Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-11-19
THE FUTURE OF CUBA.
Needed Reforms Suggested By
Commissioner Porter.
TARIFF REVISION NECESSARY.

Iue spanish Aurlu constructed on the
"Heads Spain Wins, Tails Cuba
Loses'' Idea-The Rapacity or the
Spanish omciaIs In Cuba
Washington. Nov. 16.-Hon. Robert
p. Porter, special commissioner for
the United States to Cuba and Puerto
Rico. yesterday presented his report to
the president and secretary Of the
treasury. The report submitted con-
tains about $4,000 words and goes very
fully into the financial and economical
conditions OF Cuba, Analysing the
budget OF that island for IA years,
( showing the sources of income and the
I causes OF expenditure. There are some
: supplementary reports yet to be made.
4 Mr.. Porter examined both in the
| United States and Cuba some 500 wit
| nesses. all OF whose testimony is pub
/ lished In the appendix to the report.
I Mr.. Porter has also submitted for the
approval of the secretary of the treas
ury complete revision of the tariff in
the form OF a new bill. which VIII be
examined by the experts of the treas
ury department and II approved will
, be promulgated by the president and
take effect at the port of Cienfuegos
Dec. I, that being. in all probability,
the first important port to come into
/ the possession of the United States.
Commissioner Porter says:
THE Spanish tariff was made by
Spaniards for Spain. in the interest
Of the Spaniards. That seems to be the
only principle in it, On any other
theory 1t was inexplicable. The rates
were full OF inequalities and were not
levied on any sound principle. but on
the heads Spain wins. tails Cuba
loses idea, which prevails in the whole
fiscal fabric
THE cupidity and rapacity OF the
Spanish official in Cuba is beyond con-
ception. and IL we may judge by the
results at Santiago the United States
officials will be able to collect as much
revenue on a tariff the duties of which
are nearly two-thirds less than under
the Ubiquitous law now in force"
Mr.. Porter gives table showing the
average annual custom house receipts
| In the Island OF Cuba from 1886 to 1897.
inclusive. to be So, Gas, s94
In an interesting analysis OF the Gu
ban budget showing how much reve-
nue. is required and how much may
reasonably be expected from the tariff
to be enforced Mr.. Porter says:
The money collected from Cuba,
whether it was $26 000, 600 or less. has
all gone. and nothing Is likely to be
found in the treasury but numerous
evidences OF promises to pay. records
of receipts given by the government for
goods not paid for debts of all kinds,
including the salaries of a large num-
Der OF minor officials. The first and
most important item OF expenditure is
for sovereignty expenses. and aggre-
gates sum exceeding S22.000,000. The
largest item is that of the interest on
public debt. which aggregates $40. 1885,
1873.
An important subject in the report is
that in relation to the currency. Says
the report:
Although Cuba is afflicted with
many kinds OF deprecated currency
: the established basis is strictly gold.
Indeed, there is something almost
pathetic in the manner In which Cuba.
though plundered and depleted Of her
resources OF wealth, has never wavered
from gold basis The testimony taken
and statements made on this subject
have been unanimously in favor OF a
continuous gold basis. for the Cubans
+, have suffered so much from SPANS vari-
Gus attempts to force deprecated cur
rency upon the people. both in the form
, OF silver and bank bills. that they want
rency."
Mr.. Porter then takes no the ones
ton OF taxation. and suggests the abo-
lition OF certain taxes. especially that
known as the consumption tax" on
the killing OF cattle. which is an ex-
action that greatly increases the price
or food to the people. This tax" saws
Mr.. Porter. like many others. is
simply farned out to private firms or
corporations. whose emissaries in its
collection become n constant menace
to thrift and industry in their respec-
tive districts. Another tax which will
fall down OF it's own weight is the
''cedula," or head tax, which varies in
amount from a few cents to 500. ac-
cording to the rank and Importance Of
the individual. Curiously enough, this
tax when not collected becomes a
greater source OF injustice and annoy
ance than when collected. 1t is gen.
orally allowed to run until some occa-
| sion comes for the unhappy victim OF
Spanish rapacity to require a public
document or permit to bury child or
relative. license to marry, a trans
fer OF real estate or a notarial &C
acknowledgement Then IL is that the
petty rascals in charge of public bust
ness bear down heavily and unless the
|
some qualification" TO the Official is
forthcoming, the body must await in
terment, the marriage must be post
poned or transaction delayed.
Mr.. Porter then takes up the cues
ton of education. There are free pub
lie schools in Cuba, but the teachers
have the right to take pay scholars
and naturally those who do not pay
get little or no attention. The pro-
portion of people who are iliiterate is
very great. Some statistics show onlv
one in forty of the laboring classes
able to read and write There can be
70 stable government in Cuba, Mr..
Porter says, until this has been rene
| died.
Mr.. Porter closes his recommends
tons by giving an account OF the con-
dttion of labor in the island. in which
he says:
There is at this moment a steady
increase in the demand for labor on
plantations, and in Santiago province