The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-20

CbN VI lNp SdHlplc may Dt VI
interest. In 1901 the estimated rev.
enue was just under $25, 100000, the
estimated expenditure little short of
that In 1928 the revenue was not
quite 2I,956000 pesos-the peso being
equal to about 80 cents. OF this sum
lO,550,00O pesos came from the customs,
the imports being worth 5G,00O,00
pesos, of which 1S,500,000 pesos worth
came from Spain and We're nearly all
duty free; direct and indirect taxes
realized over 100000 pesos, or about
three and a quarter dollars per head.
A state lottery brought in $500, 900 pesos,
stamps (another form of indirect tax
atom 1,650O00 pesos, and government
property 100000 pesos. In 1894 the .ev-
enue was estimated at "a, 900 pesos
ard the expenditure at a few thou
sands short of 26,OO00OO pesos. The
sums raised by this monstrous .Tden
Of taXatiaon were apporticned IN 1,93-4
as follows: Debt, over 12,j00,00O pesos;
military 100000 pesos; interior, 4,000,-
600 pesos; marine, 100000 pesos. In
the year previous the general debt alb
sorbed 10000, 900 pesos, the army $780,
600 pesos, the marine 100000 pesos,
justice and worship, 7l5,000 pesos, finan-
cial purposes 56S, 600 pesos, and the con-
struction and maintenance of public
works the magnificent sum of 469 900
pesos. How would the people of on
tario like budgets like that, supplied
by taxes raised from them, expended
by men imported from another Coun-
try?
The item Of military purposes de-
serves attention. The island was re-
quired to support in peace time an
army of 10000 men, backed by a mill
itia Of $1,000. Then, in addition, there
was the further burden of municipal
taxation, $4,000 900 or 81, 100000 year,
more than is raised in wealthy Ontario.
All this great public revenue was ham
died by Spaniards. Native-born Gu
bans We're not allowed access to posts
of emolument. All accounts unite in
describing the administration by these
Spanish officials as corrupt in the ex-
treme. Then this taxation was levied
upon a country whose commercial in
terests were not in a flourishing condi-
tion. The decline in the price of sugar
hit Cuba very hard. The Spanish gov
ernment, without consulting the Gu
treaty with the United States and thus
added TO the depression by helping to
close to Cuba a natural market of
great Importance. Then Spain i'm
posed in her own ports high duties
upon sugar, alcohol, coffee, caCao and
tobacco, while nearly all Spanish goods
entered the island free. The Cubans
assert that no less a sum than $780,
100000 was taken from the island be-
tween 1879 and 1893 for the benefit of
Spain. Would ontario have rebeled
under similar circumstances?
Look for moment at the American
side of the question. Our own empire
may go to war at any moment upon a
trade question. The exports of the
United States to Cuba In 1892 were be-
tween $l5,000,000 and $16, 900 600, and in
1896 it had sunk to $4,000 00O while there
is the additional fact that under a ra-
tional system of government the island
would furnish an enormous market for
American goods. Further, American
trade interests have suffered enormous
ly by the struggle. A year or two ago
1t was computed that United States
citizens had lost $50, 900, 900 worth Of
property through the insurrection, and
claims aggregating s2O,OOOO 900 had al
ready been filed. The United States
have been blamed for encouraging the
strife AS matter of fact the Ameri-
can government spent one or two mil
lion dollars in trying to stop expcdi-
tions, and any fair-minded man who
remembers the peculiarly intricate
character of the south Atlantic coast
line of the United States, who knows
that for three centuries that coast line
was because of its intrlCacy the happy
hunting ground of the buccaneer and
the privateer, and who bears in mind
the peculiarly mixed population which
inhabits the seapOrts of the United
states VIII admit that it was impossi-
p!e Tor any central executive to fore
stall all the expeditions which slipped
out of the bayou, lagoon or channel
towards Cuba. Finally, there were the
horrors Of the war; it is needless to re-
cite once more the dreary list of afro
cious deeds. a civilized nation is ms
tined in insisting that there shall be
no nuisance maintained in its jmmedi-
ate neighborhood; was not Cuba n
nuisance to the United States when the
market which it afforded was being de-
stroyed, when the property of Ameri-
can citizens was being laid waste when
the American government was contin-
ualIy being put to annoyance and ex-
Pensc on account Of that warfare. and
when the people Of the United States
We're scandalized by horrors kent IN
with frightful delLeration from one
month to another?
Now, we may admit great deal
about the manner in which the United
states began the struggle. 1t is true
that Jingo politicians and the lingo press
nave shown wicked levity in dealing
with so appalling a subject as war. II
Is true that the American people went
lhto the struggle with too light a heart.
II is true that the contractor, the pro-
tessional politician, the worse tyne of
newspaper, the placeman, welcomed the
war Tor Odiously selfish reasons. 1t is
true that revenge for the loss Of the
Maine is one motive which has hur-
ried the American people on. But let
US pause moment here. Can we,
without consciousness, blame the
american people for their cry for ven
geance? They honestly believe that
the Maine was destroyed by a Spanish
mine, by some Spanard's black treach-
cry. Human nature is human nature;
II two hundred and fifty British sail
ors had been treacherously slain in a
friendly harbOr, would not Britain
have cried for vengeance? And what
befell the Indian mutineers who butch
cred English women and children? Let
us rid ourselves Of cant. Revenge may
not be an ideal emotion, but it is in
tensely human, and it well becomes us
10 leave to other hands the casting of