The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-29

10 many OF tne poor OuOAnS tnlf
means fortuue.
"You wish to 20 into business, we will
say drugs. You 60 to the inspector oil
the district and you are obliged to give
him complete schedule of every drug
you expect to deal in, and the amount
you expect to make per month and
when the permit is granted they exact
a government fee of per cent in ad-
vance ON what you state to be your
probable gross sales. And that is
not all. He is likely to bob up at any
time, ii he finds your sales and profits
in advance OF your expectations
when you started, he exacts the
extra pound of flesh. If he finds that
you had enterprise and push and de-
sired to put into your store more
salable drugs and had neglected to
notify your inspector, you are liable
for big fines and monthly extortions.
One government official told me that
he got 500 per month from the gov
eminent and made independently of
that $4,000 in six months as his share
Of the plumber. Country merchants,
where an ignorance might be expected
in the laws governing fines and extor-
tions, were his bone, and he sucked it
like true Spaniard as long as there
was any red on it.
Every land lord on the island has to
stick 5-cent stamp on his daily regis
ter, opposite the name of. every GUS
toner. An American going to the
island lands free, but when he wants to
see his mother country again he has to
pay 30 cents for the privilege of leaving
the island. I have had some dealings
| with the Spanish government. The
stamps upon the paper are the largest
and most prominent feature. No
agree nent can be binding without
| these stamps. Otto Reimer, the Amer
came into the French club of
that city and in heat told
me he had just had a conference
with judge in regard to suit before
him, where a man owed him $500
Reimer said: Graham, the judge asked
me $500 to decide the case in my favor.
What would you have done! As had
my eye on good carom, said, Com
promise, split the difference just
what did, said he, and won my suit
You hear frequently, when parties are
| telling of their law suits, that they
have no fear of the final results, from
the fact that the judge is an old family
| friend, or when boys together back in
Spain they went to school together.
''Taxes on all improvements in all
Industries are enormous and unjust.
On uncultivated lands the taxes are
light, but scratch the soil and the gov
eminent is after you with a sharp
stick. Some sugar plantations have to
pay as high as SIG per acre. Every
thing is taxed. A tax is put upon the
table, upon the cart and upon the
fruits of the field. Houses pay, among
other taxes, one for the number of
doors and windows opening upon the
streets. Signs hung outside of stores
pay by the number of letters upon
them. In all stores they must pay also
for the number and size of the scales
they use to weigh their goods. The
skull and crossbones of government
exactions appear at every feast and are
above every doorway. Is it any won
der that Spain breads to yield up the
golden calf? Is it any wonder that
Cubans, who pay this enormous tax,
spend their strength and blood 80 lift
this heavy burden off their shoulders?
"The colleges of America have had
many Cubans among their number.
They 60 back to their homes of per-
petual summer, rich in learning and
with lofty ideals of life, but they can
hold 40 place of trust or emolument
on the island of their birth. These
are only for the natives of Spain.
Spain, but if they do not themselves
go back to the home country and there
receive their education there is no
place of political preferment for them
in Cuba.
"Spain does nothing for the island;
improves no harbors, builds no rail-
roads, makes no highways, sustains no
schools. Cuba practically has few
wagon roads; not 80 many miles on the
island as we enjoy in Wayne county
alone. The money in the railroads be-
longs to Germany, France, England
and considerable in the United States.
The Spanish government only puts it's
leeches to work to collect tithes on
every passenger who may get aboard
train. At the gate Of every railroad
station, side by side with the gateman,
stands the government official to
gather in his coupon-half Mt a
mile on every mile they ride and 3 per
cent of the freight charges, gross in
come.
"To cite another instance of extor-
ton: A railroad out of Santiago de
Cuba, distance of twenty-four miles
to the mines, for the purpose of get
ting their ore to seaport, after good
deal of time and money expended, fin
ally got their concession. Bot today
they cannot take passenger on their
train or crew of their own employees
without a notice to the government
and only after paying for the privilege
do they get special permit, as the
grant was only given for the transpor-
tation of ore. The last time I was on
the island this same company, in the
hurry to build their road, had put up
a small wooden bridge, although
by the concession granted they
had the right to replace it within
five years by an iron one. Thirty
days after the five years had expired
they applied to the government for the
privilege of replacing it with an iron
one. A new governor had just been
sent over. At times they make short
work of them, no governor leaving
Spain without first writing his resigna-
ton. This one was fresh from home,
and probably realizing that his time
was short and that the harvest must be
secured, demanded toll of $4,000 for
the permit to build the bridge"
Captain Gresham, after this vivid &C.
count OF the extortionate methods of
the Spaniards, closed his address with
a tribute to the valOr and energy of the