The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-27

leges have been withheld from the Associ-
alton of Planters and the Association OF
Artisans. If Cuban wishes 10 hold q
reception at his house, he must first OBJ
tain license and pay for it.
The Cubans have no voice in the cleo
ton OF officers Immediately over them.
From the Captain-General down, all the
officials are appointed in Spain, and the
appointees are, OF course, Spaniards.
The Cubans have neither voice nor vote
in the imposition of the taxes or in the
expenditures of the revenue. All that is
done in Spain. They are taxed every
year to the extent of from $26 900 900 to
$50, 600 600. OF this vast sum only about
800, 900 has ever been appropriated for
internal improve in the island, for
the construction of public buildings, re-
pairs of roads, telegraph lines, harbor I'M
provements, lighthouses, ETC., but it is
notorious that rarely is one-half OF the
amount applied in that manner. The re-
meinder is stolen.
During the last twenty-five years not
one foot OF highway has been constructed
or one yard been added to the telegraph
lines. 1t is notorious that the filth OF the
harbor of Havana is a menace to the
health of the city. and even to that of the
CT. les on the Atlantic coast OF the United
States.
OF the sum raised by taxing Cuba, SILL
5OU, 900 is employed to paw interest on the
debt of Spain; $1,000, 900 to pay for the
salaries to Spanish employees in and out
of the island. Ont Of from SIG, 600 600 10
$50 COO, 00O of expenditures, not one cent is
disbursed for public education.
The amount OF moneys stolen by the
officers who have been sucking the life
out of Cuba can only be roughly approx.
mated; but the official records show that
i'll nv h rh loxv
convicted of frauds, vet every one of them
escared without punishment.
The Spanish General Pando in speech
delivered in the Cortes on March %, 1890,
after stating i'll detail the numerous frauds
of which there was docum entary evi.
dence, recap;tulated them as follows:
1.-The liquidation of cOnfiscated estates
shows a deficit OF $l4 ,00O, 00O the defalca-
lions in the Board OF Debt amount to over
$l2. 00O. 900 without including the last one
to which O.eiza has given his name. Now
adding these items to those already
stated we have arrived at a grond total Of
over SAC, O00. OcO." The Oteiza frauds were
found to amount to several millions alone.
This is not all. The Cubans are COM
PEELED to buy of Spain some $5S. 0O0, 900 an
nually of merchandise which they could
get elsewhere. principally from the United
States, from 20 to 25 per cent cheaper if
manufacturers to the extent of from $50 to
600 per cent.
The testimony of all who have visited
Cuba and had opportunity to investigate
the affairs Of the island points overwhelm-
ingly 10 one conclusion: "That whatever
progress in the path of civilization the
Cubans have accom- plished, they owe 10
their own unaided efforts frequently OBJ
s,ructed and entirely nullified by the ig-
norance, pride. greed and stupidity OF the
mother country" When it is remem bered
that Cuba has in various ways fed the ra-
paciiy of the Spaniards for long series Of
years to the extent of $55. 000 coo and $780,
600. 900 per annum, an idea can be formed
of the vitality and capacity of the island
to produce wealth.
Says NJ. Pierra: $50 soon as the forbid
ding and paralyzing power of Spain shall
have disappeared from the island. the
capital and enterprise which hereto ore
have kept aloof, being sure of their re-
ward, will flow into the country in order
to develop and transform all the elements
o. latent wealth W ich for centuries have
remained untouched and useless; and
Cuba, under the benefcent influence of
capital and industry, untrammeled and
free, will become an emporium OF wealth
and one of the most inviting and happiest
abodes on the GLOBE