Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-08-21
How the Home industries or Mexico
Are Fostered.

Taxation. OF ali the economic feat
ures Of Mexico there is no one more
novel, interesting, and instructive. and
withaI more anfagonistic in its inilu-
enco to the development Of the country,
than the system BY which the Govern
ment- Federal. State. and municipal
raises the revenue essential to defray its
necessary expenditures.
The general characteristics Of the
Mexican tariff, or system of taxing inn
ports. have been already noticed. But
one altogether anomalous and absurd
feature of it rcmains to be pointed out.
In all truly civilized countries, when
foreign articles or merchandise have
once satisfied all customs requirements
at . port, or place of entry, and have
been permitted 10 pass the frontier, they
are exempted from any further taxation
as imports, or so long MS they retain
such distinctive character. But in
Mexico. each State Of the Republic has
practically its own custom-house sys-
tenn; and levies taxes on all goods
domestic and foreign passing its bor-
ders; and then, in turn, the several
towns of the States again assess all
goods entering their respective precincts
The rate OF State taxation, being deter
mined by the several State Legislatures,
varies. and varies continually with each
State. IN the Federal District. g.,
the city of Mexic0-the rate was recent-
ly two per cent of the national tariff:
but IN the adjoining State Of HidalgO,
it was twelve and a half per cent, and
in others it is as high as twenty-five per
cent The rate levied by the towns is
said to be about nine per cent of what
the State has exacted; Lut in this there
is no common rule. Thus, under date
OF April 9, 1886, an official of the Mex
lean National Railroad writes: Goods
destined for San Luis.Q. e., ViG rail-
way) pay local tax in Laredo, Mex
leo, but on arrival at San Luis pay q
municipal tax. These taxes are eter-
nally changing, and are sometimes pro-
hibitory. Take lumber, for example
Three months ago there was munich
pal tax of thirty dollars per thousand
feet. This has now been reduced TO
one dollar per one thousand feet; but
there is no certainty that the old tax
will not be restored Nor is this all.
For the transit of every territorial
boundary necessitates inspection, assess
ment the preparation Of bills OF charges.
and permits for entry; and all these
transactions and papers involve the
payment of fees. or the purchase and
affixing of stamps. Thus, by section
377 of the tariff law of December, 1884,
it is ordained ..that the custom-house
81 all give to every individual who
n axes any importation, upon the pay
ment of duties, certificate Of the sum
pad, which certificate, on being pre-
sented to the administrator of the stamp
Office in the place of Importation, shall
be changed for an equal amount in
custom-house stamps. For this opera
ton the interested party shall pay, to
the administrators of whom he receives
the stamps, two per cent in money
(cOin) of the total value of the stamps
All imports into Mexico at the present
time are liable, therefore, to these
multiple assessments; and the extent
to which they act as q prohibition ON
trade may be best illustrated by few
practical examples Hon. D0Vid n.
Wells, iss Popular Science MonttIv.