Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-09
CONDITIONS IN CUBA.
Boston Man Tells Of the Economic
Situation


HAVANA, Cuba, May 9.-Among the
passengers leaving in the steamship Ha-
vana yesterday for New York was Edwin
from his extensive sugar estates in Santa
Clara.
1.-The making of the 1907 sugar crop
ended April 3d. Mr.. Atkins remarked.
Its total for the island will approximate
100000 tons, an increase Of more than
100, COO tons over last year.
ut has not been profitable to the small
raisers of cane, on whose success the pros
perty sof the country in no small degree
depends. and the outlook for them next
year is blacker still. l am not a pessimist
but see facts that bid fair to produce a
great deal of suffering in Cuba for some
time to come.
1.-THE economic situation Of the country
calls for careful investigation by the Amer
lean governmental authorities who have
to do with such subjects, for the two coun-
tries are now in position where the
serving Of common interests may avoid
trouble and losses to both.
1.-THE overlooking condition Of the Cuban
public treasury cannot be taken as an In
dication Of the prosperity Of the island: In
fact. it Is proof Of the inability of its
agricultural classes to raise what they eat
and wear. Labor has now been discharged
from the great estates, and II the drought
time. Cuban laborers do not save, but
spend their money as fast as obtained
They have little in reserve.
"All crops of vegetables and small things
were destroyed throughout the island
either by the frost last December or by
the drought. The people are, and have
been for some time, entirely dependent on
imported supplies, for which they must
pay cash. This has led to Increased i'm
ports, and as Duties are high the revenue
receipts are more than ever. But under
the circumstances, and as the use of i'm
ported food has added to the cost Of liv-
Ing, the enormous and growing surplus in
the treasury can hardly be considered as
proof of the peoples prosperity.
This widespread distress Of the country
population Is due to a combination Of I'M
fortunate circumstances. The island Is ex-
periencing one of the most severe droughts
in its history. Fires have swept bare miles
of territory and burned thousands of acres
Of cane fields. Much Of the standing cane
could be ground, but when 'ratoons' Of one
or two months growth were burned the
effect was disastrous Nevertheless, the
crop gathered was a record crop, for while
the drought decreased the cane tonnage
per acre it increased the saccharne in the
cane.
THE dry weather followed a season of
excessive rains and floods. To this was
added the political disturbance. which
prevented work on new paintings at a crit
ical time. Then came frost, the first for
two generations. 1t injured the cane and
killed the small crops The farmer was
forced to work for sugar planters, and
big crop was harvested, dry weather being
favorable for grinding. The drought and
frost have destroyed the grass on many
cattle ranches and thousands of cattle are
dying from starvation and thirst.
1.-The uncertainty which existed early In
the, season regarding the policy of the
United States and its declared intention of
withdrawing its troops early this summer
caused great anxiety among the business