and
manufacturers were fully satisfied and agreed
in saying that they had been treated both with
justice and with generosity No complaint ever
is heard Of the American leaf being Struggled
into the island to corrupt the native leaf or to
compete with it. yet there is a widespread belief
that some inferior American tobacco does come
into Cuba The customs officials believe this
and though they always are on the alert for
occasional cargo to he unloaded. Once in a
while they make seizure Of tobacco which has
been imported unlawfully from the United
States. Large quantities. however could not
come in without the tobacco trade being aware
OF 1t, and in this lies the assurance of safety
The trade may wink at a stray cargo as I'M
doubleday it does. but If enough We're coming in
to inJure the reputation of the Cuban tobacco
information would be given and the smuggling
be stopped. This is the philosophical view taken
by customs officials and indorsed by the larger
tobacco dealers and manufacturers It seems n
be satisfactory TO all classes but the Porto
Rican importations are not viewed with the same
eomplacency.
WILL BE A SOCIAL FACTOR LATER.
After a time the veguero or small tobacco
farmer. is going TO be a social factor of conse-
quence In the central and western part of the
island. He has the making OF a very good citi-
zen. and he rarely fails TO show his conservative
tendencies His life is not an easy one for TO-
bacco production is laborious but it insures &
certain degree Of independence and is far prefer
able to the life Of hired field hand on the
sugar plantations. The veguero now wants a
government which, above all things will pro
tect Cuban tobacco. That is going TO be his first
article of political faith. and some Of the Slip
perry Cuban politicians will find 1t out.
After the protection of his product the We
guero wants a government which will buiId
roads. He suffers heavily on account of the
lack OF means of communication In the to-
baccO regions nothing that the American author
tiles have done has been so fully appreciated as
their road building. This has been far less ex-
tensive than the officials themselves would have
wished, but they did all that could be done
with the funds they had They made a. begin
ming which half enlightened Cuban govern
ment may follow If it is so minded. and the
veguero probably will see that it is so minded
Aside from this the tobacco growers do not
seem especially concerned about the political
future. though most of them are partisans Of
free Cuba and will be better satisfied after they
have tried the experiment of their own flag
They are peaceful and fairly Industrious. but
they want the cockfght for their amusement
and as a rule they having it regardless Of
the DEGREES which prohibit this pastime. In
many of the more remote villages the question
Will be Of enforcing unpopular law against
local sentiment. The Cuban officials sympathize
with the local sentiment. and the American
authorities pretend not to see that which it
would be unwise to suppress by military meas
ures in the face OF long cherished customs.
1t is estimated that 40 per cent OF Cuban tobac-
CO is consumed at home. but the estimate seems
a liberal one, even though the male population
from ten years old upward smokes continuously
either cigars or cigarettes. In all probability
in the future the home consumption proper
tionately will not grow with the growth of pro-
duction. Some Of the thinking men among the
Cuban leaders who the grave problems OF
internal taxation ahead are talking of an in