For the year ending June 30, 1900, its imports free and dutiable were $31,371,704; and the exports $26,513,400. The principal imports are cotton and linen goods, cereals, and provisions. Its chief exports are sugar and tobacco.

Cuban cities consume large quantities of poultry. Over 40,000 cases of eggs, 30 dozen to the case, were imported by Cuba in 1900. They retailed at from 2 to 4 cents each in the markets of Havana.

The estimated production of sugar in 1901, based on results obtained up to Feb. 26, 1901, will be double that of last year, i. e., 66,000 tons against 330,000 tons in 1900, valued at $17,583,000.

Sponge fishing has developed rapidly on the southern coast of Havana Province. The industry dates from 1886, and now the exports of sponges from Batabano amount to $1,000,000 a year.

For the nine months ending September, 1900, the imports of Cuba (including gold and silver) amounted to $53,108,702, as compared with $54,636,747 for the same period of the previous year. Of this total Europe sent goods valued at $21,559,239, distributed as follows: The United Kingdom, $8,297,865; Spain, $7,573,912; Germany, $2,104,516; France, $2,501,732; and the remaining million to Italy, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Sweden, etc. The imports from South America footed up to a total of $3,569,040, and from the West Indies, $1,013,371. Imports from the United States amounted to $24,525,659 as compared with $28,094,030 for the nine months ending September, 1899. Of live stock from the United States, cattle were valued at $1,387,743; horses, $179,232; mules, $208,846; hogs, $217,676. Of bread stuffs from the United States the imports of corn were valued at $483,073; oats, $74,821; wheat flour, $1,574,652; and coffee, $881,815. Of

iron and steel manufactures the greater part is from the United States; and so of tools and electrical machinery, sugar and brandy, machinery, locomotives, etc. Of shoes and sandals the islanders bought goods worth $165,527 from the United States, as compared with $545,912 for the same period in 1899; from Spain they bought $774,666, against $1,427,077 during the same period of 1899. Of beef products, etc, the imports from the United States were $762,198; hams and shoulders, $156,668; pork, $252,810; lard and tallow, $1,360,729; cheese, $50,692; condensed milk, 88,772; poultry, $33,016; potatoes, $189,618. rice 69,784 pounds were imported from the United States, valued at $1,587, as compared with 2,994,624 pounds, worth $76,525 in the same period of 1899. The imports of rice from the United Kingdom for the nine months ending September, 1900, amounted to $1,769,625, against $1,767,673 during the same period of 1899 The imports of rice from Germany were valued at $634,091, against $518,253 for the same period of the previous year. Spain shipped $42,881, against $75,406 during the corresponding period of the previous year.

Of

The imports from the date of occupation by the United States, July 17, 1898, to June 30, 1900, amounted to $101,942,401. The figures for the port of Santiago are from July 17, 1898; from other ports, Jan. 1, 1899. The total imports of merchandise for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1900, were $71,681,187.

The total exports of merchandise from Cuba in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1900, were $45,228,346. The total exports up to June 30, 1900, were $75,300,527, and the export duty collected $1,104,665. These are the figures for the period from the date of occupation by the United States-Santiago, July 17, 1898, and at other ports Jan. 1, 1899. The exports of leaf tobacco

The exports of Cuba during the nine months ending September, 1900, were $40,196,702, against $42,282,580 in the same period of 1899. These figures include gold and silver. The exports of merchandise for the nine months ending September, 1900, were $38,020,038, against $38,672,146 for the same period of the previous year. The value of Cuba's exports (including gold and silver) to the principal commercial countries, for the nine months ending September, 1899 and 1900 respectively is shown in the following table (compiled from the Summary of Commerce issued by the War Department, September, 1900).

It may be noted, in passing, that Spain's trade with Cuba was considerably larger in 1899 than it was in 1898, both imports and exports.

Agriculture is in a backward condition, because of the lack of farming implements and good roads. About 1,135 miles of railways had been built at the close of 1900, and 3,000 miles of telegraphs.

Public education in Cuba dates from 1842, but under the Spanish régime the number of free schools was insufficient to meet the needs of the people. Of the entire population a little more than 1 per cent. (19,158) had superior education; and only 34 per cent. (533,498) could read and write. According to the election laws promulgated by the U. S. Military Governor, the right of suffrage is limited to the males over 21 years of age who can read and write. Out of a total of 417,993 males of voting age there were 105,285 Cuban citizens capable of exercising the franchise, and about 77,000 of Spanish citizens, citizens in suspense, foreigners, etc. Of those who are able to read the proportion is a little higher566,501. The total number of illiterate is 1,004,884 or nearly 64 per cent. As in Spain itself intellectual culture was for the few. The comparatively small class of professional and business men who attended the University of Havana and other colleges were well educated. A number of literary and scientific papers and periodicals were published in the large cities, showing a high grade of intelligence in both writers and readers. During the first six months of 1900 the public school system of Cuba was reorganized under the direction of General Leonard Wood by Supt. A. E. Frye, following the educational system of the

United States. In June, 1900, there were more than 3,000 public schools in Cuba, having 3,500 teachers and more than 130,000 pupils. The estimated expenditures were upward of $4,000,000. In July 1,500 teachers were brought to Harvard for instruction in American methods during the summer of 1900. The University of Havana was also remodeled, with three faculties: Letters and Sciences, Medicine and Pharmacy, and Law.

Since 1898 the administration of public affairs in Cuba has been in the hands of the War Department, with General Wood as Military Governor-general, aided by subordinates acting as military governors of the six provinces, now called Departments: Pinar del Rio, Havana, Matanzas, Santa Clara, Porto Principe, and Santiago de Cuba.

The Cuban Constitutional Convention, composed of delegates elected Sept. 15, 1900, met in November to formulate a new constitution for the Cuban Republic. Señor Mendez Capote was elected president of the convention. The work of constitution-making progressed slowly, each article being discussed and voted upon separately. One clause adopted provides for universal suffrage, another for the election of president by an electoral college. After a warm discussion over the

AVENUE OF ROYAL PALM TREES, CUBA.

qualifications for president, General Gomez, a Porto Rican by birth, was declared eligible to the presidency of the Cuban Republic. The president's term of office is four years. Local governors are to be elected by the people, not appointed by the president. The Congress is to consist of the Senate (six members from each of the six Departments, to be elected for six years), and the House of Representatives (one for each 25,000 inhabitants, elected for four years). The Justices of the Supreme Court are to be appointed by the president with the approval of the Senate, and the term of office is for life. In other points the constitution is similar to the American.

The convention put itself on record refusing to recognize any debts contracted in the name of Cuba, except those contracted after Feb. 24, 1895, by the revolutionary party. After the constitution was practically completed and signed by the delegates, Feb. 21, a central committee was appointed to draft a plan regarding the relations of the Cuban Republic to the United States. Later (Feb. 27) the convention added several clauses to its constitution, defining more fully its posi

tion with reference to the independence of Cuba, and its relations with foreign nations; not permitting its territory to be used as a base of operations for war against the United States or against any foreign nation; accepting the treaty of Paris and substituting itself for the United States to carry out the pledge to protect life and property; also recognizing as valid the acts of the military government of the United States during the period of occupation, and suggesting the policy of reciprocity in the commercial relations of the two countries.

An important decision was made by the Supreme Court (Jan. 14), authorizing Neely's extradition to Cuba to stand trial for postal frauds. By this decision Cuba is a foreign country.

On Feb. 25 the Senate Committee on Relations with Cuba recommended what was known as the Platt amendment to the Army appropriation bill. This amendment, embodying the terms of a more or less restrictive suzerainty over Cuba, was passed by the Senate Feb. 27, and afterward by the House. Inasmuch as the Platt resolutions would have the effect to establish a virtual protectorate over the island, by reserving to the United States control of the foreign relations and the finances of Cuba and the power to intervene by force, if necessary, to preserve peace and protect property, and as these provisions fail to satisfy Cuban aspirations for independence, statehood was proposed by some as the best solution of the problem.

The full text of the Platt amendment is as follows:

"That in fulfillment of the declaration contained in the joint resolution approved April 20, 1898, entitled 'For the recognition of the independence of the people of Cuba, demanding that the government of Spain relinquish its authority and government in the island of Cuba, and to withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters, and directing the President of the United States to use the land and naval forces of the United States to carry these resolutions into effect,' the President is hereby authorized to leave the government and control of the island of Cuba to its people so soon as a government shall have been established in said island under a constitution, which, either as a part thereof or in an ordinance appended thereto, shall define the future relations of the United States with Cuba substantially as follows:

"1. That the government of Cuba shall never enter into any treaty or other compact with any foreign power or powers which will impair or tend to impair the independence of Cuba, nor in any manner authorize or permit any foreign power or powers to obtain by colonization or for military or naval purposes or otherwise lodgment in or. control over any portion of said island.

"2. That said government shall not assume or contract any public debt to pay the interest upon which and to make reasonable sinking fund provision for the ultimate discharge of which the ordinary revenues of the islands, after defraying the current expenses of the government shall be inadequate.

"3. That the government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property and individual liberty and for the discharging of obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the

treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the government of Cuba.

"4. That all acts of the United States in Cuba during its military occupancy thereof are ratified and validated, and all lawful rights acquired thereunder shall be maintained and protected.

"5. That the government of Cuba will execute, and as far as necessary extend, the plans already devised or other plans to be mutually agreed upon for the sanitation of the cities of the island, to the end that a recurrence of epidemics and infectious diseases may be prevented, thereby assuring protection to the people and commerce of Cuba, as well as to the commerce of the southern ports of the United States and the people residing therein.

6. That the Isle of Pines shall be omitted from the proposed constitutional boundaries of Cuba, the title thereto being left to future adjustment by treaty.

7. That to enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba and to protect the people thereof, as well as for its own defense, the government of Cuba will sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations at certain specified points to be agreed upon with the President of the United States.

8. That by way of further assurance the government of Cuba will embody the foregoing provisions in a permanent treaty with the United States."

The President, who touched briefly on the Cuban situation in his message (Dec. 3, 1900), treated the subject more fully in his inaugural address (March 4, 1901):

"We face at this moment a most important question that of the future relations of the United States and Cuba. With our near neighbors we must remain close friends. The declaration of the purposes of this government in the resolution of April 20, 1898, must be made good. Ever since the evacuation of the island by the army of Spain the executive with all practicable speed has been assisting its people in the successive steps necessary to the establishment of a free and independent government prepared to assume and perform the obligations of international law which now rest upon the United States under the treaty of Paris.

"The convention elected by the people to frame a constitution is approaching the completion of its labors. The transfer of American control to the new government is of such great importance, involving an obligation resulting from our intervention and the treaty of peace, that I am glad to be advised by the recent act of Congress of the policy which the legislative branch of the government deems essential to the best interest of Cuba and the United States.

"The principles which led to our intervention require that the fundamental law upon which the new government rests should be adapted to secure a government capable of performing the duties and discharging the functions of a separate nation, of observing its international obligations of protecting life and property, insuring order, safety, and liberty, and conforming to the established and historical policy of the United States in its relation to Cuba.

"The peace which we are pledged to leave to the Cuban people must carry with it the guarantees of permanence. We became sponsors for the pacification of the island, and we remain

After many delays and discussions, the members of the central committee of the Cuban constitutional convention met March 28 and three of them (including General Gomez) drafted a report proposing the rejection of the Platt amendment. Among the numerous propositions presented before the convention afterward was a motion to send a committee to Washington to discuss with President McKinley three objectionable clauses (3, 6 and 7) in the Platt amendment. The resolution appointing this commission provided that nothing it agreed to would be binding unless accepted by the Cuban convention.

The delegation from the Cuban constitutional convention reached Washington April 24, and the five commissioners-Diego Tamayo, Secretary of State, Gonzalez Llorente, associate justice of the Supreme Court of Cuba, Pedro Betancourt, Civil Governor of the province of Matanzas, Rafael Portuondo, Fiscal of the Audencia of Santiago de Cuba, and Dr. Mendez Capote, President of the constitutional convention, were dined at the White House April 25. They had several conferences with Secretary Root and President McKinley, who convinced them that the government intends to deal fairly with the Cubans. The island is not to be annexed, if the Platt resolutions are accepted. The delegates were assured that the naval stations asked for are for the good of Cuba as well as for the United States. The commissioners expressed the desire that the tariff be revised, making the rates as low as practicable and to the mutual advantage of both countries. The President plainly told them that political relations must first be settled, then the government will be in a position to make tariff concessions, lowering the duties on sugar and tobacco. Later the delegates were banqueted in New York City and left for Havana (May 1). Governor-General Wood, who came to Washington in advance of the delegates, had a long interview with Secretary Root, giving full information on affairs in Cuba. Questions of Cuban policy were discussed, especially commercial matters and the bearing of statistics of Cuban trade with foreign nations. In 1900 the imports of the United States to Cuba fell off, while the imports from England to the island increased 385 per cent. and from Germany 75.8 per cent. During the first eight months of 1899 we shipped to Cuba cotton goods valued at $990,310, and for the same period of 1900 goods valued at $279,865. During the last six months of 1900 Spain supplied the islanders $620,096 worth of shoes and the United States $169,768. The Cubans buy most of their cotton goods from England, instead of from this country. It was developed in the conferences that business methods as well as tariff duties are responsible for this loss of Cuban markets.

The Cuban delegates were informed of the difficulties involved in securing trade favors from Congress, owing to the opposition of the sugar and tobacco interests. The commission preparing the new Cuban tariff is handicapped by the demands of American manufacturers, who want heavy duties against Cuba's products main

tained, while they demand that the rates be low on their shipments of commodities to the island. On April 26 the conservative party of Cuba published a manifesto, indorsing the Platt amendment. A resolution in favor of accepting it was passed by the Economic Society, the oldest and most select body in Cuba. On the other hand, many Cubans object to the 3d, 6th, 7th, and 8th clauses of the Platt resolutions, which they consider to be in violation of the Teller resolution, the treaty of Paris, and the promises of the American government. Señor Portuondo, of the Commission, was reported as saying: "Ninetyfive per cent. of the Cuban people desire absolute independence." But the economic question is looked upon as a factor making for acceptance of the conditions in the Platt amendment, in return for reciprocity in trade relations.

The Cuban commissioners returned to Havana May 5, and presented their report at a secret session of the constitutional convention May 7. Action was deferred, and the convention reassembled May 13, when the report was referred to the standing committee on relations with the United States. A majority of this committee favored the acceptance of the Platt amendment, and so recommended in their report May 20. At the same session a minority report was read, opposing acceptance, which was rejected (May 24) by the convention, 19 to 9. The next day the convention voted to accept the Platt amendment in part, rejecting clauses 3, 6, 7 and 8. On May 28, by a vote of 15 to 14 the convention accepted the Platt amendment with conditions. The principal points were re-stated, and in the modified form were not acceptable to the Washington government. Secretary Root telegraphed the Cubans, saying they would better accept the Platt amendment without changes. At a meeting of the convention June 12, the Platt amendment was accepted, without modifications, by a vote of 16 to 11.

By order of the Postmaster-General of the United States, issued March 23, 1901, to take effect April 1, domestic rates of postage and classification apply to mail passing between Cuba and the United States. Before this date rates on mail from the United States to Cuba were the same as to foreign countries, as fixed by the Postal Union.

The export duty on Cuban tobacco was abolished by order of the President of the United States, to take effect April 1, 1901. The War Department estimates that the loss of revenue due to the abolition of this duty will amount to about $1,000,000 a year. The value of the exports affected by the order is about $20,000,000 a year, of which the greater part is sent to the United States. The Cuban Economic Commission recommended the removal of the duty, with the view of increasing the production of tobacco.

The commission for the revision of the Cuban Customs Tariff, appointed by the United States government, consists of five members, two of whom are American citizens established in Cuba, two Cubans by birth, and the fifth the present Collector of Customs at Havana, Colonel T. H. Bliss. The Tariff Commission closed its public hearings April 20.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.-R. T. Hill, "Cuba and Porto Rico" (1898); R. P. Porter, "Industrial Cuba" (1899); C. M. Pepper, "To-morrow in Cuba" (1899); Report of the Census of Cuba, 1899.

EUGENE PARSONS, A.M.

CHARLES G. DAWES.

DAWES, CHARLES GATES, is announced as a candidate for the U. S. Senate as the successor of William E. Mason of Illinois.

Mr. Dawes is a young man, having been born in 1865, at Marietta, Ohio; he was graduated from the Cincinnati Law School in 1886. He comes of a soldier race, being the son of General R. R. Dawes, one of the commanders during the Civil War of the old Iron Brigade of Wisconsin. He is also a lineal descendant of William Dawes of Revolutionary fame, some of whose exploits were described by Longfellow. The new candidate first became prominent during the Presidential campaign of 1896 when he became the executive head of the Republican forces in Illinois, after which he became the Controller of the Currency. He practiced law for several years at Lincoln, Nebraska, but came from there to Chicago to assume the Presidency of the Northwestern Gaslight and Coke Company.

DEBT OF NATIONS.-The announcement of a new British loan of $300,000,000 lends interest to a statement recently issued by the Treasury Bureau of Statistics regarding the national debts of the world. This statement shows in brief that the national debts of the world aggregated more than $30,000,000,000 at the close of the nineteenth century, or 10 times as much as in the closing years of the eighteenth century.

In 1793, at the beginning of the Napoleonic wars, the national debts of the world amounted to approximately 21⁄2 billions of dollars: in 1900 they were, according to the best information obtainable, 31 billion dollars. In general terms it may be said that the world's national indebtedness in 1900 aggregated 10 times what it did at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Meantime population has increased 150 per cent., and gold and silver, which form the basis of the money with which debt payments are made, 300 per cent., though the proportion of the existing gold and silver which is turned into coin is now much greater than at the beginning of the nineteenth century, while the utilization of the vari

ous forms of credit as currency may have increased the world's circulating medium quite in proportion to the increase in its national debts.

Whether national wealth has increased as rapidly as national indebtedness is equally difficult to determine, since official estimates of national wealth were made at the beginning of the century in the case of only a few nations. The wealth of the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and the United States in 1800 is estimated at $20,244,640,000, while Mulhall in 1895 estimated their wealth at $195,759,829,000 or practically 10 times that at the beginning of the century. The debts of these four nations in 1793 aggregated but $1,630,279,000, and in 1900 were $11,764,000,000 or 7 times as much as in 1793. If the rate of growth in wealth which has characterized the four nations whose growth during the century may be also properly applied to the world at large, it may be said that the growth of national wealth has about kept pace with that of national indebtedness, since national wealth, in the cases where it can be measured, is to-day 10 times as great as at the beginning of the nineteenth century and the national indebtedness, where it can be measured, is also to-day about 10 times what it was at the beginning of the century.

This enormous increase in national indebtedness is chiefly the result of wars, standing armies, and works of public utility. To this may be added a tendency in many cases to create an annual deficit by expenditures exceeding revenues made in deference to popular demand, which deficits ultimately take the form of funded or bonded indebtedness. But the bulk of these enormous debts is from war and war preparations and the construction of public works, such as railways, canals, harbors, and the improvement of waterways. Of the railways of the world, whose total cost has been estimated at $30,000,000,000 about one-third are owned by national governments, indicating that approximately onethird of the increase in indebtedness has been applied to works of this character. But the fact that great wars have compelled the nations engaged in them to instantly make enormous additions to their funded indebtedness clearly identifies this as the principal factor in the great increase in national indebtedness which has characterized the history of national finances in the nineteenth century. In 1748 the debt of England was £76,000,000, while the Seven Years' War brought it in 1763 to about £133,000,000. The years of peace intervening between that date and the beginning of the American war somewhat reduced the debt, but at the termination of the war with the American colonies in 1784 the debtto England was £273,000,000. A reduction followed during the 10 years of peace, but the 21 years of war from 1794 to 1815 left the total debtat £902,000,000, the highest point which it has ever reached. The 39 years of peace which followed reduced it to £800,000,000 but the Crimean war which lasted two years, again increased it to £834,000,000, while the South African war at the close of the century recorded another increase of £30,000,000 of funded indebtedness, besides a considerable increase by exchequer bonds, to which may still be added the recent loan of £60,000,000.

Turning to France the evidence of increased indebtedness by war is equally apparent. Her national debts at the beginning of the Second Empire are estimated by Baxter at £245,000,000,