The New York herald., 1921-07-03
Cuba, Land of Sugar and Spendthrifts
An American Residents Graphic Picture of the Come
Easy Go Easy Days.

attention during one of my long horse
back rides through the interior.
About noon one day we came to
little hut with an earthen floor. The
occupants were man of about so and
his wife and four children.
My companion and myself asked for
little coffee. intending to proceed on our
journey afterward; but in the truly de-
lfghtful manner of the Cuban guajiro
(farmer) he insisted on our dismounting
and entering his hut. The family had
just had their almuerzo (noon meal)
and on the rough nailed boards consti-
tuting the dining table were package
of cut sugar from Brooklyn, two empty
cans of the finest boneless French sar-
dimes in olive oil. empty cans of breast
of chicken. three empty cans of Cali
fornia giant asparagus, two glass jars
of costly American bacon and a tin of
golden rusks. These things are ex-
pensive enough In any big city in the
United States. but to find them in the
interior Of the island of Cuba means
that they cost the consumer about three
times the original American retail price.
After coffee the farmer said he would
accompany us to the town, about eight
miles away. and begged a minute or
two delay while he chased round and
caught a pig. He tied it's legs with
heavy cord (made in the United States)
lifted it on his saddle (made in the
United States) and so joined us for the
journey to the town store.
This man carried the pig to the store
and sold 1t for cash, and with this cash,
in the same store, he loaded his saddle
bags with tins of sausages made in Chi
cago, tins of lard, rice, more bacon in
glass Jars. ink fish in cans, pate dc foies
gras. French peas and preserved Cali
fornia fruits
This is only one instance of the eco
nomic errors of the people and for
which they are now paying the piper.
But this man still has his wonderful
land and still grows his rich cane All
he asks for now is the money to pay
his laborers so as to harvest the cane
and keep the fields clean Of weeds.
During the recent high prices of sugar
conditions in Havana reflected the opu-
lence of sugar farmers. They poured
into the city. where some Of them walked
on sidewalks for the first time in their
lives. Their pockets were full OF gold
and their heads devoid of any sane
methods Of handling 1t.
They bought high priced American and
foreign automobiles and paid liveried
chauffeurs their own price to drive them
with gasolene at "a cents gallon.
A farmer entered the largest diamond
store in Havana. He was wearing the
typical Panama hat of the country folks
the rest of his costume was a blue shirt
with pockets like a coat and with the
tails outside his trousers a stiff starched
pair OF crude linen trousers creased
down the sides, and a pair OF screaming
new yellow shoes which squeaked at
every step of his stockingless feet. He
said to the attendant: 'I have no jew
elry of any kind, and I want to get
fixed up"
He selected a jewelled gold watch. a
pearl and platinum chain, two hand
some Oriental sapphire and diamond
rings. a beautiful pearl and diamond
scarf pin and gold and diamond cigar
ette case
We'll. Chico. how much is all this?"
The clerk figured and replied "$10,5 500"
The farmer looked at his purchases
again and said: "WeI, all right, but
put in about $4,000 more and then III
be all right"
That farmer is back now on the farm
He is eating rice ard beans and work.
ing eighteen hours day. His lands
are producing the same old 1000 tons
OF cane a caballeria, and instead of
paying his cane cutters $3.50 to $40
day he Is promising them 81 day and
their food.
The farmer can keep this UP as long
as he has the rice and beans but our
bankers and politicians must see that
his supplies do not stop, otherwise his
fields will grow full of weeds and in
stead Of producing 1000 tons of cane a
caballeria of land he will be producing
only 100 tons. and that will soon reflect
itsalf in Cuba's ability to produce sugar
at low prices.
IL this Is neglected 5000, ,ooo, 900 OF
American capital now invested In the
sugar industry In Cuba will be partially
or totally lost. ALFRED J. THOMPSON.
HAVANA, Cuba. June 25.