New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-24
RELIC OF THE MIDDLE AGES.

Administrative corruption is more conspicuous
in Cuba than in any other portion Of Spanish
America The island is not more immoral than
the republics of the same blood, but it Is under
carpet-bag rule. The Cuban patronage is farmcd
out in Madrid Systematically TO Ministerial IA
yoritcs who either purchase their appointments
outright or have obtained them under covenant
to pay commissions TO political rings The Off
Gals are sent out from Spain to make money
for themselves and to share the plumber with
those who appoint them. Both the customs and
civil services are tainted with venality and cor
ruption Every administrative department is
overmanned: there are hundreds OF unnecessary
offices and sinecure cerkships; and every indus
try and interest in the island is forced to pay
tribute TO these mercenary adventures.
There is the strongest circumstantial evidence
of the accuracy of these statements, apart Ioii
the direct testimony OF Cuban merchants anu
planters that they are constantly conpeheu ="
bribe officials There is a startling dlscrepahc!
year after year between the statlstcal returns
of exports shipped from the United States "
the Spanish West Indies and the imports cred
tied there as received from that source lhis
shows that there are large quantities OF iher-
chandise which are either underyalued WIN me
conniyance Of corrupt officials, or else slnussi'n
into port These Illicit operations are so ho'o-
rious that proposals have been made 10 various
foreign syndicates for farming out the revenues
at an advance Of several millions above the Or
binary receipts Of the Government. Inc pres
ent tariff would yield very large revenue IL IL
were honestly administered on business prlh-
ciples The officials are corrupt and incompe-
tent The leakage amounts to several millions,
which are shared by carpct-bag adventures
with cOnfederates in Spain.
Every department of the administration is a
money making bureau. There are inspectors lor
all the great productive industries who have 10
be bribed to neglect their duty. There Is ii
| moiety system, by which informers receive Il
| norton of the fines imposed for technical lrrcg-
| ularities In manifests; and this Is employed TO
| embarrass importers and merchants and to
| force them TO settle with venal officials. In
| ternal taxation is most burdensome and oppres-
| sive. the cedua requirement affecting every
| taxnayer in the island; and the officials are
| emnowered 10 increase or diminish rates at their
| discretion. aud consequently have constant Op'
| nortunities for making money. Whenever the
| match tax or the direct tax has been EARNED
ont the receipts have been largely increased, and
the implication has been plain that officials Tor
mcrly employed III colIecuhS uh'sc ""'' nav
been corruptly influenced. The majority OF the
| officials. clerks and informers are Indifferent &c
the interests Of the service. They are Spahlarls
who have been forced to pay heavily for thell
commissions, and are in Cuba TO make theii
| fortunes by bribery and blackmaii
All these shameful conditions OF the civil ser
vice have impaired the loyalty OF Cuban lax
payers to the Mother Country They are no.
| axo1 no hapipuinO to the end OF Tho
year, but they are also forced to buy In deal
market and thereby to reduce the PURCHASING
power Of whatever they have to sell. Then, too