Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-03
CUBA A SECOND CALIFORNIA
Such L Visv e Thomas q. Ayrss Of
Pisrrs, South Dakota
NO LIMIT TO RESOURCES OF ISLAND
ne Believes within Few Years Cubans
VIII Demand By Popular Vote
Annexation 60 United
states.

Thomas II. Ayres OF Pierre, s. D., IL
In Omaha on his return from a visit Of
several weeks in Cuba. Mr.. Ayres Is
well known real estate man Of South
Dakota and Is largely interested IN ranch
ing In that state and is we'll known In
Omaha
The purpose Of my visit to Cuba was
with a view to investing IN land there and
to study conditions from the ground floor"
said Mr. Ayres. Il do not wish to speak
as an investor in Cuban properties, but
merely as an observer.
II can say do not think our American
people realize the commercial importance
OF Cuba to us. 1t is California, brought TO
our very doors. No land in the world can
or does produce a better or greater variety
Of citrus fruits. The soil Of Cuba is work.
ing for you during the entire twelve
months OF the year or course you have
heard and read all about the climate, which
is that OF perpetual spring and summers
Water can be obtained at from fifteen TO
twenty feet in the greatest abundance and
It is the best and sweetest water In the
world While there is not any very great
need Of irrigation IN Cuba, the whole coun-
try is easily susceptible OF irrigation,
Everything except apples and winter wheat,
that grows in Nebraska can be abundantly
raised in the island. They are beginning
TO raise little patches OF corn, and while
corn can never become much of an ex-
porting product sufficient OF II can be raised
for home consumption and is raised.
No Limit 20 Resources.
Every species OF garden vegetables
known to the temperate ATTITUDES can be
raised there all the year round. This iB
particularly true OF tomatoes and all Of
our early vegetables and fruits, and, II re-
uulres but from three 10 four days 10 ship
them to the most distant Of our Atlantic
seaports, while the western trade can be
supplied through Pensacola, New Orleans
and Galveston from one to two days earlier.
1.-THE business Is largely in the hands OF
the old Spanlards and. strange to say, they
are the most ardent American annexation
lists. OF course, there is a strong revolu-
tionary spirit prevalent in the island.
But the motive that actuates that
spirit is not understood by us here
at home. For centuries Cuba has been gov
erned by an official class that has made
fabulous fortunes by incessant and merci-
less graft. The native, working Cuban has
had this fact so burned into his soul that
he has little confidence in politics. They
have been plundered and taxed 80 long
with no apparent reciprocal results that
they look upon a political campaign sim
| ply as a game for the outs to get In, 80
that they can get their hands into the
public treasury to enrich themselves. They
believe that the last Cuban government
was one Of the graft order and the present
campaign is to put honest and upright
men into ONCE and to see that they dis
charge their duties honestly and for the
benefit Of the whole country. II they do
| not, another revolution is sure TO come.
Majority Are Enthusiastic.
1.-THE mass Of cubans are industrious,
hard working people. They know the oapa-
bilities OF the island and want to see II do