The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-01
THE COMMERCE OF CUBA
Secretary Meikleiohn Predicts Wonderful
Development In the Future.
FRIGHTENED CAPITAL AGAIN RETURNING.
Tobncco Being Cultivated In Dis
tricts where Hitherto IL was
MISUNDERSTANDING

Washington, April S0.--Secretary of
War Meiklejohn made public today very
interesting report upon the commerce and
industrial conditions in Cuba, showing
that the future of the island under sta
BILE government promises a wonderful de-
veopment OF wealth The beneficial ell
fects OF an economical administration OF
the islands affairs. such as is now being
given under the direction Of the war de-
partment, are already apparent. good
deal Of the capital which was removed, or
which went into hiding prior to and dur
ing the Spanish war has returned, ana
new capital is being attracted by the saier
and more stable conditions. The increase
in the business of the custom house dem
onstrates better than anything else the
revival of general trade. Tobacco, which
will continue to be one Of the most i'm
rortant crops OF the island, is already nc
ing cultivated in sections oil the island
where II has never been grown hitnerto.
The crop, estimated at the beginning or
the present year at 200, 900 TONS based on
actual production az the end of March, II
Is estimated will reach 800, 900 tons. TINS,
despite lack OF facilities, the confusion ana
hurry with which the crops were planted
and the fact that much of the machinery
was totally or partially destroyed
The scarcity OF domestic oxen, due to the
wholesale slaughter of stock by both Gu
bans and Spanards for food purposes dur
ing the war Is greatly retarding the ope-
ration of sugar estates. During March 49,
$50 bales leaf tobacco, $40, 600 cigars, 5Sl,-
200 packages OF cigarettes and 1000 kilos
of cut tobacco were exported from Havana.
me expectation of various kinds OF mer-
chandge which do not pay duty, prin-
cipally sugar, old iron, pineapples palms,
preserved fruits honeys, sponges, etc,
reached 1901 900 kilos from Havana The
total collections during March were 1896
| 925, collection exceeded only twice at
Havana during the past ten years 1895
and 1s9S). The apparently large collec-
tions last year, which reached in the
equivalent OF American money 1921 1873, is
accounted for by the fact that the duties
on large quantities of war supplies and
materials shipped into Havana under the
! title of "Libramentoes" were paid by check
and agured In the collections as money
which went into the treasury, but which.
as matter of fact, never represented
money at all In considering the large
importations into Havana last month II
! must be borne In mind also that the duties
under the American regime are at least
30 per cent lower than the Spanish rates,
showing that none of the revenues are be-
ing sequestered as under the old Spanish
rule, For the frst three months of Amer
lean rule the total receipts for all the
ports of Cuba were as follows:
! January s1,061 22s. February Sa76.els
March S1,261 S45, while The cost of col
lection for these moRths has been exceed
/ lngly low. as follows:
| January-.at01 per cent, February 4 So per
/ cent March 3.4S per cent
| .Sffhe money transferred from the customs
Tfund during these months of American
rule to the other administrative depart
ments total 81 96s 400. divided mainly as
follows S1404So for barracks and quar-
ters," s924,S25 for sanitation" s26S. 800
for rural police and administration. =
$197,9S6 for public works, ports and har.
boris" 100000 for Charities and hospl-
tals' and 1851 ,653 for "civil government.
During March 200 vessels of 213. Pcs tons
entered the port of Havana of these 1O7
were American, thirty-two English, TWEEN
ty-six Spanish and thirty-fve other coun.
tries. OF the 43i9 passengers landed 1884,
came from the United States, 664s left IIa-
vana.
A total of s5,S41,972 was imported into
Havana during the past three months ant
a total OF $2,010,509 exported, of which
S2,OOo059 went to Spain and only $1,000 tc
the United States.