Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-03-07

lleL is LnaL the PlatL Armament Will
guarantee stability and favorable gov
ermental conditions in the island yet
there Is feeling Of uneasiness and
uncertainty that only time can dissi-
pate. The opinion of practically all
but the official class seems to be that
1t would have been far better for the
island and Of Cuba If the United States
had taken it over bodily, instead of per-
hitting the organization of a separate
government. 1t is believed by many
that sentiment in favor Of annexation
is on the increase. and that five to ten
years will see this brought about. We
doubt this, however, as the official
class is opposed to it, and from the
very nature Of things always will be.
At the same time there must be very
serious question whether or not 1t
would be wise for the United States to
take over this country with its ignor-
ant peasant class, its foreign
language, and un-American GUS
toms. The peasant class know
nothing about, and worst Of all
care nothing about who is running
the government, provided they are
permitted to live in peace, and are not
required to pay any amount of taxes;
but right here in this matter Of taxes
will come the rub. The governmental
expenses are increasing rapidly, hav-
ing been 27,000,0 900 last year. whereas
Spain in the time Of peace, 1t is said
never spent over $11,000.000. There
is no tax here on land, and it costs
nothing but the interest on the invest
ment to carry land which is not pro-
ducjng. The taxes are raised on the
income from the land, and while at
present these are not heavy. there is
some fear that in future they may be
made excessive.
Excess of Policemen.
One of the serious phases Of the sit
uation is in the number of policemen
in the cities, and the rural guards and
soldiers in the country districts. Ha.
vana alone. it Is said, has over 800 po-
licemen. where less than half the num-
Der could do the work These three
bodies of men are made UP mainly Of
the Cuban soldiers, who thus become
non-producers and drones on the com
munity, whereas, If they had been
given farm each and put to work,
thus entering into the ranks of active
pIOuuCSlS, IuS iOoulL WOulu navy OOCA
Immensely beneficial to the country at
large. However, that Cuba Is offering
remarkable opportunities for the in.
vestment Of capital at this time, not
withstanding the conditions referred
to above, seems to be unquestioned.
Yet anyone would be exceedingly fool.
ish to luy farm land or other real es.
late here, without knowing exactly
what they are doing. There are many
different kinds Of soil on the island.
and in some places there is no soil at
all, some of it Is of great, almost fabu.
lous value, and some of it is absolutely
worthless. On the map it all looks
alike, for much of the good and bad
are in practically contiguous tracts.
To buy it without knowing what one
is getting is to buy a pig in poke.
only to find when the deal Is closed
that even the pig is not there. 1t is
said that farm lands can be pur-
chased in Cuba today at from 81 to
$1,000 per acre, and it may be that
the thousand dollar tract will
bring the biggest return on the invest
ment. OF course, the great opportuni
ties now for investment are in the
ruined plantations of Spanish families,
that were ravished by wars desolation
and which are today practically in as
wild a state, as far as cultivation is
concerned, as they were when the i'm
mortal Columbus first landed on the
island in 1892.
A w Lee