THE CUBA REVIEW 



11 



GENERAL COMMENT ON CUBAN AFFAIRS 



PROFITABLE INV'ESTMENTS TIME IS NOW 



(Loudon Chamber of Commerce Journal) 



The Hon. Correspondent in Havana of 

 the London Chamber of Commerce, in dis- 

 cussing the development of Cuba, calls at- 

 tention to the great natural wealth of the 

 island and the large number of lucrative 

 businesses that can be successfully opened 

 up there, and points out that the time has 

 arrived to profitably invest in Cuba the 

 surplus capital now lying idle in the banks 

 of Europe. Cuba, on the opening of the 

 Panama Canal, will undoubtedly occupy a 

 very important position. The sugar crop 

 just completed will, without exaggeration, 

 exceed 2,100,000 tons. 



There are stored at the ports of ship- 

 ment more than 700,000 tons, valued at 

 i8,500,000, all this money being kept from 

 circulation, the effect of which is very no- 

 ticeable in all business transactions. The 

 tobacco crop "collected" is not only im- 

 portant but of a superior quality, and, if 

 the Cuban government can arrange the 

 treaties necessary to secure a reduction in 

 duties from the countries to which it is 

 shipped, it is sure that the production will 

 increase, not only in quantity but also in 

 quality. The companies established in Cuba 

 are generally paying good dividends to 

 their shareholders, and others are being 

 established, or are only waiting for part of 

 the capital to be subscribed in Europe, 

 which will shortly play an important part 

 in the commercial develoimient of the 

 island. One is a companv to run motor-bus 

 services in Havana, which services will, it 

 is hoped, meet a long-felt want and are 

 necessary to cope with the increased pas- 

 senger traffic and the opening up of the 

 suburbs of the city. There is a petition 

 before Congress to open the ports of San- 

 tiago and Cienfuegos, on the south coast 

 of Cuba, as free ports, so that goods can 

 be imported and deposited in these ports 

 and re-exported to any part of the Amer- 

 ican Continent. If this should come about 

 it will increase very considerably the busi- 

 ness that will be done on the opening of 

 the Panama Canal. Engli.sh manufacturers 

 would do well to carefully consider these 

 important developments, and be prepared 

 to take advantage of them and of the open- 

 ings for business that already exist and will 

 arise in the near future. 



foreign manufacturers continue to get con- 

 siderable of the business, notwithstanding 

 the preferential duties on machinery of 

 American manufacture under the recip- 

 rocal agreement with Cuba. 



One reason given by the United States 

 Consul at Santiago is that the American 

 banking facilities do not extend manufac- 

 turers such favorable terms on loans nec- 

 essary for them to compete by extending 

 long credits to foreign buyers. 



Santiago last year shipped to the United 

 States 1,429,753 tons of iron ore, valued at 

 $3,872,078. 



A BRITISH OPINION OF CUBA S SUGAR 

 FUTURE 



It would seem as if the sugar industry in 

 Cuba has almost no limits of extension ex- 

 cept as imposed by the size of the island, 

 as a very large proportion of the soil is 

 suitable for cane culture. But a very se- 

 rious obstacle to progress is now begin- 

 ning to make itself felt in the shortage of 

 labor ; indeed this year it is probable that a 

 large amount of cane will remain uncut for 

 this reason. Once this obstacle is over- 

 come — and it is the subject of very serious 

 consideration on the part of the govern- 

 ment, — there would seem to be an endless 

 era of prosperity before the industry, in 

 spite of the fact that Cuba already pro- 

 duces more than one-fifth of the total cane 

 sugar of the world. It is too early yet to 

 estimate the probable effect of the proposed 

 new American tariff on the Cuban sugar 

 industry, and great difference of opinion 

 exists among the Cuban growers them- 

 selves. But the general opinion is, perhaps, 

 rather to the effect that free sugar will be 

 lienelicial. — Report of British Vice-Consul 

 at Havana. 



AMERICAN AND FOREIGN MACHINERY 



While American manufacturers have sup- 

 plied a large part of the machinery used in 

 the construction of the sugar mills erected 

 in Cuba, in the Santiago consular district, 



AN HONORABLE AND STRONG MAN 



".Mario Mcnocal has been deemed an 

 lionorable and strong man. He is a grad- 

 uate of Cornell University, and has the re- 

 si)ect of those who know him in this coun- 

 try. There arc unfortunately signs that 

 his political following may not be sufficient 

 to overcome the plotting of his political 

 enemies. It may even be that he is too 

 good a man to deal with an opposition 

 none too scrupulous. It may not be easy 

 to influence political events in Cuba solely 

 through an apjjcal wliich rests upon the ad- 

 vantage of the country, for the power of 

 place and spoils has Iieen manifest there 

 Ijack over the years in much demoraliza- 

 tion." — Spriuf) field (Mass.) Republican. 



