The Holly chieftain., 1902-03-21
OUR TROPICAL TRADE
IMMENSE BUSINESS POSSIBILITIES
ARE OPENED UP.
Gen. Jane. II Wilson Has We'll Described
;he benefits Which Are Within Our
Reach-I,Iand of Cuba Is this Most
fromi,in: Field.

Gen. James II. Wilson in an ai
dress on Our Trade Relations With
the Tropics recently delivered at
Boston, gives an exhaustive review OF
The future possibilities in our dealings
with Cuba, Porto Rico and other
tropical countries. He fayors an Am
erican Customs Union with all the
countries south of US, beginning with
Cuba. and as the benefits are received
and felt in our enlarged commerce, ex-
tending the Union to other nations
He considers Cuba the most valuable
Geld for commencing the work. 1t
has about 1900 to $4,000 square miles,
or 27 500 900 acres at the least, mostly
suitable for raising sugar, tobacco,
coffee, fruits and cattle. or this acre
age nearly L, ,OO0, 900 acres are uncleared
forest. These vast forests consist OF
mahogany and other hard woods. all
valuable for manufactures, cabinet
work and sh!pbuilding. The fruits OF
Cuba are manifold, and have been artI-
cles Of staple consumption in the
United States for generations. The
attitudes OF Cuba vary, one elevation
being 1910 feet above the sea. These
high ranges make the interior Of Cuba
balmy, or to quote Gen. Wilson's
words, 1T is, indeed, one Of the most
beautiful, healthful, and inviting is
lands under the sun: and while it lies
Just within the tropics, it can hardly
De called tropical; its climate IS every
where mitigatei by the trade winds
and the balmy air Of the surrounding
seas" Since the Spanish authority
over the island ceased, sanitary condl-
uons have been enforced, and the yell
how fever has disappeared.
Cuba III n In Natural Resources
Gen. Wilson regards CuUa as a
promising Gali provided tile United
States will enter into reciprocal trade
relations wiki u, rs the island cannot
be annexed because OF the Joint reso-
luton OF congress, As annexation is
out OF the question for the present
and until the Cubans so desire, yolun-
tarily-OthCT arrangements for mutual
prosperous trade must be made. He
for American enterprise and emigra
ton. The population is dense and the
land almost entirely occupied. AS to
Cuba. millions of its acres are un-
touched. its annual sugar capacity Is
about 5000. 600 tons, its tobacco Is the
best in the world for cigars, coffee
grows nearly everywhere in the is
land. and Its pastures and grass lands
will easily support several million
bead OF cattle, or as many as Iowa and
Texas. Minerals, such as iron and
copper. are plenty. AS the general
says. The island is natural garden.
The climate and temperature Of Cuba
and Porto Rico are at all times better
and more equable than in any Of our
states in the Mississippi Valley south
Of the Ohio and Missouri rivers" AS
to the population, the whites outnum-
Der the colored two to one, while in
the Philippines there is one white to
dfty of the colored races.
Benefits That Would En.ue.
With the inflow of capital and emf
grafton to Cuba all of the nations Of
Central and South America will be
the recipients of the same benefits,
and in Gen. Wilson's opinion. these
countries lie clearly within our right
full theater OF interest or influence, and
IN the direction of our true trade ex-
pansion. We shall much more surely