[Inclosure 1 in No. 390.]
Mr. Williams to Mr.
Porter.
Consulate-General of the United States,
Havana, August 12, 1885.
No. 249.]Sir: Referring in general to previous
correspondence in regard to the annoyances of the present passport
system in Cuba, and in particular to your instruction No. 92, of the
21st July ultimo, I now beg to transmit, for the information of the
Department, the translation and slip of an article taken from La Correspondencia of Havana, dated the 6th
instant, containing an editorial on the subject of passports.
Considerable interest has awakened of late upon this subject among the
hotel-keepers of this city, who find, greatly to their financial
inconvenience, and by whom, I understand, this article was inspired,
that, owing to the increase of hotel facilities and absence of passport
annoyances in Florida, the stream of American tourists and
health-seekers, who used to come to winter in Cuba, now goes to that
State. It was out of this winter travel that the Havana hotel-keepers
formerly reaped their harvest. Its absence now tells adversely upon
their business. From the same lack, many local minor industries and
occupations surfer alike, such as the retail stores, the streetcars, the
livery stables, coffee-houses, the boatmen of the bay, even to the
boot-blacks who throng about the hotels in the winter, awaiting their
American customers. And when, of course, it is taken into consideration
that all these industries and occupations pay taxes to the general
government of the island as well as to the city government of Havana, it
is manifest that any loss Of business to them naturally decreases their
ability to contribute to the public budget, and to its extent redounds
in turn against, the Government itself.
In short, were we to search for reasons in favor of the abolition of the
passport system of Cuba we would find that this island is much more in
need of its suppression than the United States.
I have, &c.,
RAMON O. WILLIAMS,
Consul-General.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 390.]
[Extract from La Correspondencia of Havana,
August 6, 1885.—Translation.]
passports.
If there are no passports in Spain why should there be any in Cuba? We
shall never cease asking that they be abolished.
We call the attention of General Fajardo to this subject. The
governor-general can do much in favor of the commerce, wealth, and
progress of this island if he only succeeds in convincing the home
Government that it is indispensable to do away with passports.
[Page 752]
General Fajardo does not ignore that American tourists have a liking for
Cuba, and in their opinion there is no nearer and better country to
winter in.
More than 100,000 travelers came south from the north and central parts
of the United States into Florida in the winter of 1884 to 1885. Some
few came over into Cuba. Those who are well informed upon the subject
say that this island is much more beautiful, gay, varied, and pleasant
than that State. In Florida there are hotels from which only sea and
stretch of sand can be seen.
* * * * * * *
But to come to Cuba the American tourist requires a passport. He has to
write from Florida, or from wherever he may be, to the Department of
State at Washington, and then wait several days for the document, and
afterwards has to dance attendance at the office of some Spanish
consulate in the United States, besides paying a consular fee of $4.
All this annoys the American traveler, accustomed like the English, the
French, the German, and lately even the Spaniards, to travel freely
without being required to show their passports at every step.
Were it not for our passport system, of those 100,000 travelers who come
every winter to Florida, thirty or forty thousand would come to
Cuba.
Our good friends the Americans—and they are our friends, although they
did not ratify the treaty—have reason enough to complain. Passengers
sometimes arrive in Cuba by the steamship line to Cienfuegos. They come
to Havana with their passports in their pockets. If they wish to take
passage for New York here the consignee of the steamer requires their
passports visaed by the civil government. Having landed in Cienfuegos,
where the authorities have not indorsed their passports, they hence
suffer here further delays and difficulties.
* * * * * * *
Russia is the only country that keeps up the same system as Cuba. Not
even among the Moors in Morocco are there passports.
The damages arising from this state of things is easily to be seen.
Hotels, restaurants, barber-shops, coffee-houses, &c., lose these
benefits, the more to be appreciated on account of the economic
situation of this island. Add to this the fact that many establishments
have to pay increased taxes—the Hotel Telegrafo, for instance, which has
had an increase of 65 per cent.
Everything here, except the land itself, conspires against the prosperity
of the working man, and capital dissipates itself.
General Fajardo doubtless knows that for all great cities, like Paris,
London, New York, Vienna, the movement of passengers is a good business.
In Cuba it might be the same if the administration would only do a
little towards removing the difficulties which prevent personal
locomotion.
We have close by a wealthy nation of 55,000,000 of inhabitants. The
well-to-do classes of the north and middle part of the United States
during the winter search for sunny climes, an agreeable life, in which
they may find the advantages of civilization and the attractions of
nature. Cuba offers them what neither Florida, Jamaica, nor the Bermudas
can offer.
Does it not appear to General Fajardo that we should do all we can to
make this island the winter station of the American tourists? Then let
the governor-general propose to the home Government the suppression of
passports.
