The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-04

Both his friends and foss admit ms tn- nuence. He talks Radical politics. but have heard the prediction that within i've years he win be making annexation speeches. He threw his hands high In the air when suggested this. but he talked very patIaotaca,ly and very intel tieently about the material interests 5of his province and the necessity for their development So it was not ali politics with him. g, s.
 Spectre of Black Domination.
 The spectre of black domination has been raised In Santiago, since here the negroes outnumber the whites and the percentage of black blood Is far larger than in other parts of the island. Black policemen stand in the plaza and black officials are seen in the offices. In the country the countryman whom the trav- eler meets Is apt to be a black man. The family group around the shack or palm hut is also likely to be black. The negro prs dom,nanee IS un nistakaole. and the negro has made his influence felt iE Santiago politics. but this has not been exactly along the color line.
 Juan Gualberto Gomez, of Havana the most eloquent orator and the most facile writer in the island, was a candidate for Senator. As he himself is of the race of color, 1t was assumed that he would be chosen to represent the black province. He was defeated.
 It may be thought that the blacks. un- der denagogic or interruptions leaders. will become more dangerous element than under leaders Of their own race. The evidences here do not bar out this the- ory. Demegosism in Cuba, as in other parts, has it's limitations. The white leaders who have brought themselves into power through the negro vote have a pretty strong sense of the possibility of destroying themselves If they go too far.
 From my own observation should say that all the negroes in Santiago need Is to be let alone. They appear to be more industrious than the white Cubans. They nave furnished a very good element in the way. Five out of six construction sti- perdntendents with whom 1 talked had words of praise for their negro laborers. A few persons an Santiago have taken me aside and Complained that the negroes were crowding them out of the plaza the nights when the band concerts were giv- en, but this does not4 seem to be very serious offence.
 It has been said with regret that in so Tar as the color line has been raised it
 H due to Americans, who taught white Cubans and Spaniards a prejudice of which previously they had been ignorant ims also may be taken as an evidence ol Americanlzation. but it is one of the evidences which could be spared.
 In Santiago it is impossible not to write or politics. because politics is so prom inent topic. yet there are other sub jects. Business, unfortunately. just now | Is very dull. With it's mines in operation Santiago is not solely dependent on sur | gar, yet it feels keenly the depression | in that industry. A young American business man who obligingly asked me , Into his cab to ride up the hill summed | up the whole situation strhe town,' he said, ''is dreadfully dull; it's purchasing power was never so low as today. Sugar means everything to this province, though We have only few big plantations | When the, can't get good prices we feel l fv1 fhA
 do out on the plantation" Perhaps sugar
 will be in better condition next year | and then Santiago will be liveler
 Developing the Mines.
 | Americans who were interested in the | mines before the insurrection and war
 have been litt!e slow in renewing their l operations. but now all of them are in | the field again. I don't knov what auan- tity of iron ore and of manganese is being | taken out, but the amount must be con
 siderable. American capitalists interested l In the existing iron ore properties also
 have taken hold of the great Cobre group.
 which. after paying fabulous profits | through long series of years. were abandoned during the ten years war and 1 have been idle since then. 1t is coios- sal undertaking. but it's promoters have
 confidence in their investment and are | sure that within 8 short time they will
 have a large copper output If their ex- | peetations arc realized the province will l sam d irtSi impetus III us lndustflaI de- | velopment. ' While Santiago has great minera
 wealth. its most marked development
 must come from it's agricultural re-
 sources. I went out sixty miles into the | country. through the forests and savan-
 nahs along the upper Cauto River, and within few miles of the northern coast 1 10 see something of this virgin territory. | A book would be necessary to tell about
 It and l shall not attempt 1t at all here.
 What was impressed on me was the need | of people.
 1 That means Immigration and the immi- | grafton problem is one that will face the
 new government. 1t is probable that the | railroad and the land development com
 panies will succeed in bringing in immi-
 grants enough for their purposes, yet the
 general tendency of immigration must be
 determined by the policy of President l Palmas administration.
 1 Cuba is for the Cubans, but vast
 stretches of untouched land will not for ever lie vacant merely because there are
 not enough Cubans to cultivate it. | Thoughtful public leaders in the island | already see this. Here Is the great uu- developed province l have heard a dozen
 of them discuss it and some of them with | misBiVings. Chas. M. Pepper.