Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 31, Number 236, 23 September 1906 — Page 3

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CITE present losarrectlon In Cuba can bare afforded no surprise to practical students of political history, nor to Ihose conTcrsant with tbe current of rolltral and commercial affairs in tbe Island llnce tbe establishment of tbe republic. We bave In Cuba two distinct seta of can sen militating against the maintenance of tbe republican form of government. These causes are similar to those which prerented the prosperity of Mexico under a popular form of government and found a latlsfactory solution In a dictatorship nd those which In Hawaii led to the usurpation of power by the men in whom sentered tha . intelligence and wealth of the Islands. The Cubans bare do genius for government. Thejr know neither bow to govern, nor how to be governed. It Is no more than natural that such should be tbe case. They have neither had opportunity to practice the art of administration nor an example by, which they might benefit. They lack entirely the motive power and the balance that more table communities find In an Intelligent public opinion. , With the exception of a love of liberty, which In Ia undisciplined state is little more than a love of license, the Cubans as a people are wholly deficient In the necessary qualifications for.the conduct and maintenance of a republican form of government. History affords no Instance of a people Ignorant of anything but misrule having established a peaceful and permanent government without passing through a long period of more or less turbulent formation. There la no reason for supposing that Cuba will furnish an exception to thta rule. On the contrary. It Is more than probable . that If the present Insurrection Is suppressed It will be followed by another before the expiration of President Talma's term of office. Ultimately, armed Intervention on the part of the United States will snrely become necessary and few thoughtful persons believe that the Stars and Stripes. If once again raised In Cuba, will ever be lowered. Either of two contingencies may defer such a consummation for a period the seizure of the reins of power by a Dlai, or the occupancy of the White House by a Democratic president. The ocber set of causes, whilst slower in their operation, will be surer In their eventual effect. Cuba is today In much tbe same situation as was Hawaii at the time of the annexation. The wealth and resources of the former are In the hands of foreigners, as were those of tbe latter. The regeneration of Cuba Is dne mainly American capital, which has nnceasIrgly flowed Into tbe Island In enormous quantities since Us emancipation from Spain. The American Interests in tbe Island today represent an Investment little. If at all, short of $100.000,00X The vast sugar and tobacco Industries are largely in American bands and American or other foreign capital controls the manufactories, tbe railroads, the banks and practically all the important enterprises. The natives are the administrators, the officials and the laborers; foreigners are the proprietors of the country. There are today 20.000 or more Americans owning real estate In Cuba, for which they bave paid upwards of $50,000,000. Tbe desire of these foreigners to see tbe Island in the posession of the United States Is easily understood. It Is not merely a sentiment by any means, but Is mainly due to material considerations. The prosperity that has accrued from reciprocity Is only a promise aDd a gauge of what will result from annexation and free trade with the United States. In 1904 Cuba exported to the United States sugar to the value f OTer Ki6.000.000 and tobacco to the value of nearly $13,000,000. ihe duty i tbese Items alone. If saved, would form B considerable Increment to the profits -f the planters. .Whilst tbese interests bave every Inducement to expedite factors that would tend to the accomplishment of an

DODGES OF SLIPPEPvY CRIMINALS.

The tricks resorted to by criminals in attempting to escape from tbe bands of the police are many. When a fngittve has a few yards' start and finds that the pursuer Is gaining be lets the constable come almost within striking distance. When i bout six feet apart the thief sullenly throws himself on all fours at the rery feet of tbe policeman. Tbe latter cannot pull up and tbe fall is pretty certain to stnn him, as be is bound to come down heavily across the back of his Intended captive. Tbe strangler's grip is another trick which some men practice, though not very often with success, as the polios know It and watch Xor it. The

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nexation, It is not to be supposed, as some press dispatches have Intimated, that they are actively supporting the lnsurrectlonarles. With their knowledge of the reck less character of the lower class Cubans and their destructive tendencies, capital Ists must dread the effects of any uprising that shall get beyond tbe control of tbe government. They will hardly forgec the ruthless and Indiscriminate manner In which the entire wealth of the country was destroyed In the recent rebellion. The American property owners are more dis posed to favor the plan of bringing about annexation by political methods, as their fellow-countrymen did in Hawaii. It Is safe to say that nowhere In tbe world can be found a section of territory of the same extent with such great and varied resources as Cuba. About the size of England and - somewhat smaller than the state of Pennsylvania, it is capable of producing tbe best tobacco in tbo world, sugar equal to any, coffee of tbe highest grade, a great variety of fruits and vegetables and several kinds of commercial fibers. Add to this splendid pasture lands, an abundance of valuable timber, and mineral deposits which, include gold, copper,, iron, coal and manganese. Although almost all the land is capable of producing marketable crops, only a small proportion of It Is yet under cultivation. Tbe vast sugar output is secured from no more than 400,000 acres of cane, notwithstanding tbe plantations occupy a very much greater area. Extensive sections are occupied by unsurveyed virgin forest, covering land that. In tilth, would yield sugar, tobacco or other profitable products. Despite the astounding development of recent years, it Is safe to say that the country has not yet been exploited to the extent of one-fourth of Its possibilities. The greatest Impetus to the Industries of the Island has been derived from the improvement and extension of railroads, of which there are at present 1,500 miles of trunk line. One-third or more of this mileage has been constructed since the war. 'A great deal more is either planned or In process of construction, with the Intention of creating a system which shall afford Intercommunication by rail between all parts of the Island. The most Important of the new lines Is the Cuba Ballroad. running from Santiago, at the eastern extremity of the Island, to Santa Clara, at the center. There it connects with the United Railway, operating a line which extends to the capital and has a network of branches In the province of Havana. The Cuba Railroad, which is better known In this country by the name of its promoter. Sir William Van Home, acquired several hundred thousand acres of land In the process of securing Its right of way. It is rapidly clearing this land of timber and converting It Into sugar plantations. It has already about 5,000 acres under cultivation, and a mill in operation with a capacity of grinding 1.000 bags a day. Eighty or more similar mills are projected by the Cuba Company and other corporations along the route of this line. What this development will mean may, in some measure, be gathered fcom the statement that each of these mills will establish, in a country largely unoccupied hitherto, a settlement of S.000 or 10,000 souls. Already the road runs through many miles of sugar, tobacco and pasture land, where a few years ago all was wild backwoods. These Indications of a splendid prosperity are In evidence in all parts of the country. Cuba's sugar Industry, which was practically wiped out during the war with the destruction of the various mills and other buildings, has been revived in Increased magnitude and ' efficacy. There are in the various provinces upward of 200 plantations, with better equipment than they ever had before. New sugar lands are being constantly redeemed from the woods and additional capital Is invested In the industry every year. The great need now is labor. The government dodge Is usually tried by the prisoner who appears submissive and willing to "go quietly." But if the policeman Is thrown off his guard the captive knows he is safe. With a rapid movement to tbe side he springs on the officer, partly from behind, and throws his right arm around the constable's neck so that the Inner side of the elbow presses on the windpipe. Then with a sharp pressure he tightens the arm. grasps bis left band round his right wrist and Jerks as bard as he can. If he is any way expert and has time to get his arm firmly set In tbe right position, it Is all over with Dollceman.

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y. .?j..iv t;L'iv: or:is using every means to Induce immigration from Italy and other parts of. Southern Europe. Unfortunately like Porto Rico Cuba has a large proportion of its population which is approaching 2,000,000 from which It derives no benefit whatever colored and half-white" people, who Just subsist and neither earn tor spend money. We will briefly review the six provinces of the island In succession and return to the Industrial development la the next article. The physical features of the Island are Irregular and diversified. In general It may be said that the central portion Is occupied by broad, undulating plains without any great variation in elevation. Well-defined mountain ranges are found only at the two extremes. In the ? ovince of Santiago, or more correctly, Oriente, the surface of the ground Is much broken and many peaks exceed 5,000 feet In altitude. Here Is a region in which armed rebellion may defy authority indefinitely. All over the island vegetation grows In profusion and la Its most beautiful forms, which prompted Humboldt to remark: We might almost believe that the entire island was originally a forest of palms, wild limes and oranges. It is estimated that 13,000,000 acres of forest remain uncleared. There are no distinctly marked belts of production. Sugar grows richly almost everywhere, and most of the provinces contain good tobacco land, whilst the pineapple, sweet potato. Indian corn and other fruits and vegetables may be raised on any unoccupied land. The climate is favorable to the cultivation of the widest variety of crops. Frost is unknown. The mean annual temperature of Havana, which Is representative. Is Fahrenheit. The range between tbe mean of the hottest and the coldest months Is only ll from 82 to 71. Pinar del Rio, the western province, is the tobacco section par excellence. The southern portion of It contains the worldfamed Vuelta Abajo vegas, which produces leaf without an equal, in the heart

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S3 of this district stands the antiquated city of Pinar del Rio. It has a population of about 10,000, mainly engaged In the tobacco business. The Western Railway of Havana connects the town with thecapltal and other centers. Bahla Honda, one of the naval stations ceded to - United States, is In this province. The province of Pinar del Rio was devastated during the late revolution, but it is enjoying its share of the reconstruction and general improvement that is rapidly changing the face of the Island. The Province of Havana, though the smallest, is the most Important In Cuba by reason of containing the beat of government and the social capital. It produces sugar, alcohol, tobacco and vegetables In large quantity. The strategic position of Havana at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico has earned for it the title of the 'Key of the Gulf."' In the possession of the United States it would become the "Custodian of the Canal. Havana Is strongly fortified. On one side of the entrance to the harbor the Morro and La Cabana frown upon the approaching vessel; on tbe other 'La Puxita, supported by a" number of subsidiary batteries, presents a anister front seaward. The deep pouch-like harbor is capable of sheltering a thousand ships. Being the principle port of the island, Havana Is the entrepot for a large trade, interior as well as exterior, which Is maintained by 6 te.au and electric roads and several fine lines of steamships, and faciiitltated by cable communication and internal telegraph. The capital of Cuba Is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and. thanks to the labors of American sanitarians, amongst the most healthfuL It has splendid water and will soon be excellently sewered and paved. These features are sufficient to account for the fact that the city is yearly becoming more popular with "Americans as a winter resort. In this respect it is far superior to Florida ..hlch has over it the single advantage derived from its palatial hotels

The visitor to Havana is delighted with the unique mingling of the ancient and modern in a city which presents such striking contrasts as that between the remains of the medieval wall and the fort of La Fuerza, dating from 1538, and the magnificent parks and palatial buildings. The old city has had a history both tragic and romantic, which may be traced in many ancient landmarks and memorable localities. It has been sacked and resacked by buccaneers, swept by fire and hurricane, visited time and again by plague, notably when two Spanish war vessels brought, In 1761, the "black vomit," or yejlow fever, as It came to be called, from tbe shores of Mexico. The first epidemic carried off 3.000 persons and the dread disease became endemic and was only eradicated by Americans In 1901. Of Havana's many buildings the palace of the President is perhaps tbe most noteworthy on all accounts. It was formerly the residence of tbe Spanish captains generaL It is magnificent in size and architecture and renowned for tbe beauty and grandeur of its salons and galleries. The structure is the property of the municipality which permits the President to occupy It. The ancient convent of San Francisco, now given over to the customhouse. Is also an Interesting and imposing edifice. The building occupied by the House of Representatives Is one of many similar fine structures that form connecting ilnks with the past. In the formation. of Its beautiful parks Havana had the advantage of its many magnificent Indigenous plants. Central Park. Fiaza de Armas, Park of Colon and half a dozen other similar expanses serve, with the many avenues and promenades, as beautiful settings tc the many handsome public buildings and residences. Someone has very aptly styled Havana the "Paris of America. It is the gayest ol all the Spanish-American cities. Its 300,000 people form a pleasure-loving population that demands to be constantly amused. The better class of Its society Is composed of a numerous ele-

"J - ment ,of foreigners of all nations, besides the well-to-do and educated Cubans. Of the former a large proportion are Americans and about an equal number Spanlards, many of whom remained in Cuba, whilst hardly a dozen were to be found in Porto Rico at the time of the last census. Tbe Spaniards and upper-class Cubans are much alike, perhaps the ouly difference between them being that the representatives of the old regime do not appear to be able to get over the Illfeeling engendered by the war. The natives are characterized by a dignified cordiality and an open hospitality that cpnnot fail to impress the visitor from America. They seem to have been mildly Infected by contact with Americans, and display more energy and enterprise than the same class in Forto Rico, but are still very far from coming up to our standard In these respects. Like all Spanish-American cities, Havana has a great number of clubs and societies ostensibly devoted to a variety of utilitarian purposes, but the principle object of all alike is pleasure. There are seven theaters, the chief being the National and the Payret. . The former Is one of the largest and best In the world. There are a great variety of other amusements. Baseball has taken root In the city, and contests with Jal Alal, tbe national game, for popular favor. navana has about a dozen newspapers, which are very creditably edited and as well served with telegraphic news as our large dallies. The city has remarkable fine police and fire departments, several excellent hospitals, a score or more of churches, a number of schools of various discretions, a good electric street car system and other public utilities. In short, navana is a busy, handsome, up-to-date city, with a strong flavor of a by-gone age. The Province of Matanzas contains some of the best sugar lands in the island, and several Bplendldly equipped plantations. Aside from the staple product, the province has a considerable trade In timber. Matanzas. the capital. Is a busy city of about 40.000 Inhabitants. It has the reputation of being the most healthy place In the Island, and has unquestionably the most beautiful location, being built In the famed Valley of the Yumurl. the most picturesque as well as the most highly cultivated region in the island. Cardenas, another city of this province, and almost, as large as Matanzas. occupies, after It. the third place in the ranks of Cuba's corrmerci.il centers. Santa Clara Province produces the greatest variety of staples In addition to sugar and to.bacco, and has a considerable trade In cattle. Its grazing grounds are occounted second to none In the Island. Cienfuegos. which ranks next to Havana among the ports, has a fine harbor and rail connection with the capital and the principal points on the Northern Coast. It Is the center of the sugar Industry of the south of the island. Some of the finest plantations in Cuba lie around the city. Puerto Principe Is probably the poorest and least developed of the provinces, but Is destined to benefit greatly by the operation of the Cuba Railroad, which traverses Its center. PueTto Principe, or Camaguey, is a city of about 25,000 population, with a large export trade In sugar, tobacco and NATURE'S TUNNEL When, a few years ago, London's "tuppenny tube" was opened to the public, we were not a little Impressed by the engineering skill which had bored long tunnels far below the surface of the ground, lined them with steel tubing to resist the earth pressure and made It possible for all sorts and conditions of men to pass through them in safety to and from their various occupations. Undoubtedly it was a great achievement. But In this, as in many other feats of skill, man was forestalled by the lower animals. The necessity of obtaining protection from their enemies or finding a sufficiency of suitable foodi has turned many creatures into expert tunnel snd tube makers. We will take our first example, the shellfish well known to longshoremen by the name of piddock. Its scientific name is "pholas," but its two-valved shell has been given the pretty popular name of "angel's wings, the reason being perfectly obvious after a glance. Now the mollusk which resides in this gaping shell Is very much like an oyster, or a clam, so far as its bodily aspect is concerned. It seems to be very flabby and very lacking In what we term "brain power." Yet this tenant of the "angel's wings" Is capable of burrowing into hard rock, sinking downwards gradually as its shell grows, just as though It were merely working Itself into sand. A great many kinds of shellfish burrow Into sand and this habit renders them safe from many enemies. Certain fishes plow op the sand and crack and eat all the mollusks they can discover. And it is probable that the persecotion of these fishes, or rather of their ancestors, brought about the rock tunneling habits of the piddock. Sand burrows were onsafe, so the piddocks began to burrow into rocks and stones. Commencing in youth, they, pass the whole of ttelr lives la working their way into these hard-grained substances and are thus able to set their would-be enemies at defiance. As it works its way Into the rock the piddock becomes a life-long prisoner In its own tunneL As it Increases in size and works it way deeper the hole gradually becomes larger. But as the lower part of tbe plddock's shell is much greater In circumference than the upper, as the creature Is constantly growing, the entrance of its tunnel Is soon too small to admit of its egress. This, however, does not matter to the piddock. whose sole concern is to bide. It takes all Its food In solution. In other words. It sucks In sea water through one tube, and discharges It through another, relying for Its sustenance upon the minute scraps of foodstuff that chance to be In the water aropnd It. Thus the piddock Is quite happy and content In its selfmade dungeon. Another marine tcnneler nearly related to the piddock is the teredo or "shipworm. This creature works Its way Into wood, not rotten wood, but good, solid oak or teak. In past years It was a menace to the shipping of the whole world, but the advent of the steel ship put a limit to tts depredations in this respect. Still, however. It menaces submerged timber of all kinds if unprotected, and in Holland it la rcaardad almost as a

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'CCLGJ3Z wax, and an Important Industry. In thf manufacture of cigars. Oriente, the mountainous province at the eastern end of the island, la tbe principal seat of Cuba's mineral wealth. It contains ancient mines that were worked by the Spaniards with Indian labor in the days of De Soto. Some of these, notably the corper mines of Cobre, are at present In operation. The SpanishAmerican Company's Iron mines are situated about six miles Inland from Daiquiri, and are connected with the coast by a broad-gauge railway. The ontpnt of these mines is increasing, and there does not appear to be any limit to the ore in sight. The Jnragua Iron Company has a mine in this region, situated like that of the Spanish-American Company's, about six miles from tbe sea, and. Ilk it. having railroad connection with Its own pier. It is not alone for Its mlnsrsl deposits, however, that Oriente is notable. The extremely fertile Valley of Guantanamo contains some of tbe largest and beat sugar plantations In Cuba. A similar district Is that running back from Mansanlllo Bay ' to Bayamo. The latter place, on of tha most, picturesque of all old Cuban towns, was destroyed during the Ten Tears "War and is now s mass of ruins. From Bayamo, extending to the north. Is a fine, rolling country, where previous to the war countless herds t. cattle and horses grazed. There are signs of a revival of the old 8tockralslng industry In these parts. Baracoa. to the west of Cape MalaL ts the oldest settlement In Cubs, having ben founded In 1512 by Velaaques. who was sent by Diego Columbus from San Dcmlngo to colonite the Island. To (he west of Baracoa is Nipe Bay, one of the finest harbors of the world. Inland la this vicinity is a wonderfully fertile country adapted to the cultivation of tobacci and almost any kind of vegetables. Tbe new town of Antllla, on tbe bay, la a terminus of the Cnbs Railroad, and. If 1'rertent plaus ere carried to their ma turity, It will be 'one of tbe principal cities of Eastern Cuba. Tbe port wtil be but two and a half days' steam from New York, snd the project contemplates rnatli-fc It a great point of supply for tiiat city. There are always a nnmoer of orchards and vegetable farms In the country surrounding the bay. and the United Fruit Company's steamers maintain s regular service between Nipe and Banes 'Bays and New York. Tbe resources of Oriente or Santiago province are more varied than those of any other, and will probably prove on development to be more rich. This portion of the conntry presents exceptional opportunities to Industrious Americana with small capltaL Tbe once profitable cafetales will undoubtedly be reclaimed, and tbe old-time coffee trade of Cuba be revived, at least to a considerable extent. There Is room for the small sugar cultivator under agreement with some mill owner. Cocoanuts may be made tbe source of large profits with comparativev little expenditure of money. Garden truck grows with great rapidity, and needs but little working. In my next article 1 hope to convey a more definite Idea of ihe development Of tbe industries and commerce of Cuba, snd tha pro . Jectcd unvuvementa. C H. FORBES LINDSAY. AND TUBE MAKERS national danger. Like the piddock. tha shipworm makes Its tunnels wholly for protection, for It does not feed upon tha wood chips which it rasps away. No one, not even men of science, can tell exactly bow tbe piddock and the shipworm accomplish their wonderful boring feats. Some have thought that tha work was done by means of constant rasping produced by the movement of the shell; others that the fleshy muscular "foot of the animal represented the chief tool, while still others have held that the constant action of the water pumped, as It were, through tbe body of tbe mollusk against the sides of tts crypt effected tha gradual enlargement necessary as tha creature Increased in size. As a matter of fact, it is highly probable that a combination of all these means render tha shipworm and tbe piddock the expert tunnelers which we see them to be. One point about the shlpworm's tunnels Is of especial interest. They are lined with a layer of bard, shelly material la exactly tbe same way tbe human engineers line their borings with stone or brickwork or with a tube of steeL This shelly lining prevents tbe wood from swelling snd bulging inward snd Insures the free passage of water along tbe tunneL This Is very necessary, ss we have seen the shipworm relies upon a constant supply of sea water In order to feed. As Its tunnels are often of great length, it mast make sure that no stoppage shall occur, or else run the risk of being starved to death. A much thicker shelly lining ts constructed by a cousin of the shipworm, known as the cyphus. It makes long tunnels In the sand of tbe sea bottom. Thus, if it did not construct s reliable casing with Hs burrow. It would very soon ba cut off by a "fall of sand behind it and perish, like a miner imprisoned by a sudden subsidence of rock or eoaL In fact, tbe shipworm and cyphus "shore up tha sides of their tunnel In exactly the manner which modern engineers agree to be the best, namely, oy constructing a tube within the boring as tbe work progresses. These shelly tubes sre sometimes dug out of tbe sand by the South Sea Islanders In sections varying from four to six feet long, and are valued highly by tbe finders as charms. They are placed above the doorposts of the huts just as we sometimes nail up a horseshoe. Vertical shafts are sunk by certain mollusks termed aspergillum, and tbese, too, sre lined with shelly msterlaL The tops are roofed over in s very pretty way, the edtre being frilled and the covering studded with holes like the rose of s watering pot. In this way undesirable intruders are kept out, while a free passage for water Is preserved. - One other example of nature's tunnelmakers are the "long horn" beetles. Representatives of tbese Insects are found In all parts of the world. They are of all sizes, from great fellows several Inches long to little chaps less la size than flies. Tbo grubs do Immense damage In many parts of the civilized globe. At the same time it is a fact that in tropical forests these beetles do good service la preserving what is called the "balance of nature." They are scavengers. They clear sway the vast amount of fallen timber which accumulates each year.