New-York tribune., 1895-12-06
MEXICO COMING TO THE FRONT
IMPORTANT CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
~..- PROPOSED
THEY ARE A STEP IN THE DlhEOIioN vi
NATIONALITY AND THE REMOVAL OF
ANNOYING. TARIFF RESTRICTIONS.
fey TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBuNE.l

ANNOYING. TARIFF RES IEItllO.>S
tpY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBrNEl
Washington, Dec. 5-If the proposed aihelu'i'e''.
to the Mexican Constitution, the text OF whicn Is
inst nrinted in the advance sheets of report whci
will soon be published by the State Department. are
adopted that Republic VII, have taken the longest
and most important step in its history III the "eV
ton OF nationality. The report Is from Coisui-uei
eral Donnelly. of Nuevo LAREDO anu Is d" me-
ing ard Instructive document, despite the fact 'hd'
Mr. Donnel,v has felt under obligation to air some
free-trade theories in order to commend himself 10
~, oeci,l suneriors For centuries the several
States OF Mexico have had the power to impose al d
collect tariff duties in addition to those imposed pS
the, central authority. In fact, the munlclpaH|eS
have possessed this authority and the consequences
have naturally been vexatous and injurious to COM
merce The merchant or manufacturer who soid
goods beyond the boundaries OF his tarlii uis''"'
was kent in a condition OF constant uncertainty
which has beer aggravated by the fact that 'he
several States also possess the power 10 com iioS
and 10 issue paper currency and stamps or s'an'pe"
PAPER as well as to exercise other powers oil SoN'
ere!gnty not known in the United States. lnasmhcA
AS the trade with Mexico has been rapidly growing
and has ALREADY become important and as Amer-
can merchants have been the greatest sufferers III
recen, years from the obstacles thrown IN tne wa!
of trade in that country 1t will be of considerable
general interest to reproduce the full text OF the
proposed amendments. which. as viii be seem fc!-
low closely the analogous provisions Of the Consu-
tuition of the United States. The amendments read
follows:
ton is hereby amended anu ENLARGED IN tne ioi.ow &
ing form The States shall not S) COIN money, Issue
PaPsG pasage of persons or efecs through
% prohibit tax, directly or ndirecty me intfo
foreign merchandise 90 impose on the circu.itoh
consumption Of DOMESTIC or iSfesH hn 5
ternal custom houses, or TO require the opening
Er of o sdSis undr fiscal dosumens q
issue or maintain laws or isca. enactmeniS implying
distinction as TO taxation requirements, based on
the PAGES OF origin OF domestic foreign merchan-
disc and whether the distinction be enforced by way
2 Article i2i Of the Constitution Is amended in
the the powers Of the Union to merchandise rs
or or @ @ to IN regaa.
at all times and even TO prohibit for reasons OF pub
Of f he RspSbc cOfs of kind Of
ever may be the Place ps Of Its origin @ ,orca m ,r,
Consul-Generai Donnelly furnishes a schedule Of
the local tariff duties levied at Nuevo Laredo in the
State of Tamaulipas with the remark that it is as
serted that the local duties have been practically
abandoned in that State, but that so far from CIV
ing up the system even advancing in the line OF
reform, Tamaulpas has actually retroSraded fGr
for the State Itself the tax with all its Objectionable
features has been transferred 70 the
I'm this schedule there hftyone separate classes
of articles subject to tarln duty. hanging from
on cigars and at the end Of the classified list go
that nothing may escape there is an omnibus
clause to the effect that all articles not specified
shall pay % cents per 100 kilograms Nuevo Leon,
which is another State named as free from the AL
cabala has a system oppressive as Tamauiras,
and the Federal District itself the seat Of govern
ment where If anywhere reform ought 70 be mani.
fest leads all the rest in the severity OF Its tariff
taxes. collecting annually from single article
The adoption Of the amendments has been strongly
recommended indeed urged, by President Diaz, who
/ IN Il O Mexican Congress
proposal affects the vital interests of the country,
and is certain TO meet with cordial reception at
vour hands especially In view Of the unusually pro-
nitious circumstances Of the Republic at the pres
ent moment for e.fectng important reform.