The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1921-10-07


prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington ID. CD
Cuba, which Immediately following
the World war climbed to heights OF
prosperity seldom attained by any
other small country, has passed now
into the valley of hard times and the
reason In both cases was the same
sugar. For though the islands annual
tobacco harvest is very valuable and
though IL has many other potential,
II undeveloped. resources. 1t is hardly
oyeremphasizing the Importance of
sugar production To say that Cuba Is
one-crop country. When European
and Eastern sugar was unobtainable
prices scared skyward and Cuba not
only cashed I'm heavily on her usual
production but feverishly increased
her cane acreage and sugar mills. Now
that sugar from the eastern hemis-
phere is reaching the world markets
while Europe has little buying power.
sugar prices have fallen 10 low levels
and Cuba is finding her war-lncreased
crop a drug on the market Financial
gloom has followed upon the heels OF
a most hectic prosperity. "as the night.
the day"
Sugar-cane Is grown by three classes
OF planters In Cuba. Perhaps the
major part OF the crop is grown by
share farmers. or "colonos." as they
are called. The owners of the sugar
mills furnish them with given num-
Der of acres OF land to plant and give
them an agreed share of the sugar
they produce.
They Made Money Rapidly.
The next class is composed of the
iand-owning farmers, who grow their
own cane and have IL ground on
shares, after the fashion OF the rural
grist mill. The remainder OF the cane
is grown by the owners of the mills
themselves. At some centrals the
administration cane, rs that grown
under central" management is known.
amounts to only per cent of the
total at others II amounts to 90 per
cent
prices. made money. According 10
Cuba Before the World" the official
handbook OF the republic at the Pan
ama-Paclfc exposition, when sugar
was selling at go cents n pound. his
share OF the sugar brought him, on
the basis OF twelve sacks 10 the acre.
n return OF from $40 TO S51 per acre.
no oil
price Of sugar in 1920 was from four
10 six times as high rs before the war.
the size of the per-acre income at the
high tide OF prices is apparent.
Boom in Sugar Lands.
A great deal of the cane land pro
duceS much more sugar 10 the acre
than the modest twelve : bags that
formed the basis Of the calculations
cited from Cuba Before the World"
According to figures furnished by the
Cuban department of agriculture. much
land produces - bags TO the acre.
This. at Il cents a pound. brings a
gross rstuTn OF more than $1,000 an
acre
These conditions brought ab1n. an
unprecedented boom IN sugar lands.
one sugar estate. which was 5ought
about 1917 for S3.OOOOOO sold in Jan
uary 1920 for S950O.OOO Another
which was valued at about $6.OO0.0Oo
few years before. changed hands AT
s15OO0.o00
Numerous new "CentralS" were built.
all capitalized on the basis OF earn
ings during the early months Of 1920.
Thousands OF American capitalists in
vested in these flourishing enterprises.
How Cuha'S receipts from sugar ex-
banded i shown by tile fact that the
1915 crop BROUGHT n total return Of
less than $2O0OOJ0oO. while two-thirdS
OF the 1920 crop (one-third remains
unsold> brought S4O0Oo0.OOe
Prods etion Cheaper There.
Cuba has the advantage Of every
country IN producing sugar cheaply.
Most countries have 10 plant every
two years and some of them every
season. but the average in cuba is
once in from 10 u years.
In most parts OF the island the
harvesting season Is six months long
from December 70 June: but in
some sections the harvest lasts from