The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-12-31

yet it was done, and have been informed
on good authority that it was done regu-
larly by vessels plying between here and
New York. The reason for this exaction
was that the Captain General bought sill
yer at its market value and paid it out to
troops and for other government expenses,
and charged the government in gold.
They say here that he returned to Spain
very wealthy When the government
found that it was impossible to prohibit
traders bringing in Mexican silver another
regulation was passed prohibiting all
Mexican silver coined before 1890 being
brought in, and finally all the Mexican
money of this island was carried to Spain
and recoined stamping Porto Rico on it,
in the meantime taking out some of the
silver in each Mexican dollar and substi-
tuting platinum or some baser metal
With such exactions, taxes, and extor-
lions, the Spaniards say that the Cubans
have no grievances; and yet the American
SoiohlSo lCUCliCNt bCCittoC lutt were Cndrg
ed pence per pound on teas and a little
stamp tax. Yet every document in this
country has to have a stamp, and quite
high, too. have it from no less an au-
thority than a U. S. Consul in Cuba that
it costs 10 per cent of the amount of a
mortgage to have it recorded, and 10 per
bo :
on the best of paper is not less than II
per cent. and often reaches as high as 30
per cent. A gentleman of high standing
informs me that Is per cent. would be a
fair average interest per annum.
There are a few papers published in
this city and, by the way only last even
ing the editor of one OF them was cast into
prison just because he quoted a short
article from a Paris paper which cast
some slight reflections on the war policy
of the government Of Spain. | have had
the article read to me and | can't see
thing worthy of the notice of the govern
ment of Spain, but the poor fellow is
doomed for Fernando Pc or some other
penal colony. A few days ago one of the
Trans Atlantic steamers was held here
over night to put ON board young man
of Is years, of respectable family, who
was so unfortunate as to write in an al
bum of his sweetheart little poem of his
own make up in which he spoke favorably
of the Cubans in arms. 1t somehow got
to the officials and he was cast into prison.
Hence the cause of the steamer being de-
tanned SO as to put him on board at
O. clock in the morning while the city was
quiet and the people in the arms of Nor
pheus. With the young man mentioned
two more were deported and the steamer
left before daylight, all for fear of a de-
monstration in favor of the young man.
go liberty. liberty! how many crimes are
committed in thy namew
AS mentioned Cuba, perhaps it would
be interesting to say few more words
about it. Spanish blood is at fever heat
here against Americans, government and
all. Our Consul General in Havana is
spoken of in a fire eating little Spanish
sheet of this city as ''that Lee, with a
broad brimmed cow boy hat, masquerade
ing up to the palace in Havana in the inter
ests of American citizens who are no better
than pirates, and in every way menacing
SPAIN Again it says: "The Northern
States will find out that it isn't alone to
put down the rebellion in Cuba that
Spain is massing so many troops there,
but to invade Florida should the President
of the unwieldy Republic in any way in
tervene in Cuba
A few days ago battalion of troops
embarked from here for Cuba. There
were 800 men and one monkey in the bat
TALON, and it was sight to behold. That
was gala-day for all the people except
the troops, who embarked with some bit
terness of feeling on account Of being de-
ceived by the government. They were
volunteers who came to this island to do
garrison duty and not to take the field in
Cuba. They were landed here about 10
days before the final order for Cuba
came. Some of the officers had their
families come out, and others were to
have come later, so when the order to