Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-17
The NeU CREMO

that the American military government let
go too soon in 1902. before the people Of
Cuba were prepared to govern themselves
The responsibility was placed upon men
without knowledge or experience and they
did not know how to meet it. Now that the
Americans are back again, they ought to
stay until the Cubans are educated up to
their responsibilities and the government is
much better organized than before"
Wat will be the effect of withdrawal?'
There will probably be another uprising.
plantations, the blowing up of mills and
other forms of destruction. A lot of rail-
road property will be ruined. Tracks,
bridges, machine shops machinery and roll
population will be demoralized, credit will
be impaired. capital will be driven and
kept away, immigration will be stopped and
the island will be set back several years.
The Improvements and advancements in
Cuba have been rapid since independence.
1t is now a prosperous island and its wealth
has increased at least so, and some think
100. per cent since the American occupation
in 1898. Therefore, the damage would be
much greater than ever before from politi-
cal disorders. The more there is 70 be de-
stroyed, of course the greater would be the
loss"
What would you advise President Roose-
welt to do?"
Leave things as they are today indefi-
nitely. We have good government Ma
COON is doing all right, and all we want is
honest courts, peace, justice and gocd or
der. The courts should be reorganized
guarantees and other provisions of the con-
stitution should be enacted into law, which
has never been done. We should have re-
vision of our commercial treaty with the
United States on much broader lines than
at present. and closer commercial relations
in every respect. The existing treaty is of
greater Importance to the manufacturers Of
the United States than it is to the planters
of Cuba, although the latter enjoy reduced
duties upon machinery and supplies i'm
ported into Cuba well as the reduction of
duties on sugar imported into the United
States.
At the Mercy of the Market.
1T is often asked in our Congress how a
treaty can be arranged so that the trust will
receive less and the planters more benefit
from ito" 1 suggested.
Il don't see how that is possible replied
Mr.. Skate. Your Congress cannot fix the
price of sugar; the seller is always at the
mercy of the market, except in times OF
scarcity. when man, who has good crop
makes big profits, for he can command the
situation. But that is rare accident. The
buyer always has the call and the trust is
the largest buyer in the world.
What kind of a crop have you this year?'
"On our particular estate at Jatibonco we
have an unusually rich crop, both il volume
and the quality of the sugar; but every !
where else on the island the cane is not
Welding as much usual 1t is probably
the largest crop ever gathered but owing |
expected.
Who owns your company"
ours is a Canadian company, of which |
Sir William Van Horne is president, and |
our headquarters in Montreal, but |
the stock is scattered in New York, Lon
don, Montreal and no one knows where |
else We have about 5000 acres in cane !
and a large tract of uncultivated land. |
1t was covered with timber when we |
bought it, and cost US about $50 an acre |
to clear, plant our cane and harvest the |
Ifa rr a
started In to clear the timber January 1, |
1905; we planted our cane in May, 1905; I,
we built our mill in record time that sum-
mer and the following fall. The contracts
were signed in April, 1905, and the machin-
cry was ready to run January l, 1906 We
cut our first crop in March, 1906. We have
beaten the record in several particulars.
Effect of the Railways.
1.-The Cuba Company, which is owned by
the principal stockholders of the railroad,
has large tract of land and expects to
settle it with enterprising Americans The ]