The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-04-13

Coffee plantations. ~
tutt" lhruiS 81 -
loua"'" PLANTATIONS. ...........'.'......... t'oli
Small farms,
The gross annual proceeds of these speci-
fed estates il estimated at Sos ASS ,yj3, not
high estimate considering that the gross
value cf last years sugar crop alone,
though it was less than the average, ex-
cccdcd a hundred millions ~ dollars. How
ever, from the assessed value the Govern
meut deducts sixty per cent. for what it
calls running expenses. and lcvies the tax
OF irty per cent. ON the remainder, that Is
on forty per cent. Of assessed value.
In peaceful times the average expense Of
running wcll-managed sugar estate was
always calculated at fifty per cent of the
gross proceeds. A box OF sugar worth in
Havana $40 was estimated as having cost $40
in It's production before the war. Since 1863
expenses Of all kinds have increased enor-
mously, and, although the value Of sugar
has increased with them, only a very alum
dant crop could save the planter from ruin.
For the past two years the crops have been
unusually short, and they promis. 10 Ice
shorter hereafter Nevertheless. estimating
the expenses OF a sugar estate at only sixty
per cent. and adding thereto the thr-
ty per cent. tax on the remainder, we
find that of every hundred dollars OF value
produced by the planter seventy-two are
expended IN producing 1t. But as very many
of the expenses Of a sugar estate are neccs-
sdrily incurred at "A time when the amount
81 the crop Is mere guesswOrk, they must
very frequently, under such "A system of tax
alton, surpass the entire market value Of
the crop. The net proceeds Of the taxation
imposed on the rural estates oil Cuba are
estimated at Gls35sl.
City property is supposed TO produce an
annual gross income OF sl7,gGl,ls2, from
which the Government allows "A deduction
Of twenty-five per cent. for running ex-
penses, leaving the net proceeds at sl3,l7 =
1856. Under the heads of Industry and
commerce" and professions and arts" no
allowance is made for running expenses, and
the income from each is thus stated a. net
proceeds. industry and commerce, sl6O73,-
327; professions and arts Sl.sli.79s. The
total net proceeds Of all the income pro-
ducing property and industries Of Cuba
amount, according to the statement to
Sj7,o4i IA, which at thirty per cent should
yield to the Government u yearly rental Of
sl7,ll3,45).
We presume although the official state
ment omits all mention of the very impor-
tant item, that the tables of gross produce
expenses, and net proceeds are estimated in
gold coin, for In that the tax is payable and
If the calculations on which the assessments
are based are In currency or Spanish bank
bills, worth to-day about forty-four cents on
the dollar the tax of thirty per cent. in gold
amounts to over sixty-eight per cent.
When the Royal Commissioner, Don TOMAS
RODRIGUEZ RUB, left Cuba in March of last
year. he published budget, proving that at
that date the annual expenses Of the colony
could not be reduced under eighty-three n. -
lions Of dollars, and that of this sum fifty
millions were required for army expenses
alone. Since that date these army expenses
have increased enormously. Over thirty
thousand fresh troops have since that date
been landed on the island, The cost Of trans
porting, equipping, and arming these re-
cruts has been incrcas ed because as SPANS
credit sinks lower she is forced to make
greater sacrifices for ready money. Besides
this the number Of Spanish troops under
arms in Cuba to-day is greater than ever
before Consequently, if fifty millions of
! dollars Is the lowest estimate for war cX-