New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-26
SPANS TNJUSTIFIABLE ATTITUDE

INSTRUMENTATION AGAINST AMERICAN PRODUCTS
IN c1BA AND PUERTO RICO.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir. The statement said to have been made ny
tho Spanish Minister at Washington contains many
msrepresentatlons, and IT does not seem poSS'o'e
that he has been correctly quoted PREVIOUS 10
reciprocity American goods were adn''e" ""'o
cuba and Puerto Rico under the mira coI"''" vi
the thrift then in force which was the column Tor
the most favored nations. In 1892. that Is during
r,,,nrocttv a new tariff was enacted containing
only two columns. the first higher one lot gooiS
from countries having no treaty with SPAIN the
second for nations having n treaty or enjoying '"c
most favored nation clause. This new second
column has. therefore, taken the place OF the for
mer third column. The new first column cores
ronds 10 the former fourth column I'm tho Oh
tariff The first and second columns OF the Ola
tariff referred only to Spanish products ano these
being now free In every case, no column Is needed
for them in the new tariff. American eools nave
to nav now the duties according 10 the first column
OF the new tariff All other nations pay according
to the second column. n determination resulting
against the United states.
Flour from the United States pays % per loO
Kilograms from other countries 81. difference
OF nearly % per cent: lard and bacon pay Slo per
100 Kilograms from the United States. and only "
when imported from other countries; hams - ~
and Sc "a respectively potatoes 81 so and 81 30 re-
l6D Kilograms. Coffee from Brazil or Nenezucia,
for instance imported into Cuba direct from those
countries pays duty at the rate Of - per 100 ko
grams. The coffee. II marketed In the tnlted
Kilograms which proves discrimination. not only
against the products Of the United states, nut
against American trade in general
The same discrimination and antagonlsm ls
shown in the case Of goldfish. This article by
special treaty. f. free when imported I'm Cuba from
Norway. Under the most favored nation clause
Canadian Goldfish is also free provided II Is shipped
direct from Canada or Norway. or ~ shipped IN
transit through the United States certificate OF
origin has accompany the shipment 10 show
market. and that its passage through the United
States IL not trade commerce with this country,
bur merely matter OF transportation.
The claim that - per cent is the average rate OF
can plainly be by the rates the goods
above quoted. which may be said TO constitute the
for part ~ tho articles exported from this CoID
iry 10 n" spanish Islands Thus. a. kilograms be
Ing equal 10 iV pounds II may DO seen that a
barrel II roIy costing IN the United States s1v.
worth in thc United States say. 60 cents. pays
81 2 In cuba. lari costing from g. 10 ~ cents A
pound. p1ys ~ cents a pound. bacon worth hero
io cents per pound pays ~ cents per pound:
hams worth 70 10 cents per pound pay ~. cents
per pound. pot ntocs worth s. n barrel % - kllo-
grams pay s. II a barrel
Tho variations In a." rates are so great that IL
would De dificult 10 arrive NJ the exact average.
Determination exists and that the average OF duties
Il vcrv much more than = per cent. 1t Is probably
much above iVl per cent
Tho United States hgsa about - por cent Of the
products ~ ~" Islands AMI receives an - them
~" basis ~ ne most favored nation that u.s. with
therefore. unlustinod. JAS T. WARD & co
Nfw- ORR. Dec. -. 1884,.