Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-28
More Than 500, 1000 Tons
Of Cane Reported Burned
Civil Unrest in Cuba Has Had Devastating Effect-Losses
Run Up Into Millions No Possibility of Crop EquaIng Last
Year and End is Still Uncertain

AdEiees received in New York sug.
ar circles during the week concerning
the Cuban situation have been largely
81 an unfayorable nature. says Facts
About Sugar in its issue of March TO-
Practically the only favorable de-
reloEments recorded were the govern
ment's military victory at Placetas,
Santa Clara, the capture of Gen. Jose
Miguel Gomez, former president CT
Cuba and alleged leader OF the revoIu-
ton, the nearer approach of the gov
ernment's forces to oriente province,
which is still controlled BY the reyo-
lutionists, and the landing OF an Amer.
lean naval force at Santiago.
Favorable Developments Over
shadowed
The military success of the govern
ment and the presence of the Ameri.
can bluejackets at Santiago, while for.
ward steps toward the establishment
OF peace and civil order on the island
were completely overshadowed, how
ever, by the receipt of authentic know
ledge that the Cuban crop so far has
suffered far greater damage than
-tAC VI
lists had previously permitted to be
m&de known in this country.
To what extent production has been
hampered and how widespread the
ia mage inflicted To the cane fields ara
sugar properties actually is, no &C
Erehensiye statement Is obtainable at
present. Yet with only the meager
and conflicting reports that have EN-.
ana.ed from Ca5a the past week to
base an opinion On, II is clearly arpar-
ent that the final outturn of the crop
recent conservative estimate made of
IFS reaching last years production.
A similar opinion is now generally
held by the trade and il is freely
recognized that serious shortage in
the Cuban crop from the earlier esti-
mated record crop Is inevitable. The
situation points to an equally newt
able higher range OF values for raws
for the balance OF the year in the
American market than woald other
wise have been the case.
One Of the clearest and niost CON.
prehensiye reports on the effect the
revolution has had upon the Cuban
production since its outbreak is TO be
found in the Cuban correspondence
In 1t Mr.. Crawley points oat that pro-
duetion has become almost ccmrletely
paralyzed in the provinces held by
the reyolutionists, owing to the exist
ence Of scarcity of labor and the in
creased suspension of railroad traffic.
All of these factors coming at time
when the harvest should be 81 It's
height can lead to only one result,
that Of seriously restricting the final
Cutturn for this season.
During the past few days news re-
fceiyed from authentic sources indi-
Gates that the burning of cane fields
and plantation raiding by the revolu-
tionists are increasing on large and
widespread scale At least $40, 000, 900
worth of cane owned largely by Amer
lean sugar companies is reported to
have burned SO lar.
Dr. Orestes Ferrara, leader of the
Liberal party, row in New York, who
is in close touch with the Eastern
provinces admitted to- representa-
tive of Facts About Sugar this week
that the damage resulting from cane
fires was reaching large proportions.
Much Cane Destroyed
"Over 100000 tons of cane In the
fields have been burned" said Dr.. Fer
rara, since the beginning OF civil
strife in Cuba. So extensive has been
the damage, and so seriously has pro-
duction been hampered that | believe
a conservative estimate made now of