Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-23
Special Commissioner Porter
Submits His Report.
AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT
Sanitary Department Removes Causes Of
Ill Health in Cuban Cities. Abuses
Corrected, Roads Improved.
Suggestion as to Taxes.
(Rv TalarranI, \

(By Telegraph.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-Robert p.
Porter. special commissioner for the
United States to Cuba and Porto Rico,
has returned from Santiago and sub
mitted his report to the Secretary of
the Treasury. While in Porto Rico,
Mr.. Porter held public hearings. and all
persons interested in the welfare of tho
island were invited to submit state
ments and give oral Testimony. The
Chamber OF Commerce, representing the
commercial and Industrial interests of
the province, responded. The machin-
cry of the military government. MIR.
Porter says, is running with q fair de-
gree of smoothncss and the men re-
sponsble for it understand their bust
ness thoroughly. The disagreeable
smells of the typical Cuban city, his re-
pert says, are less pronounced in, San
tiago, While whitewash, lime wash.
fresh paints and all sorts of dlsinfect-
ants have deodorized the surrounding
atmosphere and made the old town
quite habitable.
STREETS NOW CLEAN.
The streets are no longer used as
sewers. and the unhappy individual
lash Of the sanitary commissions whip,
is compelled to work on the streets.
The official in charge Of this work
Major Barbour. With 126 men, dressed
in spotless white. and thirty-two good
United States mule teams and carts.
having dug out from the streets OF
Santiago the filth Of ages, is now able
to keep them absolutely clean. Every
h1yt oi1 of orb
age Of the city is burned The work
of sanitation is ot5con1ned TO the
streets, but 1Eterds to the dwelling
houses, shops and buildings of all
kinds. To accomplish this, however,
smashed in. and people making sew
ers of the thoroushfares We're publicly
horsewhipped in the streets.
YIELDED TO CLEANLINESS.
The campaign has ended in a COM
plete surrender to the sanitary au-
thorities, and the people Of Santiago,
regardle OF class, have had their first
object lesson in the new order of things
inaugurated by the war. Several i'm
portant streets have been repaired; all
the public buildings have been thor
oughy cleaned, the work extending
even to the opera house. The law
courts, which were abolished when
General Shafter took the city, have
been'reorganized. The Supreme Court.
the report continues, is composed CT
carefully selected Cuban judges. the
appointees nominated wholly on ac-
count Of legal attainments. In the
same manner local government has
been restored and native Mayors and
officials appointed, the only requirement
being that persons accepting such Of
flee shall take the oath recognizing the
military occupation of the island by the
United States, but in no way commit
ting them to any future form of govern
nlcnt
WHERE TAXES WENT.
The Spanish, when in possession of
Cuba, not only assumed control of the
judiciary but of the municipal govern
ment, the larger portion of the taxes
raised for municipal purposes being d.
Vertcd, with the other revenues, into
channels. Which, says the report, either
led to Spain or into Spanish pockets.
MI. Porter advises that these taxes
hereafter be used exclusively for local
purposes, and. as far as may be deem
ed practicable. that they be collected
and disbursed by properly constituted
local authorities. The rural districts of
Santiag go have been so depleted that it
would be impossible to collect taxes
over and above those needed for the
bare necessities Of the schools, for the
poor and possibly sums to improve the
sanitary conditions.
DAWN OF PROSPERITY
The dawn OF prosperity, however,
should be the signal for inaugural ting
work on the country roads The money
expended on roads, whether from the
genera! funds Of the island or local bud
gets, would ocme back a hundred fold,
it is stated, and would make Santiago
one of the richest sugar, coffee and
fruit-growing districts in the West In
dies.
Now that the customs tariff has been
disposed Of, Mr.. Porter recommends
that an immediate scheme be prepared
for levying and collecting internal rev
enue for the entire island. The question
Of separating these taxes from purely
municipal taxes should be considered
also. The large amount of delinquences
during the last three years, which
amounted to about Sc, 0O0 900, was, of
course. due to the war.