22 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



TOBACCO INDUSTRY. 



Cigar Manufacturers Against Annexa- 

 tion. 



Rafael "SI. Ybor, the Cuban consul at 

 Tampa, Fla., in a recent interview, had 

 the following to say regarding the feel- 

 ing in Cuba among the cigar manufac- 

 turers concerning annexation: 



"I want to be quoted that there is ab- 

 solutely nothing to it, nor have any 

 manufacturers ever intiinated that thej^ 

 favored annexation. They want Cuba a 

 free and independent country. They have 

 all the confidence in the government and 

 the stability of the country. The fact 

 that there is a duty of $5 a pound gross 

 on all leaf tobacco imported into Cuba 

 is sufficient to show that annexation is 

 not desired. That $5 is so much pro- 

 tection to the native growers which 

 would be absorbed by the United States 

 in the event of annexation." 



As to the cigar situation in Havana, 

 he stated that the 1909 output would ex- 

 ceed the output of last year. There has 



been a decrease in the production of 

 cigars the past two years caused by 

 high duties in some countries where 

 Cuban cigars are consumed, and by the 

 panic in America, as well as by the 

 strike troubles at home. 



The number of cigars made at Havana 

 for the past five years was stated as 

 follows: 1904, 401,861,082; 1905, 441,544,- 

 496: 1906, 452,865,529; 1907, 364,400,997; 

 1908, 337,012,184. 



He said that there are 150 factories 

 now running, and that they are all 

 housed in substantial buildings, many 

 of which cost over one million dollars. 



The cigars made in Cuba, he said, 

 are all of high class and of best sizes, 

 and practically none are made to sell 

 for less than $60 per thousand. The 

 sizes run large, mainly from Victorias 

 up. 



He said that the Havana manufac- 

 turers are satisfied with the market and 

 that as the season advances there will 

 be greater activity about the factories. 



View on the Luis Marx tobacco plantation at Alquizar, Province of Havana, where over 300 

 acres of tobacco are growing vmder cheesecloth. At the right is seen the side walls of one of the 

 sections. The building is Mr. Marx's observatory and living apartments when he visits the planta- 

 tion. His offices are on the ground floor. 



Vista de una vega en Alquizar, Cuba, en la que hay mas de 300 acres de terreno sembrados de 

 tabaco, el cual esta cubierto con estopilla. El edificio que se ve en el grabado es un observatorio 

 y casa de vivienda del propietario, quien tiene .su escritorio en el piso bajo. 



