Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-11-17
SPANISH OFFICERS STOLE FROM
THEIR GOVERNMENT.
REPORT OF r. p. PORTER
Special Commissioner Appointed to
Investigate Submits Result OF His
Work to the Decentralization OF
Cuban Tariff Observation-Disclosures tor
Sugar Plantations Wanted

Washington, Nov. l6.-Robert +.
Porter, special commissioner FOR the
United States to Cuba and Porto Rico,
presented his report to the president
and secretary OF the treasury yesteT-
day. The report contains about $4,000
words and goes fully into the financial
and economical condition OF Cuba, an
alyZing the budget Of the island for
four years, showing the sources OF IN
come and the causes OF expenditure.
There Is also among the testimony col
lected many valuable statements relat-
ing to the financial, industrial, com
mercial and social conditions OF Cuba,
which form the nucleus for a report on
the possibilities for American enter
prise and opportunities and for Amer
lean capital and labor when the more
pressing questions Of government, rev.
enue and taxation of the island have
been settled. Porter examined, both
In the United States and Cuba some
500 witnesses, all OF whose testimony
IL published In the appendix to the re-
port. He also submitted for the APP
proval OF the secretary OF the treas
ury complete revision of the tariff
in the form OF new bill, which Will
be examined by the experts OF the
treasury department, and II approved
will be promulgated by the president
and take effect at the port OF Glen
fuegos December /, that being, In all
probability, the first important port
TO come into the possession Of the
United States.
In consideration of the Cuban quos-
ton IL became apparent that the no 1t
pressing need Of the island was tariff
that would bear lightest In directions
where the people could least afford the
burden of taxation and heaviest on
the commodities which the well-to-do
and those engaged In the large enter
prises required. Porter says: tine
Spanish tariff was made by the Span
iards for Spain and In the interests 81
the Spaniards. That seems to be the
only principle In It,
TO the question with such n large
reduction of duties, how could 1t he
possible to secure revenue for the )ur-
pose Of administering the government
of the island, the report says: THE
general answer IL, that by reason Of
fraudulent classification and SNUG
Cling, most OF the revenue collec nj
from the people Of Cuba never found
It's way into the treasury of that ISL
and, nor Of Spain" Porter says.
THE cupidity and rapacity of the
Spanish officials In Cuba Is beyond
conception and, II We may Judge By
Santiago, the United States will he
aple to collect much revenue. In MI
cases where there arc some Industries
in Cuba capable Of supplying manu-.
featured product made by home labor
care has been exercised, either by
making free raw material or not max
ing too radical reduction Of duty.
not to injure their prospects
The report continues: "Fhe money
collected from Cuba has all gone and
nothing Is likely to be found In ne
treasury but numerous evidences OF
promises to pay, records OF receipts
given by the government for goods
not paid for, debts Of all kinds, includ
Ing salaries of n large number OF
minor officials"
Porter closes by giving an account Of
the condition Of labor In the island. In
which he says; There Is at this mo
ment steady increase In the demand
for labor on plantations, and In san
tiago province labor for mines, While
In Cuba your commissioner received a
cable dispatch calling for $4,000 labor
ors for the mines, while three large
planters stood ready between them to
employ 1000 mon to work In sugar
fields. A better distribution OF labor
will aid In Il revival of business and In
re-eatabIishing prosperity OF the ISL
and, or II this was done intelligcntly
by the United States government
employment could be found for thou
sands, whose presence In Havana with
OUT work will be a menace to the city.
It should be borne In mind that the
Cuban harvest Il IN the winter months,
and therefore respectfully recon-
mcnd that some plan bc inauguratcd
by which those who want work can he
Immediately brought to those anxious
TO give them employment"