The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-07
Porter Returns
Home.
.TARIFFQUESTION
Considerable Material Col
lected for Presidents Use.

New York, Oct g. -Among the pas
sengers on Board the steamer sarato>
ga from Havana, today, was Robert p.
Porter.
Il was sent to Cuba, said he, ITO
collect information on financial and
economic subjects in order that the
president might have access to such
material before preparing his message
to congress- l have peen given every
opportunity to collect such informa-
ton. We have examined over 150 per-
sons and have been able to collect con-
siderable material which will have a
direct bearing on the tariff question"
Mr.. Porter said, in referen to the
present conditions in Cuba: "At the
present time / am in favor of admit
ting cattle into Cuba free. The pres
Z ent condition Of the country people is
very distressing The rainy season is
almost over, and it is imperative that
the crops for the present year be plant
ed at once or else they will be put off
for some time. To work the fields the
people need cattle, which are very
scarce. For one bullock the present
Spanish duty exacted $T7l, and for a
small heifer S21.27. The heifer was for
food. Take Matanzas, for instance,
where they had 100000 head of cattle
according to census of 1885, now there
is less than 5000 head in that prov
ince.
4 Il found in Santiago that things
were much more satisfactory than in
Havana, for the reason that the United
States is in control there The great
question is not so much the evacuation
of Cuba as it is the getting control of
the custom house. When we get con-
troll Of that, there will be some chance
for prosperity Hundreds of thousands
of dollars worth of goods are being
held out of the country until the rate
of tariff is fixed. The lew tariff will
be about half of that enforced at
present.
Zone Of the most important subjects
that came up was the tariff on tobacco.
The Cubans claim that their tobacco
< Is the best in the world and assert that
& it's quality and value will be impaired
by adulteration If tobacco from this
country is admitted into Cuba. They
want us to discriminate against our
product. This will never do.
1.-THE tobacco matter, however, will
be adjusted. So important was the
Subject that ! have taken the
quainted with it."
What is your opinion of the insur-
gents?'
81 saw those with Gen. Gomez and
vt the other principal camps The
,Eubens seem to me to be splendid SOL
diers, lovers of order and law abiding
fellows They will make excellent
guards, and should be employed as
such. They are anxious for peace and
work, and are not becoming guerillaS
as a recent report states"
What is being done in Cuba to-
day?"
although the high tariff has
brought things to a standstill, some
small industries, such as rope, Irvine
and matchmaking, are still going on.
was much pleased to find that in Ha-
vana they have an industrial school
with 800 pupils, and that they are
Nrcaching out and teaching young
men.
Il am not converted to free trade,
but l believe that there should be a
perfect reciprocity between the island
and the United States.
81 THE Spauards are holding on, try
ing to get all that they can out of the
customs before they give up the ISL
and. however, they will not get much,
2as the receipts have dwindled to a
mere nothing. Where the customs
were formerly 10000 600, last year the
government only received $10,000,0O0
believe that with an honest adrninis-
tration and with our reduced tariff,
Z we will get $4c000,000 year.