16 THE CUBA REVIEW 
for the banking institutions. None of the banks that it was felt would close their 
doors when the moratorium had expired have done so, but on the contrary are paying 
out the 20 per cent. called for under the law with little or no difficulty. However, 
rumor has it that some very distressing details of the manipulation of these banks 
have been withheld from the public and we are not of the opinion that the institu- 
tions affected will be able to reinstate themselves in the good graces of the Cuban 
business men in any short time. President Merchant of the Banco Nacional de Cuba 
has resigned his position and Sr. Porfirio Franca has been appointed to this important 
place, Sr. Porfirio Franca was formerly one of the Managing Directors of the National 
City Bank of New York in Havana and is a very capable and well-known banker in 
Havana. Much success should crown his efforts as his sterling character and splendid 
ability will mean much to the Banco Nacional de Cuba. 
INCREASE IN CUBAN RAILROAD TARIFF BEING VIGOROUSLY COMBATTED: 
The recent increase in freight rates granted by the Railroad Commission of Cuba 
and of which we made mention in our last two letters has brought forth strenuous 
protest from all parts of the Island. It has been less than two years since the 20 
per cent. increase in freight rates was permitted the railroads in Cuba and with the 
additional increase which was recently granted, it would seem that the public is to 
be compelled to stand almost prohibitive prices for all commodities at interior points 
of the Island. One company alleges in a letter of protest to the Government that 
while a year ago a shipment of oil from Havana to Cienfuegos paid freight charges 
of $56.63, now the same shipment would pay $128.41, which advance in freight will. 
have to come out of the ultimate consumer of this oil, thus making the price to him 
very high. Under the new tariff commodities have been increased as much as 125 
per cent. and from the attitude of the Cuban populace it would seem that the law per- 
mitting these increases is to be stubbornly contested. While it is true that the cost of 
operating and maintaining the railroads in Cuba has increased, the consensus of opinion 
is that these newly published freight rates cannot be permitted to be assessed. 
A rather distressing condition of affairs exists in Cuba at this time in that the 
United Railways of Havana from Havana to Santa Clara and the Cuba Company 
(formerls called the Cuba Railroad Company) from Santa Clara to Santiago, have 
discontinued the exchange of equipment. We understand it is now necessary for 
shipments en route from Havana destined to Santiago to be discharged at Santa 
Clara and reloaded for the trip from Santa Clara to points on the Cuba Company. 
The United Railways of Havana recently had an expert from the United States in 
Cuba devising ways and means for expediting the handling of their rolling stock and 
it is certainly to be hoped that the recommendations of this capable railroad official 
will be carried out and the situation here relieved. 
NEW HIGH RECORD FOR IMMIGRANTS TO CUBA: During the year 1920, 101,798 
immigrants arrived at the Port of Havana. This is the largest number entering Cuba 
as immigrants in the history of the Republic. Of this number 83,182 were Spaniards, 
13,046 Chinese, and 5,822 Jamaicans, The balance was distributed among Haitians, © 
Italians, North Americans, etc. The Island at present has a large floating labor 
population and, with the present low prices maintaining for sugar, conditions are 
bad and immigration to Cuba has been somewhat discouraged, since it is felt by ~ 
Government officials that the Island cannot support many more of this class of labor. 
Therefore. it has been concluded that the year 1921 will see a falling off in the number 
of immigrants arriving in Cuba and especially will the Jamaican and Haitian immi- 
gration be discouraged since this class of labor does not absorb well into the country 
and they are more likely to become public charges than the Spanish immigrants or 
those from other countries. 
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