The sun., 1890-01-05
PARA,s EXPORT TAX ON RUBBER.
Americas Think They Cen Compete with
Natives without Mr.. BlaIne's Aid.

There is excellent authority for the state
mont that the State Department will soon enter
a protest in the matter Of discrimination
against American exporters OF rubber by the
authorities OF Para Whether such protest
will be effectual is doubted by some OF the mer-
chants in the rubber trade In this city.
I'm my opinion" said q leading importer oi
Para rubber yesterday, there Is no doubt
about the authority OF the Para government to
impose this additional tax. 1t amounts to
one-half a cent q pound. and 1t is levied upon
all rubber except that exported by native citi-
zens. The effect Is to tax every firm in the
business but one. and that is Visnna's Com
panic Mercantl which is the only native con-
Germ engaged in the trade. The law is said to
provide that the tax thus collected from the
foreign exporters shall be paid to Wanna as a
bonus or subsidy II 1t is true don't know
what our Government cando about 1t. don't
Govern ent what It shall do with the proceeds
Of the collections under its revenue laws,
American importers OF Para rubber would
cent a pound In favor OF Wanna. The superior
credit Of New York merchants in the trade
would alone be sufficient to Offset the adyan-
tage thus given to a native concern in Para
Before this additional tax was imposed there
was an % expert duty on Iara rubber OF y per
which is uniform throughout Brazil, and l3
cent Is rnbsp local e,poTted or stse nSm aN tSe
Amazonian region is per cent, because the
local tax there is but 10 per cent The add
on Of h @Ser ON WHICH
little or no complaint among consumers here:
1t will all come out OF the manufacturers OF
Affect their selling schedules What the manu-
facturers do complain Of is the tiuctuation In
the the prGS norm o raoGS sate poand
year round than 60 cents one week.
90 cents the next, and SO on. on, From
bination which provided that each concern
should buy its rubber as needed. but that at
the end Of tho year the cost per pound should
be averaged and the joint accounts SO adjusted
that each manufacturer should pay the same
rate for his years supply. This plan enabled
fixed schedule of selling rates on manufac-
tured {. R.ods. An advance Of one-half cent
pound by reason of the increase In duty at
Para will not, therefore. disturb tho manufac-
turers, iiit is uniform in its applicatl9n' and
retail purchasers OF rubber goods will not
"But The payment OF the collected duty to
Vianna's concern will give him a greater ad-
one time Wanna was the greatest exporter OF
rubber in Para but now he stands as low rs
tenth on the list II he receives a subsidy Of
rubber as he himself exports. the natural in
ference would be that he could could un, IN
cents CENTS" a. nrs pound But he will never be
allowed to do It. What Is to prevent the New
York importers Of rubber, transferring their
business at Para, nominal ly. at least TO some
native agent, thus securing exemption from
the taxi As a matter Of fact. one of the largest
Importers in town is already making arrange
ments 10 import his rubber through Wanna
himself The new law will cause some incon-
tical effect o. the trade. have not heard
whether Mr.. Blaine, vii act In the matter or
not but II he should ! don't see how his pro-
test could DO en- orced except by war; and that
would be absurd in such matter"
Mr.. W. II. Grace has visited WASHINGTON. and
has had long conference with MIR. Blaine
upon South American affairs. The interview
he saws was n private one and he declines to
make any statement about the views expressed
by the Secretary OF state. He refused to con-
firm or deny the report that the State Depart
ment would aot in regard to the now export tax
on rubber I'm posed by the State OF Para. n.