Evening star., 1899-02-08
RESOURCES OF CUBA
Robert P. Porter Describes Conditions
as He Saw Them.
THE GREAT WORK Al SANTIAGO
Proportion Of Taxes Raised by Dif-
ferent Provinces.
:.
NEED FOR BETTER ROADS


Mr.. Porter says that visit to Santiago
should give relief TO those suffering from
the craven fear of being great" for there
may be found much that is encouraging.
In this province Of Cuba, remarks Mr.. Por-
ter may be seen in full operation the work
which the government of the United States
has been impelled to undertake. Here. too
may be studied The character of the forces
upon which the people of the United States
must rely in the work of reconstruction
now in progress. The machinery of gov
ernment, he says. is running with a fair
degree of smoothness, and the men respon-
sible for it. from the humblest official to
the capable commander of the province,
understand their business and are masters
OF the situation. 1t is striking illuStra-
ton, continues Mr. Porter. of the marvel
Gus adaptability of the American character.
Every department Of the public service is
carrying on its work. The only difference
apparent being the absence of Spanish SOL
ders and the more business-Hke methods
of the officials.
The Cleaning of Santiago.
The disagreeabie smells of the typical
Cuban city are less pronounced in Santiago,
while whtewash, limewash fresh paint
and all sorts of disinfectants have deodor-
szed the surrounding atmosphere and made
the ola town habitabe The streets are no
longer used sewers, and the unhappy in
dividual who violates the law and escapes
the lash OF the sanitarian's whip is com
PEELED to work the streets for thirty
Gays. This official. Mai George NJ Bar
bour. with one hundred and six men.
dressed in SpotlesS white. and thirty-two
good United States mule teams and carts
having dug out from the streets of San
tlago the filth of ages, is now able to keep
them absolutely clean. Every day. by the
aid of that great disinfectant petroleum
the garbage Of the city is burned
Ihe work of sanitation is not confined to
the streets. but extends to the dwelling
houses, shops and buildings of all kinds.
Indeed, the anpaisn against dirt and dis
ease has been as sharp and hot as the
charge on San Juan hill, and as productive
Of beneficial results
The resistance Mr.. Porter saws on the
part of the native population is even more
stubborn than that of the Spanish soldiers
to our forces around Santiago. The doors
OF houses RAD to be smashed in; people
making sewers OF the thorouehfares- We're
publicly horsewhiDped in the streets of
Santiago: cminently respectable citizens
were forctbly brought before the comman-
der general. and sentenced to aid in clean
ing the streets they were in the habit of
deflipg. The campaign ended in the COM
plete surrender to the sanitary authorities
and the inhabitants of Santiago. regardless
OF class. have had their first object lesson
in the new order of things inauguratel by
the war. Looking backward FIVE months
and picturing Santiago in July and COM
isdFlnS II with the more hOpeful condition
existing on all sides at the present moment
Mr.. Porter says it IS easy to discern the
omens which point to the coming prosper
ity of the whole island under Intelligent
and honest government.
Reforms Instituted.
Under Major General Wood in addition
to the improved sanitary conditions. several
important thorOughfares have been re-
paved. All of the public buildings have
hapn tbaro1-obI,- cIa
order, the work even extending to the large
opera house. The law courts which were
abolished, have been reorganiZed The
court Is composed of carefully selected Gu
ban judges. the appointees nominated who'll
~ on account OF legal attainmentS, the bar
associations of the province having been
consulted as to the character and Gualifica-
tions of the new judges. Local government
has been restored, native mayors and Off
cials appointed, the only requirement being
that persons accepting such offices should
take the oath recognizing the military or
cupancy of the island by the United States
but In no way committing them to any fu-
ture form of government. The wisdom of
this action cannot be doubted and the
moral effect upon the people of Cuba will
be far reaching.
Taxes Used for Local Purposes.
The Spanish, when in possession of Cuba
not only assumed absolute control of the
judiciary, but of the municipal government
| liit ger pOTllOn OF Ine taxes raised for
| municipal purposes being diverted. with the
other revenues, which either led to Spain
| or into Spanish pockets. 1t will be even a
greater stroke of wisdom saws Mr. Porter
| II these taxes are hereafter used exclusive
| y Tor local purposes, and, as far as may be
deemed practicable, collected and disbursed
| BY properly constituted local authorities
! In his opinion there could be no wiser ex-
pendlture of local revenue for several wears
J than upon the streets and sewers of the
of 'nl
money which should have been used for
these purposes has been drained away to
Spain. and all local improvements shame
FULLY neglected. The rural districts of San
tfago de Cuba have been so depleted thar il
Will be impossible TO collect taxes over and
above those needed for the bare necessities
OF schools for the poor, ana possibly small
sums TO improve sanitary conditions. The
dawn OF prosperity should be the signal for
inausuratng systematic work on the public
roads. The province of Santiago de Cuba
is similar In geographical and geological
structure to the Island of jamaica where
the good main and parochiai roads have
been the principal stay of the population
Advantage of Good Roads.
Jamaica, MIR. Porter says. has upward of
1000 miles of good roads. The British ad-
ministration spends on an average annually
for roads in Jamaica about 5000. 600 With
out Understanding the strategical inn
portance of central railway from east to
"eSt III SuDd, lHe immediate returns the
population of good roads would be far in
excess OF the more pretentious enterprise
The money thus expended, whether from
the local funds of the island or from the
local budgets would come back hundred
fold, and make Santiago one of the richest
sugar, coffee and fruit growing districts of
the West Indies.
Santiago province should be a profita Bile
producing country for bananas 1t would
prove profitable for the poorer classes es-
peciaily, TO undertake the cultivation of
this fruit. The banana takes only four
teen months TO grow, and, therefore unlike
coffee and oranges, the cutivator does not
have to wait several years for the crop An
| the capital in this business could be turned
quickly, and the banana planted near the
huts of the small planter and easily attend
| ed Banes, Sigua and Baracoa are good
ports to export them from. The Dumois
| family invested considerably in the busr-
ness and used to ship to the United States
Th1s business is soon to be revived on
much larger scale. The extension of good
roads would largely increase the possibfIr
| ties of this industry in many parts of San
| tiago province With quick transportation.
| the market for bananas is rapidly extend
| Ing to Europe, while the United States mar
ma RI