5

-4-

thousand cigars. It would have eliminated the bunch-makers, and increased
the work of the roller who would then be unable to produce as many cigars,
and accordingly his salary would have suffered. Mr. Davis would have
pocketed the earnings of the bunch-makers without any compensation to the
roller; so what he says of increasing the comfort, and increasing the
earnings of the cigar-makers would really have been increasing his work,
decreasing his earnings, and throw many out into the streets.

"I, for one, do not believe he will make good his threat of leaving
Tampa.

'"To my manner of thinking, the cigarmaking machines are at the root
of all the evil in Ybor City. They have gradually displaced the cigar-
makers. As an example, the factory of Santaella installed five machines,
and threw out 38 cigar-makers.

"The Cubans with their customary good nature, have taught all who
wanted to learn the trade of cigar-making. This later was to prove their
own undoing as now the greater majority of those who are working are
Spaniards or Italians. Another factor is that all the manufacturers are
Spaniards, and since there is less work every day, the Cubans are thrown
out while the Spaniards are protected as much as possible. The best
employments are reserved for them, such as the position of selector.*
The Spaniards are the only one eligible to this position. They are very
highly paid for this work.

"Although many believe that the Italians are not good cigar-makers, I
know that this is not true, as some of the finest cigarmakers are Italians.
The Italian women are also very good bunch-makers and rollers.

*A selector, or "escojedor" as they are called in Spanish, is one who
selects the colors of the cigars so that all of one color will he boxed
together.

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