The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-11-16
R. ?. PORTER'S REPORT.
Our Commissioners Observations
in the Island of Cuba.
TARIFF REVISION NECESSARY.

The Spanish Tariff Constructed on the
"Heads spain Wins. Tails cuba
Loses" Idea-The Rapaclty of the
Spanish Oficials 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-
tatns about go 900 words and goes very
fully into the financial and economical
conditions Of Cuba, analyzing the
budget of that island for ID years,
showing the sources of income and the
causes of expenditure. There are some
supplementary reports yet to be made.
The following extract from a letter
written to Commissioner Porter by
General Gomez vial be read with in
terest:
Il must congratulate you cordially
for the high mission which you have
had entrusted to you. / am completely
Unidentified in all and with all concern
ing it. On my side l am doing all 1
can for the immediate reconstruction of
the country; its wounds will heal with
the rapid promotion OF the work. This
is the battle we are now fighting, and
all men of good will should Join us in
our struggle"
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
Mr.. Porter has also submitted for the
approval 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 treas
ury department and If approved will
be promulgated by the president and
take effect at the port Of Cienfuegos
Dec. 1. 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 1t. On any other
theory it 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.
1.-THE cupidity and rapaclty Of the
Spanish official in Cuba is beyond con-
ception, and If 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 iniquitous law now in force. The
reduction to reasonable rate OF duty
in certain schedules, such as those re-
lating to machinery, railway supplies
ETC., Will increase the importation, and
the revenue will certainly be greater
than during the period when the duties
have been prohibitory. A railway COM
pany naturally hestated to import a
locomotive when the duty was equiva-
lent to the value of the engine With
a revised tariff of 20 per cent for Cuba
has no locomotive works, II may import
two. or four, or even six The same
is true of variety of other articles"
Mr. Porter gives table showing the
average annual custom house receipts
in the Island Of Cuba from 1886 to 1897,
inclusive, to be S12645,S9
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 100000 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 a sum exceeding $22, 100000 The
largest item is that of the interest on
public debt which aggregates $40, 435,-
1S3
An important subject in the report Is
that in relation to the currency. Says
the report:
Although Cuba is afflicted with
many kinds of depreciated currency.