The Washington herald., 1909-03-05
WASHINGTON CHAT.
By THE SPECTATOR.

WASHINGTON CHAT.
By THE SPECTATOR.
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert P. Porter are at
the Shoreham for a few weeks. Three
years ago. when Mr.. George ". Small
ley's connection with the London Times
ceased, Air. Porter, who had been for
several years on the editorial STAFF OF
the Thunderer, as they call It in Eng
land, was asked &c become its chief cor
respondent in this country. to open Of
fees at the most important points. and
to direct tie correspondence from Can
ada, Mexico, and South America He
established the headquarters Of the Times
in the Windsor Arcade Fifth avenue,
New York, where the Offices are finely
furnished in solid mahogany. old Eng
lish prints. and huge Elliott clock.
which has the meIodiOus chimes Of West
minister. IN front of the building swings
a gorgeous sign. which is known as the
giGdiest piece OF advertising millinery on
Fifth avenue. The Times has also a
financial bureau in Wall street, and this
fact is interesting as evincing the grow
ing importance Of the relations between
England 3 4 the United States. It's
Washington Office is in the Munsey Build
ing
Mr.. Porter's career has covered a wider
experience in varied fields than usually
falls 10 the lot Of the trained journalist
IN Washington he has been known as
statistician In 1880 he was chief OF the
department OF wealth, debt. and taxa
ton for the census. In 1890 he succeeded
Gen Francis Walker as director Of the
census. and in the interim. 1SS2. he was
appointed secretary and member Of the
great and only tariff commission The
other commissioners were, with the eX-
ception Of Henry Oliver (brOther Of the
prospective Senator from Pennsylvania,
twenty TO twenty-five years older. which
led President Arthur 10 designate Nj
Porter as The baby Of the great and
only commission. Naturally. the pub
lie torgets these things in the course OF
time. and at the great tariff commission
conference held in Indianapolis a fort
night ago, Mr.. Porter, "as the venerable
and only surviving member Of the only
tarih commission was invited 20 ad-
dress the conference-rather Joke on
man whose dark head shows few threads
OF sray and who gloats over ten-mile
walk.
At the close Of the war with Spain NIr
Porter was appointed commissioner 10
Cuba, and sailed on the ResoIute with
Admiral sampson and the officers Of the.
evacuation committee His special work
was the making Of a new tariff for Cuba,
work which involved some heart
searching problems in the management
Of the custom-hoUse. and a knowledge
Of the country which had been acquired
on former visits. II only for two things
alone. Mr.. Porter viii always be remem-
bered by the Cubans with gratitude
This was the prompt removal OF the enOr-
nous duty on -four and cattle. Previous
90 this date -four had beea shipped from
the United States 20 Cuba by the way
of Spain. raising the duty per barrel 20
such an extent that u became a luxury
TO the people on the island or cattle.
the same thing was true in the matter
Of duty. a fact which struck home in
the winter Of 1895. when the 'Cubaus
looked forward 10 their Christmas fes-
tivities with a sad heart II had always
been their custom 20 celebrate at the
dinner OF that day with a weil-seas0ned. /
roast, sucking pig, q dish over which
the Cubans are more enthusiastic than
Charles Lamb ever dared TO be. Il is al
ways served up whole. juicy, brown. and
cracking In its delicate layers Of fat.
a lemon in lis wistful mouth. and ca
meiia behind ifs mOunfui left ear. Dur
ing this winter OF deprivation and suf-
ferinC the duty on pork from the United
states always high. now seemed euOr-
nous, and lamentations waxed loud and
deep The commissioner knew President
McKinley's good heart would be touched
if he realized the situation. and so in q
telegram he asked that pending Tie
changes in the tariff pork should be al
lowed % enter cuba free during the
Christmas season. The President re-
sponded kindly and promptly. and by a
stroke Of his pen sent to cruel death
thousands OF It{le pink and white iEuo-
cents, making az the same time thou
sands % native families Jolly and happy /
Later on there arose the vexed question
Of the disbandment Of the Cuban army. .
Gen. Gomez, VINO had all the pride
and sensitiveness OF his race. was deeply 4
offended at what he called a lack Of defer .
ence and an ignorance Of the etiquette
of war" on the part Of cur government .
He positively refused u negotiate with
Gen. Brooke. or TO disband the Cuban
army. Negotiations came 20 an end let
tiers and Jelegrams from our government. +
and the intercession OF friends seemed 4
only 10 make things worse. Finally, Gen. 4
Gomez withdrew with his starving
army. now reduced 10 a scant supply Of .
corn. 10 an almost inaccessible spot be .
yond RemidioS. and matters were again .
az a complete, # not dangerous, stand 4
still The President was promptly con-
cerned and summoned the former com
missioner. I must send a man to Cuba
as my personal representative. and rele-
gated 10 act for me. I have chosen YOU, .
Porter, first. because you know the peo- .
pie and they Ike YOU, and, second, be
cause you have tact and Sood temper
Here are these two generals scowlins at f
each other from opposite ends Of the ISL
and If any one can bring them together F..
you can and Nj Porter did. even per
suadtug Gen Gomez 10 reduce his de-
maud on our government from thirty mill
lion dollars to three million dollars To .
mark his appreciation at the conclusion .
reached. Gen. Gomez afterward gave
"a erand banquet and reception at Remi- E
dios I'm honor Of the Presidents repre- .
sentative.
Mr.. Porter has been a great traveller. +
crossing the ocean nearly a hundred
times. occasionally on missions for the .
but oftener 10 pursue his F.
Investigations into the economic condition f
Of foreign countries The result OF his (.
travel shows in the variety of books he F.
has published. including "The West in .
lSSo.' Free Trade Folly" Bread T.