Evening star., 1899-03-13
ADJUSTING THE FINANCES
Problems Which Confront General Ludlow in
the City of Havana.
Views of Banker Who Was Called
in Conference-COnfid
in the Outcome.

Mr.. c. E. Haskins Of the banking house
of Haskins & Sells, New York, was in
Washington for a short time Saturday. Mr..
Haskns was returning to New York from
Havana. where he had spent six weeks at
the invitation of General Ludlow. military
governor of that city, to look into the con-
ditiOns and advise him as to the best means
of adjusting the finances of Havana Mr.
Haskins took with him two experts to as
sist in the work. and they are still in Cuba
Mr.. Haskins has great confidence In the
ability of General Ludlow to solve the
problems which con-. ont him. and in an in
terview said:
The problem that the Americans have to
tion with the civil government and doing so
with as little friction as possible, simply
keeping the army there d safeguard and
To assist and advise the Cubans as far
possible This is exactly what the better
and representative class of Cubans want
They are all what might be called anneXa-
tonlsts. and they are anxious to see the
United States keep its army there until
everything is running smoothly and Cuba
is ready to be annexed. They realize, of
course, that 1t cannot be done at present,
eventual result.
AS to the finances of Havana they are
not now the best, but it will be an easy
matter in time to make the city not only
one of the richest, but also one of the
healthiest large cities anywhere to be
found. At present the principal difficulty
that meets the civil government Is the lack
OF money with which to administer it.
Havana's only resources now are out of the
customs duties which of course should not
be applied to the government of the city
but to the general government of the state
as the island is called. The civil govern
ment has arranged yet no system of
taxation, and this vas one of the reasons of
my trip to the island,
Amount of T'aHes Paid.
Under the Spanish government the CITY
of Havana paid altogether about 5000 OGO
taxes year. S}.e1O,G0O of which went to
Spain and the other 1000 OOO, minus the
per cent paid for collecting went to the
city for Its running expenses and for i'm
provements. 1t is the custom in Havana to
levy the taxes according to the rental value
Of the property. Even the water tax is
made in that manner. SO it is probable
that the finance committee appointed by
Gen Ludlow Will arrange the system of
taxation on that plan.
THE total debt of the City of Havana
is now $l2.5oo60. on which e per cent
interest is being paid. 1t is proposed to
make this debt s25.Gt0GG0 at a lower rate
Of mterest-say. four or five per cent-and
take uD the present mortgage Instead of
having the state make the tax assessment
rolls, 1t is proposed to have the city make
ITS assessment rolls and collect its own
taxes. In this way, while the taxes would
be less than before the city would have
more money for running the civil govern
ment and for public improvements 1t is
probable that this plan win be adopted
gradually and eventually Havana will be
made a rich city.
AS to the health of Havana? 1t can be
made as good as that of any city in this
country. The winter climate is ideal and.
with proper sanitary arrangements, il can
be made perfectly healthy. 1t is proposed
To have canal built in the harbor. which
is very shallow, that the garbage from
the city will be carried out into deep water
instead of being left in near shore, as il
now Is.
Future Prospects.
The possibilities are great for making
Havana a magnificent city by collecting
a fair amount of taxes and applying them
to the running and improving of the city.
1t is the purpose of the government to sim
ply advise and have the civil Cuban gov
ernment do as much as possible and this
is exactly what the CubaHs themselves
want. There is any amount Of American
capital ready to he invested in Havana as
soon as the United States makes public the
policy ii intends to purSue, ard | think
the government should make known its pol
icy as soon as possible in regard to the
standing army on the island. and to the
establishment of a sound government for
the Cubans."