Evening star., 1899-03-03
SAME OLD COMPLAINT 7
No New Features in the Dissatisfaction at
Santiago.
Expenditure of Cuban Revenues to BE
Just-PrOpesed Enlistment of
Cubans in Our Army.

Gen. Brooke has not yet communicated
to the War Department any complaint on
the part of the people of Santiago respect
ing the insufticiency of the allotment of
funds for the conduct of public works in
that city and province. Any formal COM
plant would necessarily be transmitted by
Gen. Wood to Gen. Brooke, his superior
officer and could only reach the depart
ment in that manner. 1t is SAID that TINS
is simply the same old complaint on the
part of the Santiago people without sim
gle new feature. They have from the first
bitterly resisted any diversion of the money
received at Santiago from taxation, either
from customs Or from internal taxation for
the support of the island generally. 1t Is
said at the War Department that this pol
icv cannot be permitted TO prevail, as the
Immediate result would be the division of
Cuba into 2 number of independent prov
inces none of them willing to pay anything
for the support of the general government.
The poorer agricultural provinceS-thoSe
without important seaports-though pay
ing heavy import taxes upon all articles OF
consumption coming from abroad, would,
under the Santiago plan, be practically
starved to death
How the Plan Would Work.
In effect, the plan would work in Cuba
precisely as if New York and San Fran
cisco should retain for the public works OF
those two cities the enormous amount OIL
import taxes collected there, notw;thstana-
ing the fact that these taxes are mostly
paid by the consumers living In the lhte-
rior of the country. General Brooke was
charged by the department in the begin
ming to arrange a schedule which would
provide for an equitable distribution OF the
tax receipts in Cuba. and the department
is bound TO believe that he has complied
exactly with his instructions as to Santl-
ago. However it may be, this subject WILL
among others, be looked into especially by
insular examiners who were appointed tor
just such purposes, and II they IND that
any injustice is being worked to Santiago
it is probable that upon their report Of
facts the War Department will Apply the
necessary remedy.
Proposed Enlistment Of Cubans.
The proposition of the Cubans, through
General Gomez, to have 1o.3oo of the CUBAN
soldiers taken into the service of the Amerl-
can army on the island has not been COM
municated as yet to the War Department.
While it is stated that the provisions OF
the new army law furnish ample authority
for incorporating the CubanS as part and
parcel of our military government, 1t Is
believed that the time is not yet ripe Tor
consideration of this proposition, and there
is no expectation of the scheme being
passed on for several weeks. There are
other more pressing matters Of army re-
organization at this time, and all lhese
will have to be gone over thoroughly ard
exhaustively before the project of Cubarnz-
ing the American army on the island is de-
cded.
There is no disposition on the part of the
War Department authorities to discount in
advance General Gomez's proposition; in
deed, it has been naturally expected, ana
it is In line with the policy which may be
instituted later on in the Philippines. Major
General Brooke has the Cuban command
er's proposition in his hands, and when he
reports to the Secretary Of War the ques-
ton will be taken under advisement. but,
according to present indications, is likely
to be acted upon after other details of the
army reorganization are settled, or at least
ton of administrative policy which will re-
quire considerable consultation and discus
sion.