The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-06-15

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the provinces have several. What
ever may be the fortune Of these col
onists, they cannot be considered
other than valuable ao luisitions, since
most Of them have money, many have
braTn and energy, and some Of them
have all three combined. Taken in
all, the class Of Americans that has
gone to Cuba, hoping 20 6nd there the
promised land Of its desires is o su-
perior one, and would find welcome
anywhere. This is taking ;nto ac-
count the people who have gone there
to settle, to build bones, and il posi-
Bile acquire fortunes, and leaving out
Of the reckoning those who are ex-
plotting Cuba Cor merely speculative
purposes.
Taking strictly impersonal and un-
biased view Of Cuba and It's colonists,
making every allowance for the en-
thusiasm Of capitalists who have dis.
covered nev country to exploit,
while at the same time sympathizing
with the settlers who may not find it
all their fancy painted it-or, rather,
the "other fellows" fanoy-let us in
quire into the status of the people
who have gone down to possess the
land. First, however, as to the island
itself: Is it really worth the while?
AS to that, itis only necessary to state
that We have, in Cuba, an island large
enough, almost, to be dignifed wish
the name Of country, more than 200
miles in length, $4,000 square miles
in area, with little more than 10 per
cent Of its soil under oultivation and
with more than o million acres Of pub
lie forest lands. LyinE as it does,
below the, ffost-line. with absolute
exemption from tie risks attendant
upon tho oultiyation Of tropical fruits,
as in Florida and California, it has at
tracted the attention Of all those en-
gagged in that occupation. It has q
vast BODY Of fertile soil, accumulated
by the deposition Of humus through
uncounted centuries and almost if not
quite inexhaustible. Above all, it
has climate the like Of which cannot
be found north Of the island itself.
It's climatic advantages alone wenld
outweigh $whatsvar disadvantages it
possesses; bnt the latter is almost nil,
or ct the most faotitious-the result
of artificial conditions. Until within
g few years prohibited to the foreign
er the interior Of the island, with its
beautiful valleys, its vast plains and
tillable hill slopes, has been hitherto
unexploited, and is yet to great ex-
tent In certain sections unsurveyed.
It has been estimated thst by the
construction Of the Cuba Railway,
alone . territory including 20 per cent
Of the islands area, and less than 40
per cent Of the population, was made
available more or less for, settlement.
With q dozen deep water harbors, and
with arailwsy system connecting the
Eastern and Western provinces, ;;ssss ;;ssss
off.shoots to both coasts constantly
increasiSg in number, aecessFis afford
ed to every Important point in the is
land. Cubs's stragetio positisa, sorn-
mana;nss the .Gulf Of Gfexico, the Ca.
Fibbean, also counts, in an enumera-
tom Of its advantages.
Itiesno exaggsration !. to$asy chat,
aboae every agricultural product Oh,
earth can be raised 10 some portion or 81
other ofthe ieland, from s.savberries
and potatoes in che hill and mountain
T nges, 60 oocoanuts, coffee, bananas
andipineappleb, ,sini The tropical littor-'
al. Finally, oil these products are in
such demand that shey end ready
salssin the United States and sauch.
parts Of Europe be can besreaehed'
without too long sea voyage. Cubs
is Fsshin three days OF New York,
and, as between California and the
Atlantic soaboard, the distance isi
about one-third, while the water borne,
freightage is one.9 what it il By
rail from tie PaoiAc coast, with our
great metropolis as the objective.
Tropical psoduots, at present, and par.
ticularly citrus fruits, ore diao7imi.
mated against BY duties imposed in.
favor Of Florids and California, which
amount g about the; added cost Of
freight from the latter States across
the continent.
These are some of .she facts that
have combined 10 make tile island 81;
Cuba seem alluring to- The 81 psnt-upl; l
dWellera Is the frozen North Sin; winter.
time. pstnaI summer (ahich. byi
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