142 CUBA AND PORTO MOO 



even in these troubled times, attest its value in the eyes of 

 American buyers. However, the mining industries will be 

 confined to the mountainous region of eastern ( 'uba. 



In looking at the future development of Cuba we have 

 to consider the question of labor. This is of three kinds 

 white, black, and yellow. The white labor consisted of 

 native Cubans, natives of the Canary Islands, and Span- 

 iards, of whom the latter are far the best for general work. 



The war has seen the complete overturning of the island's 

 labor system, and the destruction and demoralization of 

 the laborers. No white man can do manual labor in the 

 tropics continuously and live, unless he be of the Latin 

 races. In the adjacent islands, especially Jamaica, there 

 is a large surplus of negroes who might be attracted to 

 the island, but as a laboring class these negroes are unreli- 

 able ; besides, there is a potent danger, which we need not 

 mention, in introducing this class into Cuba. The blacks 

 of our Southern States might be drawn upon in this con- 

 nection, but notwithstanding our tendency to discourage 

 them at home, we have no surplus of industrious ones to 

 spare. Altogether the most prolific source of laborers must 

 be the southern lands of Europe, and the stream of immi- 

 gration from them which now pours into our Northern 

 States, if deflected to Cuba, would soon supply the demand. 



If good government be established in Cuba, it will un- 

 doubtedly become the Riviera of the western hemisphere. 

 For natural beauty, picturesqueness, geniality of climate, 

 and opportunities for rest, amusement, and recreation, its 

 diversified landscape, mineral springs, and surrounding seas 

 are unequaled by those of southern France and Italy. 

 Here, undoubtedly, thousands of Americans will annually 

 seek winter rest and recreation when peace is restored and 

 sanitation established. 



It may seem paradoxical to speak of the advantages of 

 Cuba as a health-resort in its present unsanitary condition, 

 but we feel no hesitancy in saying that for the overworked, 

 debilitated man of business, or one whose system has be- 



