The record-union., 1898-12-23
A Great Change in Conditions at
Santiago de Cuba
Since General Wood, the Military Gorernor,
Has Been In Control of Affairs.
The Streets Are No Longer Used as
Sewers, People Who Violate
Sanitary Laws Being Either
Publicly Horsewhipped OF Com
PEELED to Work Upon the Thor
oughfares for Thirty Days.

| WASHINGTON, Dec. 22-Robert r.
Porter, Special Commissioner for the
United States to Cuba and Porto Rico,
has returned from Santiago, and has
submitted his report to the Secretary
of the Treasury.
| 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 to
give oral testimony. The Chamber of
| Commerce, representing the commercial
and industrial interests Of the province,
responded. The machinery of the mill
tary Government, Mr.. Porter says, is
running with fair degree of smooth
ness, and the men responsible for it
understand their business thoroughly.
In Santiago the streets are no longer
used as sewers, and the unhappy indi-
vidUal who violates the law and escapes
the lash of the Sanitary Commissioner s
whip is compelled to work on the streets
| for thirty days. The work of sanitation
| is not confined to the streets, but eX-
| tends to the dwelling houses, shops and
| buildings of all kinds. To accomplish
| this however the doors of houses had
| to be smashed in, and people making
sewers of the thoroughfares were pub
| licly horsewhipped on the streets Emil
nently respectable citizens were forcibly
brought before the commanding General
and sentenced to aid in cleaning the
streets they were in the habit of defil-
! ing. Several important streets have been
repaved; all the public buildings have
| rI,Jx ofa f1,a
extending to the opera house. The law
courts, which were abolished when Gen
eral Shafter took the city, have been re-
| organized.
! In the same manner local government
has been restored, and native Mayors
and city officials appointed, the only re-
quirement being that persons accepting
such offices shall take the oath recog-
nizing the military occupation of the
| island by the United States, but in no
way committing them to any future
form Of government.
| The Spanish, when in possession of
Cuba, not only assumed control of the
| judiciary, but of the municipal Govern
ment. The larger portion of the taxes
raised for municipal purposes were di-
verted. with the other revenues into
channels which, says the report, either
led to Spain or into Spanish pockets.
| Mr. Porter advises that their taxes
must hereafter be used for local pur-
poses, and, as far as may be deemed
practicable, that they be collected and
disbursed by properly constituted local
| authorities.
The internal, industrial, professional
| licensing and other miscellaneous taxes
have so far been remitted in this part
| of Cuba, but the authorities are now
preparing to enforce them.
Mr.. Porter speaks in high praise Of
the administrative ability of General
Wood, the military Governor of Santi-
| ago, as shown in his admirable manage-
ment of the affairs of the province
| Encouraging reports Of the condition
of affairs in Manila and Porto Rico also
reached the War Department to-day
those departments The dispatches
from both General Otis at Manila ard
General Henry at San Juan were in re-
sponse to telegraphic inquiries by the
! Secretary of War, based on reports of a
disquieting nature which have reached
| the officials here. That from General
Otis was particularly gratifying to the
President and Secretary Alger. 1t is as
| follows:
Manila, Dec. 22.-Adjutant General,
Washington: Believe the city never
more quiet. Order prevails Native
population greatly augmented in three
months The volume of business in
creasing. The conduct of troops good
and most favorably commented on by
citizens. Discipline improving Disor-
ders promptly punished. as the business
of the courts show. Newspaper articles
published in United States, Hongkong
and Singapore untrue. OTIS"
! The dispatch from Henry is as fol-
lows:
San Juan de Porto Rico Dec. d.
| Complaints of disorderly conduct un-
known here. If specific charges can be
sent investigation, and if necessary,
punishment, will follow. Subordinate
commanders have been apprised Of
your telegram. HENRY"
REVENUES OF NEW INSULAR
| POSSESSIONS.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-The new
bureau of the War Department, the Di-
vision of Customs and Insular Affairs,
|
the revenues of the new insular posses
sions of the United States including
Cuba, which is being considered for the
present as United States territory.
The customs receipts at the port of
Santiago de Cuba under the occupation
of the United States forces up to De-
cember 1st were S2I5,21S.
The gross total of receipts from Gus
toms received up to December 10 1885,
from the date of the military occupation
of Porto Rico by the United States
forces, is 761 1,21S.25 pesos The total
receipts from all sources of taxes, ex-
elusive of customs, is 81 ,0S3.30 pesos.
The gross sum total of taxes and Gus
toms received up to November 30, 1898,
| at the port of Manila since the military
occupation Of the port by the United
States, is 1,57,91S pesos.
/ No statement has yet been given of
the expenditures in those territories.
Death Of a Centenarian.