Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-11-16
Porter Submitted One to Secre-
tary of Treasury.
REPORT MADE TO THE PRESIDENT.
Present Tariff Made In the Interests of
the Notwithstanding Abuses.
Enormous Expenses of the spanish
Administratiod-Cr ookedness of Officials.

! Robert r. Porter, special commissioner
for the United States to Cuba and Porto
Rico, presented his report to the presi-
dent and secretary of the treasury. The
report goes very fully into the financial
and economical condition of Cuba.
/ Mr.. Porter, in the opening of his re-
port, testifies to the consideration and
courtesy shown him by Spaniard and
Cuban alike. The following extract
/ from q letter written to Commissioner
Porter by General Gomez, under date
of Oct. 3, will be read with interest,"
Il must congratulate you cordially
for the high mission which you have
had entrusted TO you. / am completely
identified in all and with all concern
ing it. On my side / am doing all [
can for the immediate RECONSTRUCTED of
the country. It's 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 has submitted for the ap-
prevail of the honorable secretary OF the
treasury complete revision of the tar
If in the form of a 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. /, that being, in all probability,
the first important port to come into
the possession of the United States
Commissioner Porter SAID that the
Spanish tariff was made by Spaniards
for Spain, i'll the interests OF the Span
iards.
The total value of imports in 1896,
cents omitted was $6l, 443, 1874, of which
the general average OF reduction was at
SO. Z per cent.
To the question, with such a large
/ reduction 81 duties, how is it possible
to secure revenue tor lue purpose of
administering tn government Of the
island, tAe report says: "1here are
several answers to this question, and
the facts bearing on the subject are
given Il fal II proper place III the
report. Inc general ansWe =, that by
rea -91 o. trtudujen5 classification and
sAIu gang, nlass OF the revenue col
lected iron. the people OF Cuba never
found its wa tro tue treasury of that
islaad L T O. = e.Il.
Nj. PCr,aG aIlTe1ar said:
me ugaity ~ rapacity of the
SUI 81 al l. "a is beyond con-
ceptioa. a., l. We 'say judge by the
re uIt6 a aEtiago, the United states
o.. cla,s WIZ b a0I to collect as much
reYeAee Oh tariff. ii duuos OF which
arc aor- &C., Il hrsf on nearly two
thif Is io55, Vaan uuder the .nlquitous
law HOW In IO-ce. The reduction to
reasonable rate o duty in certain
Sc5eteles, sutn os hose reiatntg to ma
chlnery, rci.way ipplies, eto., wall in
croa the Aportadon, and th revenue
WI rSaiLly be greater nam during the
p liod Yhel the duties nave been pro
hiJl DRY. 4 railway com pany naturally
hes tates to import 10 ;omo We when
the duty WAS equivalent TO the value OF
the engine. " 18th revised tariff OF 20
per ee4t, for Cuba has no locomotive
works, IL may mport two or four, or
even SIX TIE same is true of a variety
OF other articles. III all cases whera
there are home industries in Cuba cap
able OF supplylng Il manufactured ar
ticle inade ~ home labor care has been
exercised, either by making free The
raw nlateria or rot making a too rad
lcal re ructlon of duty, not to injure
their prospects In so doing it is only
carr Ing out the policy which has been
so fruitful III developing the industries
of the United States and securing di
verslted employment for its labor.
The average annual customnouse re-
ceipts from 1856 to 1897 inclusive
amounted to $l2, 645, 1896.
Mr.. Porter further along said
The money collected from Cuba,
whether it was 1876, 900, 600 or less, has
all gone, and nothing is likely to be
found III the treasury but numerous
evidences of promises to pay, records OF
receipts given by the government for
. goods not paid lor. debts of all kinds
including the salaries of large number
of the minor officials. The first and
most important item of expenditures is
for sovereignty expenses and aggregates
sum exceeding 1922, 900, 900"
Que sample of the expenditures was a
salary of $40, 900 asyear, the governor
generals salary and $40, 400, as the ex-
penses of his office. The principal ex-
penditures had to do directly or in.
directly with Spain's government of the
island.
He further said: cit is impossible at
this moment to make a satisfactory es-
! innate of this new budget, nor can it
! very well be done until after the United
4 States forces are in full possession and
! able to secure complete data as to the
personal needs of the government Of
Cuba OF course, the large items, such
as interest on the public debt, expendi-
lures of Spain for the purpose of con-
quering the lsland, Will disappear, MAX
ing reduction, if we include the civil
guards, of SiS,0O0,000 or $20,000,000.
How much or this amount will be re-
quired for necessary expenses under
the new order Of things it Will be i'm
possible to forecast"
Mr.. Porter says the Cuban basis of
currency il strictlv gold The SPANISH