The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-12-30
CUBA ASST IS AND|S % b.
Report of Special missioner
Porter On the Needs of Our
New Acquisitions.
FILTH OF AGES DUG FROM THE STREETS.
Government Restored Dawn of
Prosperity the signal for Systematic
Work should Prepare for Levying and
Collecting Internal Revenue Taxes.


Washington, Dec. 90. Robert p.
Porter. special commissioners for the
United States TO Cuba and Porto Rico,
has returned from Santiago, and has
submitted his report to the secretary
of the treasury.
| Held Public Hearings-
While in Porto Rico Mr.. Porter held
public hearings, and all persons inter
ested in the welfare of the island were
invited TO submit statements and give
oral testimony. The chamber of COM
merce. representing the commercial
and industrial interests of the prov
ince, responded.
Military Government Running smoothly.
The machinery of the military gov
eminent, Mr. Porter says, is running
with fair degree of smoothness, and
the men responsible for it understand
their business thoroughly.
Dug from the streets thr ruth OF Ages.
The disagreeabe smells of the typi-
cal Cuban city, the report says, are
less pronounced in Santiago, while
white wash, lime wash. painting and
nAl NbA - VI ilhNt
lied the surrounding atmosphere. and
made the old town quite inhabitable.
The streets are no longer used as sew
ers, and the unhappy individual who
violates the law and escapes the lash
OF the sanitary commissioners whip
is compelled 10 work on the streets for
30 days. This official, Mai. Barbour,
with l2G men. dressed in spotless
white, and 80 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 abso-
lutely clean. Every day. by the aid Of
petroleum, the garbage of the city is
burned.
People Making Sewers of the Streets
Publicly Horsewhipp~d.
The work of sanitation is not con-
fined TO the streets, but extends to the
dwelling houses, ships and buildings
of all kinds. To accomplish this, how
ever, the doors of the houses had TO be
smashed in, and people making sewers
of the thoroughfares were publicly
horsewhipred in the streets. Emil
nently respectable citizens were forci-
bly, brought before the commanding
general and sentenced to aid in clean
ing the streets they were in the habit
of defiling.
A Complete Surrender tn the Sanitary
Authorities.
The campaign has ended in a com
plete surrender to the sanitary au-
thorities, and the inhabitants of San
tiago, regardless of class, have had
their first object lesson in the new or
der of things inaugurated by the war.
Several important streets have been
repaved: all the public buildings have
been thoroughly cleaned. the work
even extending TO the opera house.
The Law Courts Recognized
The law courts, which were abolished
when Gen. Shafter took the city. have
been reorganized. The supreme court.
the report continues. is composed OF
carefully-selected Cuban Judges the
appontces nominated wholly on ne
count Of legal attainmcnfs. the bar as
sociation Of the province having been
consulted as to the character and quail
ifications Of the new judges.
Local Government Restored.
In the same manner local govern
mcnt has been restored. and native
mayors and city officials appointed,
the only requirement being that per-
sons accepting such Offices shall take
the oath recognizing the militia, oc-
cupation Of the island by the United
States. but in no way committing
them to any of future form OF govern
mcnt.
The Spanish. when i'm possession Of
Cuba. not only assumed absolute con-
troll OF the judiciary. but Of the muni-
cipal government, the larger portion
of the taxes raised for municipal pur-
poses being diverted. with the other
revenues. into channels which. says the
report. either led to Spain or into
Spanish pockets.
Should Prepare for tho Levying and Col
iecting of Internal Revenue.
The internal. industrial, professional
licensing and other miscellaneous
taxes have so far been RENTED in this
part Of Cuba, but the authorities are
now preparing TO enforce them. Now
that the customs tariff has been dis
posed Of, Mr.. Porter recommends that
an immediate scheme be prepared for
the levying and collection of internal
revenue for the entire island The
question 81 separating these taxes
from purely municipal taxes should
also be considered
The large amount Of dclinquencies |
during the last three years. which have
amounted TO about SG.0O0.O0O. was. of
course, due TO the war. In normal |
times we have here four or FIVE million |
dollars Of revenue that must not be
overlooked.
Mr.. Porter advises that these taxes |
hereafter must bc used exclusively for |
local purposes. and, as far as may he |
deemed practicable thst they be col \
loctcd and disbursed BY properly con-
stituted local authorities.
The rural districts of Santiago have \
bcea so depleted that il will bc impos-
sible to collect taxes over and above \
those needed for the bare necessities \