Evening star., 1902-08-25
CONDITIONS IN CUBA
~ M
sn Of
Importance of Agriculture to
the Little Republic.
WAGES PAID b FOR LABOR
77 a
PRICES OF NEcEsssARIEs OF LIFE
LOWER THAN EVER.
Employment Agents in Havana En-
deavoring to Get Unskilled Work
men for Plantations.

the Department of Labor. This paper in
cludes much reliable Information concern
ing recent conditions in Cuba.
Cuba has an area Of about A 600 suuaro
miles, OF which only per cent, or 1920
square miles, was under cultivation In
1888, says Mr.. Clark. Though this
amount has since been increased, the new
plowings are not more than one-shird the
previous total SO that at a conservative
estimate not more than 4 acres out of every
loo are titled In Cuba at the present day.
In 1899 nearly, ene-half Of the cultivated
land was in cane. According to testimony
before the ways and means committee in
January, 1902, there are about 500 square
miles Of cane land productive this year
This is the actual crop acreage, without
allowing for lands occupied by buildings,
roads and fire lanes. all of which are prob
ably included In the census statistics. Add
ing 80 per cent to the productive cane
area to make up for this margin and for
land planted but not producing for the es-
innate OF acreage in the testimony men
toned Is based upon the sugar CROP OF the
island for the present campaign. the NOM
inal cane area is about $50 square miles.
Assuming this to be 47.3 per cent OF the total
cultivated land of Cuba, the same propor-
ton as in 1899. slightly over 1500 square
tire area Of the island, is used directly for
agricultural purposes. There is no evidence
to show that the extension Of cane culture
has not kept pace with the extension of
other crops since 1899. Four per cent of
the area is. therefore. an over rather than
an under estimate of the amount of cultt-
waited land in Cuba In 1902
Agriculture Chief Industry.
| 'Yet agriculture is the principal industry
! OF the island, and a larger proportion OF
| the surface Is suitable for cultivation than
| in almost any American state. With ex-
tensiye tracts Of fertile and unused lands
| and profitable crops, the capital and labor
| of Cuba have been best employed and COM
pensated in tilling her fields. Only those
manufactures depending directly upon her
| two great agricultural products, sugar and
tobacco, have been developed sufficiently
to supply more than local demands In
| 1899 there were 2o7 sugar mills and 2lS to-
bacco factories In Cuba producing for ex-
port. Mining Is largely confined to Santt
| ago de Cuba, the most eastern province Of
the island, where six iron and six man
ganese mines are worked. and where for
merly copper was produced Some asphalt
| Is also being obtained in Havana province
from a mine which has been opened since
| the American occupation. There are a
few tracts of forest of considerable extent,
especially in the }swamps along the south
ern coast. The most valuable timbers are
mahogany. which is exported In the hewn
log, and cedar, which Is both exported and
used for domestic construction and the
manufacture of cigar boxes. There are
some fourteen sawmf1ls In the island saw
ing native timber and imported pines. The
forest resources of Cuba, however, are not
considerable enough to afford permanent
source of employment for q large element
OF her population.
But Little Manufactured.
What manufacturing exists for the pur-
| pose of supplying local markets is largely
centered at Havana, partly because that
city is the principal distributing point. as
well the principal consuming market of
Cuba. and partly because it Is where labor
is most congested and where the largest
number of Spaniards, many of whom
skilled Workmen, Is to be found. Not only
does nearly one-SiXth Of the entire popula-
ton of Cuba reside in Havana, but the pur-
chasing power of that one-sixth is probably
fully one-third of the purchasing power Of
the island. The local manufactures include
81 rum distileries and liqueur factories, 80
soda water factories, breweries, 10 foln-
dries, n cigar box and box factories,
cooper shops. s trunk factories, / cement
and tile factories. 10 match factories,
gas yorks, electric light works, l printing
ink factory, l oil refinery, IL sugar re-
fneries, l paper mill, -four mills. n choc-
olate factories, 8 candle and soap facto-
ries, 1S canneres, IL ice factories, 2 rope
and cordage fact cries, shoe factories. 10
I lithographers works. besides a number Of
| minor industries and small establishments
not using pewer machinery.
Labor Question Not Important.
''Cuba IS therefore entirely dependent upon
| the products of her fields for her economic
prosperity. She does not carry and exchange
merchandise for other countries, nor does
she manufacture except to suprly certain
| special and local demands or - place her
| crops most easily and eeoncn ally upon
! the market These conditions srmine the
character of her industrial lif Her high
| ly skilled workmen have most come from
beyond the seas. The labor question has
not assumed a social aspect. 1t has simply
been problem of supply and demand OF
field hands There is little special skill. lit
! tie organization. little class spirit among
fser working people. A tinge or paternal-
ism, prolonged in Cuba by the late con-
tinuance of slavery and the Spanish ten
dency to organize commercial enterprises
upon domestic basis. perVades the rela-
urban centers the Industrial characteristics
Of an agricultural community prevail"
Daily Wages Of Laborers.
Daily wages for field labor in Cuba last
spring were from so cents to $40. In Pr
mar del Rio they were from go cents to s.. 10.
the usual wage being from 81 to $50. In
Matanzas the highest was $50 and the
lowest 60 cents. the usual wage being s6
cents In Santiago wages were from %
cents to 81. the usual wage being 10 cents a
day. These amounts are in American cur
Wages during 1the crop season OF i9oz
hardly afford az fair idea of the prevailing
cost OF labor In, Cuba during average years,
because they were affected by many special
and unusual conditions The low 1,tr price ras Of
tions the use Of three kinds Of currency,
and an impending eeapomic crisis due to all
these causes had depressing effect upon
wages which was not entirely eounteracted
by other favorable, conditions. such as the
employment of ga UNUSUAL number OF men
in railway building and upon public works
On the other hand the prices Of provisions
and many otheE NECESSITIES OF life were
lower than ever before. The price OF rice
at retail In the lMeEpado del Vapor. at Ha-
yana. In APRIL 1892 was less than one
half the wholesale pyJce on the produce ex-
change of the same City in the correspond
ing month of 1890 r
Offers for 4Workmen.
In February. 1907 employment agents in
Havana Were Offering wages equivalent TO
5000. American currency, and board, or
$3.50 without board, for field hands and
sugar mill men for plantations IN that