Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-17
IMPROVEMENT OF CUBA
Recommendations to Better the Postal
Service.
Port Taxes Levied-COmplaints Re.
garding Sale of SuppIies-CoIlec-
ton of Customs at Havana.

The postal commission which has been
| investigating conditions in Cuba looking to
| a complete postal reorganization make the
| following recommendations in their report
| to the Postmaster General:
Restriction of ranking privilege; sending
| of experienced clerks to Cuba.
| Dscontinuance of military stations
| Fixing of the compensation of postmas-
tiers upon basis of cancellation and sales.
Performance of both postal and tele-
! graphic service by the postmaster at small
! offices.
| Adoption of system of railway mail SER
vice in compartment cars.
| Placing of star route service under con-
| tract.
| Increase of salary of director to 5000 per
! annum.
| Organization of service.
| Supervision of alteration of Quartet de la
| Fuerza selected as the Havana post office
| building, by architect from Treasury De-
| partment.
| The report says:
! Indifference among employees antiquated
| methods of service and abuses under the
| fee system made the service under Spanish
| regime inefficient and Objectionable. 1t was
demoralized, neglected by the officials and
| clerks alike, due largely to the fact that
| none of the employees, from the director
general down, had received any salary
| whatever for ten months. The younger
| SuDdnS III the service are AMBITIOUS to
| learn English; and with incentives of pro-
motion and equitable salary adjustment
| may fairly be expected TO render good ser
vice. There are such inequalities, the
| commission says, las cannot but appear as
| arbitrary and unfair to the native
AT the Havana post office the treasury
| has collected an annual rental ranging from
| so to $50 per box, based on worth of box
| to renter. not size. This has been re-
| duced and made uniform. The present Ha-
! Vana post office building is stamped as
filthy, a menace to health of employees and
| patrons, and ill adapted for modern use -
| The mail transportation methods are anti
| quated, and star route service is not under
| contract The salaries assigned postmas-
tiers We're made to fit the. man, not the
| office The average annual revenue amount
| ed to about SJ63, 900 per annum. Since the
! transfer to the United States the revenue
| has averaged 81 600 a day, and it is esti-
mated that postal Il, RECEIPTS will reach $780,
| 900 per annum. The approximate cost of
| service at the present time is 1898 ,0S9. The
| civil service system is very comprehensive,
| military to certain extent, with a uni
! form Indicating VarieGS grades and a per-
| sion allowed after thirty years continuous
! service.
With one exception, all postal officials Of
! nigh grades in Havatia declined to continue
| after January /. 1899. fearing to lose ncn-
| slons to which they were entitled. =
| Port Taxes.
| Acting Secretary Meikiejohn has directed
that the following harbor Improvement
taxes be levied at all the ports of Cuba:
| Each steamer entering, $50; each sail
| ing vessel entering. 1925; each ton of car
| go landed from steamer, %; each ton of
| cargo landed from a sailing vessel .125;
! each ton of coal landed from a steamer,
| .125; each ton of coal landed from sail
| ing vessel, 10.
| These special taxes heretofore have been
| levied at Santiago and the nee order ap-
| plies them to Havana and all other ports
| in Cuba.
Complaints Of Merchants.
The merchants of Havana have made
| considerable complaint of late that the
market was being demoralized by pur-
| chaSes by the military authorities, certain
| merchants giving rebates in hope that they
would get back the amount of duty on the
| goods sold the government. Secretary
| MelkleJohn has taken steps to put an end
| to this discrimination, and directed that
| hereafter whenever 1t became necessary
| Tor the commissary department to purchase
| supplies in Cuba, to augment the supplies
sent from this country, the market price
| shall be paid, without deduction of duties
This places the government on the Same
| basis as private buyers, and prevents any
| ENHANCEMENT over duties.
| Customs at Havana.
| Reports received at the War Departm mt
! show that the total collections from Gus
| toms at Havana during the month of jan
| Eary were $685.