Evening star., 1902-08-27
Supply of W!orkmen |! < made
quate to Needs of Island.
IMMIGRATION NEEDED
MANY sPANIARDS GOING TO THE
ISLAND REPUBLIC.
Country People Drift Into the Cities
Labor Unions During
Century.


A historical review Of labor unions In
Cuba and the present labor supply forms
a very interesting chapter in a recent bull
letin issued by the department of labor.
1.-The real labor supply Of Cuba Is made
quate to the needs of the island" SAYS Mr..
Victor S. Clark. 'It does not permit the
exploitatio Of resources already in sight,
much less does 1t afford social motive for
developing new industries. The intelligent
people of the island appreciate this condi-
ton. They have tried to remedy it by en-
couraging the importation of labor from
abroad. Now that their national aspira-
tions appear to be realized, they desire that
this labor shall be composed, SO far as pos
sible, Of permanent settlers, who will be-
come identified with Cuban sentiments and
interests and raise the prevailing standard
Of intelligence and citizenship
immigration Into Cuba.
Tradition and both social and economic
ties point to Spain to supply this demand
During the three years ending December
81, 1901, the total immigration into Cuba
was Co. 420, of whom 81, 41O were Spaniards
1928 were Chinese and 1904 came from
other countries. Ninety-eight per cent Of
the third-class immigrants are said to be
Spaniards. During the year 1901 the pas
sengers of this class entering the island
numbered 16091- This immigration, how
ever, does not represent an equal increase
in the permanent population Of Cuba; for
many Galicians and Canary Islanders come
over each year for the harvest season and
return to Spain as soon as the crop is gath
cred. Their passage both ways costs about
$40. and their net savings from a seasons
work are in general slightly more than this
sum. These workmen find employment
principally in the tobacco districts.
Recent Statistics.
Statistics for the year 1901 show that
22,S94 immigrants entered the island, of
whom 1880 were Spanards, 756 Chinese,
7S1 Porto Ricans and $50 Americans.
Among these there were 1856 laborers,
2.374 mechanics and 1.46S farmers. OF the
Spaniards alone 14,S09 We're males and 2 2522
females, 12,477 were not married, 6,363
were illiterate and 5,577 had been in Cuba
before; 1896 had less than $50 In their
possession upon entering the island
The mining companies of Santiago i'm
port much Of their labor from Spain under
contract, giving a sufficient bonus to men
who remain in their employ for a specified
period to compensate them for their travel
ing expenses In addition to their wages.
Some of these laborers are trained miners,
but most are ordinary peasants-youths and
single men-who sell their scanty property
[
passage to Cuba. Under the former govern
ment these companies sometimes employed
Spanish soldiers in the mines. The soldiers
Kept their wages and the regimentaI Off
GERS appropriated their pay as soldiers. AS
man could earn considerably more mining
than soldering, and the miners had better
rations all parties were satisfied with this
arrangement.
Spaniards as Laborers.
'Of the Spanish immigrants the Galicians
are the most numerous, and, as rule, find
employment as common laborers. Next in
number are the Asturians, who usually en-
ter clerical service. Most of the Canary
islanders become field laborers and small
renters. though some find their way into
mercantile pursuits. The Galatians general
ly are skilled workmen and engage in me-
chanical employments.
The oversupply of labor at Havana has
doubtless been rendered greater than usual
oy the tendency of the country people-un-
settled by the war-to drift cityward. Gu
pan ofcials state that there was an i'm
preston, slow to be corrected that all SOL
diers of the insurrection and their depend-
ents would be provided for by the govern
ment. The action of the authorities in pay
ing higher wages to common laborers than
formerly prevailed, and in granting an
eight-hour day to government workmen
strengthened this impression, and created
still further influx of laborers to points
where political influence could be brought
to bear In securing employment on public
works.
People Of Western Cuba.
"Three-fourths of the inhabitants Of Cuba
reside in the western half of the island The
population is three times as dense there as
In the eastrn provinces. While the rural
population averages 346 to the square mile
west of Puerto Principe it averages only
D i1o in hat
Santiago In Puero Principe itself. a
province with an area larger than that of
Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined
the rural population provides only about
one family to the section. When We add
that all but two cities of over 5000 inhabi-
tants, and that all the continuous inter-
connecting railway mileage is In the west
ern half of Cuba, 1t will be seen that. so
ment are concerned the two portions of the
island are as diverse as an eastern and
western state Of the Union.
Whites and Blacks.
About an equal proportion of the work
ing population of whites and Of colored is
engaged in agriculture, fishing and mining
In each case this is slightly less than one
half the number Of the race employed in
gainful occupations The absolute number
of whites and of colored engaged in do
mestic service Is about equal. but relatively
10 the Whole NUMBER OF WoTheIS VI eacH
class the number of colored in this occupa-
tion is as two to one. There are more than
twice as many male as female servants in
Cuba. There are relatively more colored
than whites engaged In, trades and manu-
factures while the whites greatly pre-
ponderate in commerce, transportation and
professional services CT the 11,022 women
whose occupations fall under manufactur-
ing and mechanical Industries. s,329 are
sewing women. InFproportion to the popu-
iation. nearly three times as many chill
dren under fifteen years of age are employ
ed In gainful occupatiops as in the United
States. 7Ai
Women in the Fields.
THE statistics OF a~omen engaged in
farming, fishing and mining probably in
clude only paid field hands. Females for
merly worked in the Santiago mines. Out
of 1850 miners employed In 1874. 349 were
free black women and 2S4 were female
slaves. However, this 4s a condition of the
past In recent years about 10 per cent of
the field workers On Some of the planta-
tions have been women and children. OF