Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-05-03
MONEY PLENTIFUL IN CUBA.
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF 1T
GO BEGGING THERE.
Idle Money Accumulates RapidIy-lt Is a
Drug On The Market-EIection Is
Agitating Cuban Minds.
UNCLE SANS REGIME TO CON-
UINUE MANY MONTHS.

l. GeTndDS lnCIt Is nO DistCt III lnt
world where money is more plentiful
than in Cuba. Everybody seems 10
have money and plenty of it, and no.
body seems TO mind spending IT.
only recently millions of dollars
went begging in Havana, and Incl
dentally Governor Magoon was given
one of the greatest surprises of his
life.
The rapid accumulation of idle
money i'm the Cuban Treasury for the
last six months has been a source of
dissatisfaction. When the balance was
reported a few weeks ago TO be more
than 81. 400, 600, indicating a surplus
of 81 GOO, 900 monthly, he decided it
should be earning something for the
Cuban Government. The Governor
determined TO benefit the business
community by loaning on call notes.
secured by bonds, at least So, 600, 600.
lie called all the prominent bankers
of Havana to the palace and asked a.
lid for the money.
They told the Governor that money
was a drug in the market, and every
banker had more than he could pos
sibly put out, as this was the season
when sugar planters were paying in
loans. One banker said that more than
$15, 600, 600 was locked up now in Ha-
vana banks, which they would be glad
to loan if there were any demand.
With a Joking remark that it was the
iir-t time he ever knew a lot of bank
ers to refuse millions at their own fig
ures, and congratulating the financiers
on the wealth of Cuba, the Governor
dismissed them. This is only one in
stance emphasizing the wealth of the
city of Havana.
All sorts OF wild rumors and fanci-
full speculation about the United
States troops leaving the Island of
Cuba are afoat, and the daily metro
politan press published the most dis
torted accounts of political conditions
on the Island. There is not the.
scintilla of doubt that the regime
of the United States will continue in
Cuba for many months. 1t is said
the municipal elections will be held
in June and it is also declared that
the property holders will refuse TO
vote. The following is the tenor of
private advices said to have been re-
ceived in the States from the Pearl of
the Antilles:
THAT the negroes and the low and
vicious elements of the population
Will mus SCCuA6 lnC OAlCCos Nbhb 0APAO-
matte representations will then be
made TO the United States by England,
France, Germany and Spain; that they
will look to this country for damages
in case of destruction of their proper
ty; that the situation will compel the
United States to announce protectorate
over Cuba
All this may be true in part or in
whole, but it is the gist of current
topics of the day and is much dis
cussed in the popular press. 1t is
pointed out that in Cuba the conserva-
tive, property holding class is in a
helpless minority. Fully 80 per cent.
of the voting population own little
more than the clothes they walk in
perhaps a machete, less frequently
horse or mule. They are the kind
that for $3 to $5 are ready to take to
the wonds and start revolution"
This is the element which will win
when the elections are held, and it is
said TO be quite possible that negro
may be elected mayor of Havana.
The property -holders propose to take
no part in the elections, for the pur-
pose of affording the United States an
object-lesson as to the character of the
men who will get the Offices in case
the program is followed of giving the
Cuban people another opportunity
under present laws of establishing a
republican government of their own.
They feel reasonably safe in doing
this, knowing that Governor Magoon
has the right and power to remove any
municipal officer who misbehayes.
But they expect the most effective re-
suit of the election of the low ele-
ment of the island to the municipal
ocfiies will be the creation of uneasi-
ness and alarm in the minds of for
eigners who have large investments
in the island as to what will be the
result if the elections are continued
and the Congress and presidency
should fall into the hands of the same
class.
Citizens of Great Britain have. it
is said, at least 500, 600, 900 invested
in Cuba. OF this about $50, 600
is in the Cuban railways, $50, GOO, ,OOO
in sugar and $40, 900, 600 in tobacco.
German citizens have about $40, ,OOO,-
600 invested in sugar and tobacco, and
Frenchmen- have about $40, 600, 600 in
the same industries. Spain owns
practically two-thirds of the landed
interests of the island, more than half
of the city of Havana and still retains
this largest part of the commercial and
trading interests. American citizens
have investments in all kinds running
up to at least $l25, 900, 600.
These figures are declared to be
we'll within the mark, and it is
claimed that all of these investments,
which are the backbone of Cuban
trade and prosperity, will be impeTil-
ed by the access TO power of those
agitators and radical leaders who rely
upon the negro riff-raff class to elect
them to Office. 1t is regarded as GER
tain, therefore that the foreign govern
ments named, in behalf of their citi-
zens, viii. appeal TO the United States
to prevent the threatened calamity, ac-
companying that appeal with the sug-
gestion that the responsibility will
rest on this country, they will look
to the United States to recoup them for
such losses as they may have sus-
| tained.
The United States has already too
much at stake in Cuba, it is said, to
willingly assume such liabilities, and
| the establishment of a strict protec-
torate by the United States over the
island is regarded by Cuban CONNER
cial and financial interests as the cnly
possible solution of the dificultv.
| How er This. at present is only a
fanciful speculation and time alone
: will gpiva the r,arpIaxfn0 nr0h1au1