Arizona republican., 1898-08-24

EOIleT, WuO udS Uttu dppOlulSU d Spe- cial commissioner to go to Cuba and Porto Rico to examine into and report for the United States government the conditions of industry, commerce, cur rency and banking systems of the An titles, has received his final instruc- tions from President Mckinley and Secretary Gage, and will go to Havana with the military commissions re- gently appointed
 While the peace commission will probably spend more than a month in Cuba. a telegram from Washington says that MT. Porter will not be gone more than three weeks. He has held a number of conferences with Cuban importers and exporters within the last fortnight, and from them has se- cured much valuable information on the industrial and comnercial condi- tion nf both islands.
 OPINIONS DEVELOPED.
 h speaking of what took place at his last meeting with business men. the senior member of one of the chief firms represented above said:
 Tt was quite an enthusiastic meet ing. Although in no way spoken of previously so far as l can ascertain. the meeting showed that a strong sen timent existed as to the advisability of admitting free cattle and agricul- tural machinery into those ports Of Cuba now in possession of the United States It was pointed out that this free admission, used as it would be for the building up of destroyed prop erty and devastated plantations, would bring the ports now in the pos session of the United States n ore to the fore than the other ports not in the possession of this country. .
 "These ports not in possession ot the United States would naturally feel very much irritated over the fact that they were obliged to pay Spanish rates IS of old, and just as naturally these people, whether they be Spanish CT Gu ban, would say: Look at these ports that the United States control. They get their cattle and machinery free We are handicapped by a big tariff, and cannot begin to compete in the natter of trade cnd improvement with them
 "One of the gentlemen who attended the meeting said that the free admis- sion of cattle and machinery would do more to bring about a kindly feeling on the part of the natives of Cuba than all the troops of the world. It must be remembered that a p1aior portion of the field work of Cuba is performed by oxen. and these were slaughtered for food during the late war AS far IS the free admission of agricultural machinery is concerned, I think it would be beneficial to all in opening up again the sugar. mahogany and cedar industries. We were all highly pleased when we discovered that OFT sentiments were indorsed in a measure by Commissioner Porter.
 we had recognized the fact that with President Mckinley the com1nis- sioner was an out and out protec- tionist, and for that reason we hardly thought that either would give the question of the free admission of any thing into Cuba a moments consider ation. We have learned since, how ever, that Commissioner Porter has brought the question to the attention of MT. Mckinley and that he, too, be- 'iays that the waiving of duties as ap- piled to cattle and machinery for az ricultural purposes will be of immeas- urable benefit to not only the people of the devastated lands, but to our country as we'll
 "The appointment of Commissioner Porter is quite popular one with those interested in the trade and com merce of the two islands. I was in Washington a few days ago and was informed that since the cessation of hostilities Secretary Gage has been ab- solutely deluged with questions of currency of not only Cuba, but Porto Rico as well. Porto Rico is now on a silver basis, and as it is sure to be- come part of the United States, while Cuba isn't, the question of currency there is in particular a serious one.
 Secretary Gage, as I understand it, is opposed to any idea of immediately changing to gold. He thinks that if form of money is made with the word peso engraved on one side in Spanish and 50 cents in English on the other, it is only matter of time be- fore the people will become educated to the value of our money as applied to theirs. This plan, believe has re-