The record-union., 1899-01-05
Over General Brooke's Order for the Gen.
traIizatIon Of Customs Money.
The Situation Reported to BE So
Critical a Spark Will Set Up
Blaze That Would Plunge the
Province Into 1nsurrection-
the Excitement is Due to a Mis-
apprehension.

I
held at all the political clubs last
night, and even most conservative peo-
pie, those favoring the annexation Of
| Cuba to the United States, were as
founded at the orders from Havana
for the Capitalization Of the customs
money there.
| The past forty-eight hours have COM
pletely altered the situation of affairs
here. The province has gradually set
tied down, and was contented with the
order of things prevailing, recognizing
the benefits conferred. Now there is
complete change, and there is no ex-
aggeration in saying that the situation
is critical; that a. spark will set up
blaze which would plunge the province
into insurrection. 1t is generally ad-
mitted that if LOCO men were dis
charged suddenly from the public
| works, such action would probably
cause a revolt which it would be hard
| to quell.
| Major General John R. Brooke, the
| Governor General of Cuba, is appar-
emily ignoring General Leonard Wood,
in command here, and is cabling direct
| to his subordinateS. He has ordered
the acting Collector Of Customs to bank
eral of the province has ordered his
officers to close several minor offices,
including Bayamo, practically shutting
| off the mail Of the regiments there.
| DR.. Castillo will accompany General
Wood to Washington, representing the
! British interests in Santiago, to lay
these matters before the President.
EXCITEMENT DUE TO MISAPPRE-
HENSION OF ORDERS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-Regarding
| the sensational reports from Santiago
that the whole province has been in
| famed by the recent order of the War
Department, concentrating all Gus
! toms money in Havana" thus threat
ening a stoppage of all public improve
ments, and threatening to throw thou
sands of Cubans out of employment, it
may be authoritatively stated that any
excitement existing in Santiago is due
| to a Misrepresentation of the War De-
lpartment's order.
| 1t seems to have been understood
that the order contemplates sending all
currency collected for custom dues to
Havana, and thus cutting off the Gov
ernor of Santiago province from the
employment of local labor The fact is
that the officers in charge Of customs
at the various ports of entry are mere
| ly ordered to make weekly reports to
the Collector of Customs of the island
at the chief port of all transactions
at the SUPPORT over which he may
have jurisdiction, with copies of en-
| tries Of merchandise duly certified
| The customs from all the ports of the
islands are to be used for the condition
| of the Cubans, not only in Havana
and Santiago, but elsewhere. Expendi-
lures will be divided as equitably as
possible, so as to relieve distress ex-
listing in various quarters. 1t would
be just as equitable, it is argued, for
the port of New York to retain all the
custom funds collected there for ex-
penditure of the island of Manhattan
as it would be for Havana or Santiago
or any other town in Cuba to gobble
all of the customs receipts for expendi-
ture within it's own borders.
| So far from the War Department
contemplating any curtailment of the
relief work in Cuba, an order already
has been issued to the Governor Gen
eral directing him to furnish work to
every able-bodied Cuban applying for
| it at fair rate Of weekly wages, meas
ured by Cuban standards. The order
suggests that the best lines of en-
ployment are in sanitary work, road
Improvement and municipal work of
various sorts.
1t is intended to offer chance for
remunerative work to all who are able
to take advantage of it, and to cut off
the gratuitous distribution of rations
among those natives able to work for
what they eat The employment con-
templated will not be offered, however
to any resident of the island who re-