New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-07-10
THE SPANISH REVENUE Law AND Re-
CIPROCITY.

ment enough to live on. The govern
ment has, therefore, struck for a-larger
share of its cwn revenues, and we shall
see whether the collectors or the Minister
of Finance will conquer. We will bet on
the collector as having more capital and
pertinacity than ministry which changes
every few months, and whose members
are, perhaps, made of the same cloth with
the collectors. As is always the case IN
such a conflict, the restrictions intended
to trammel the tricky official embarrass
the honest public still more. The follow
ing explanation of the causes Of govern
ment action shows an inability to admin
lister the law almost amounting to anarchy:
The necessity that has arisen for with
drawing the revenue guard from our own
special cruisers to assist in the re-establlsh-
ment of public order and to check the pro-
gress of the Carlist instruction have left
the coast and frontier of many provinces
unprotected, and this fact has been taken
advantage Of by smugglers and others, who
cripple legitimate commerce by a rulnous
competition which the latter can not Keep
up, and at the same time humillate the law
tul government by disparaging its prestige
and diminishing its revenues.
The American Minister says: "Ihls
decree contains provisions tending to en-
barrass legitimate commerce with the
Peninsula" He speaks OF the recogni-
ton of 'several principles" contended for
in his correspondence with the Governors
respecting the customs regulations We
are aware diplomatist looks upon pet
negotiation with especial affection, and
we suppose his principle for which Mr..
Sickles has been contending is reduc-
ton Of the number of manifests required
by the Spanish revenue authorities, and
especially that fine shall not be laid on
q whole vessel for special discrepancy
between the actual cargo and the mani
fest. The verifcation of commodities is
provided for in more efectual manner
than when shipment Of one thousand
barrels of potatoes to Cuba were found
to comprehend q thousand barrels Of
flour, or when by giving the customs OIL
Gals at Havana a sufficient number of
onzas, cargo Of -four might be put
through the customhouse and the Span
ish treasury be very little the better of it.
Two years since, the Spanish government
not being satisfied with the divide as set
tied by the revenue officials at Havana,
made clean sweep. Whether it has re-
suited in any change Of the ratio Of its
revenues allowed the government by the
officials we do not know. We opine that
the stealing Of government official, and
Of colonial official, are as old
as Spain, OF a: least as the days when
Sancho Panza sought the government Of
an island where there fought to be good
pickings."
But Minister Sickles. it seems to us,
should negotiate for something more tan
gible than new set Of manifests. The
duties imposed by Spain on imports are
excessive and destructive Of commerce.
Her tariff Oh flour, hog products and live
stock, though nominally applicable to all
nations, fall especially upon the shippers
of the United States. In such cases as
regard corn, -four or lard imported into
Cuba. this tariff is almost prohibitory.
Now, if Mr.. Sickles would labor for a
tariff made more reciprocal with our own,
he might render great service to the
Spanish government. There would be
much larger amount of the goods de-
scribed taken by Cuba, and the govern
ment would consequently get more reve-
nue. from that source than at present. !
This is a matter Of national import
ance. It especially affects the grange
interests and the commerce Of the port
Of New Orleans. If our minister to
Spain can obtain modification Of duties
on provisions imported into Cuba, it
would give powerful impulse to Western
productions. Illinois and Iowa would no
onger be compelled to 60 almost half
across the globe to sell their corn in COM
petition with the cargoes from the Danube
md Black sea- And our government has |
claims on the comfy Of Spain. Our citi-
ems have furnished Spain with vessels |
md arms for the suppression Of an in
urrection, while our government has |
trictly forbidden any aid to her insur-
tents. This neutrality has been of in
mite aid to Spain, occupied at present
With civil war which distracts her peace,
nd, as we have seen. suspends her reve-
tues.
We are satisfied, and we SO assure the
of State, that the reduction
# the Spanish and Mexican tariff on flour
nd pork products would do more to
,acify the great uprising against high
reights and the commercial discomfort of
louisiana than any other measure which
ould be resorted to. We trust that MIR.
fish will consider this view. Our Secre-
airy Of the Treasury may also rest assured
hat if our merchants could put in a
ew additional millions of Western pro-
ucts in payment Of our purchases Of
ugar and cigars, there would remain
,any more millions Of specie in the
ountry to aid in sustaining the national
urrency and in Fastening that day SO
,uch desired by the nation. when the
urrency of the government, and thus its
hole interest bearing obligations, would
G PAYABLE at the national treasury in
pecie.
AM pYpTRTNG CRY