The sun., 1895-02-24
1HB FREE zoyE.
The Proposal OF Congress- 10 Prsbibu the
Trsnsportation OF Bonded Goods Into II.

The Proposal OF ConCress 10 rrehibit tbs
Transportation OF f;onded Goods Iuto It.
wAsHiNoTov Feb. e3..-Tho ioint resolution
which has passed the House md s now pending
in the Senate 10 limit tho privileges OF the Free
Zone on the Mexican border. or rather for gov.
srninR the transportation Of merchandise in
bond into that zone, must he regarded as wholly
| friendly In Its international bearings
| The Ionn Libre established by the neirhbor.
Ing republic Ia n strip 30 kilometres. or little
less than l2I6 miles, broad, extending along tho
entire boundary from the mouth of the Ro
Grande up to FL Paso and thence westerly over
land tn tine Pacific. Originally II was confined
to the State OF Tnmnulpas, at the lower part of
the Rio Grande. its creation being due to the
fact that the Texas towns. nnd particularly
Brownsville could sell articles Of ordinary use
at much lower rate than the dealers in Matn-
noras and tho other Mexican towns on the OPP
poste shore. Accordingly, il was provided by
this system, now universal on the Mexican
| border, that the Mexcans could import certain
goods free. or. rather, for one-tenth Of the
! ordinary duties, this being enough to meet
official expenses, and could store them in bond
within the zone. II taken out OF bond and car
red across the inner line of the zone to the in
terror of Mexico, they must then pay duty.
AT first glance II might seem that the estab-
lishment Of such privilege was greatly to tho
| interest OF Americans az we'll as Of the resi-
dents OF the zone as compared with that OF
| people In the interior. II gave Texas dealers a
very obvious advantage over such European
merchants az were obliged to send their goods
through other ports of Mexico, like Vera Cruz
since the Government OF Mexico does not allow
! shipments in bond through it's territory into tho
Free Yong. Naturally majority OF all goods
going across the Rio Grande to the Mexican side
are American. II they are smuggled across tho
inner line. they still further with uc
European goods as have to lie brought across
the ocean and to pay Mexican dutis, in ful:
Indeed, many complaints have been made from
the merchants OF the Mexican Gulf ports, like
Tampico and Vera Cruz, against the privileges
of an important part OF the country along the
harbpr, because tho inhabitants Of that "trip
hose that came through the Gulf Custom
Houses Besides; 1t was declared to he absurd
dents In narrow border strip OF the States of
Tamaulipas. Nuevo Leon, Coshuila, Chihuahua.
and sonora, ~ compared not ouly with tho re-
mainder OF Mexico, but with the remaining por-
tions OF those States themselves.
. However, in spite OF these remonstranccs, the
Free Zone ssystem has continued up to the pres
ent time. The reason for its original establish
ment was that there bad been such an amount
of emigration across the Rio Grande to Texas as
seriously to threaten the prosperity of the border
region. When the Governor OF 'ramaullpas first
issued his decree establishing the Free Zone on
his own borders the pream 10 dee Jared that the
towns on our northern frontier are in n state Of
sStus decsdencr and that they needed certain
their population, which Is constantly emgrut-
ing to the neighboring country" The difficulty
was not experienced in the interior. whore less
was known of the United States aud where also
the population was more scattered; hut on the
river border where 1t WINS an easy matter to
cross tho stream. the advantages of living on the
Texas side were realized.
In 1861 the Mexican Congress approved the
Tsmaulipas decree and at the demands of other
border states the zone was extended, as has
been said all along the line, such were the
origin and the reason of this queer system,
which has maintained itself against the protests
Of merchants in the other parts OF Mexico and
Free Zone greatly reduces the possible revenue
Of Mexico from customs duties and makes dis
Grim nations among the people OF the country.
Indeed, it might ne, er have been disturbed.
except that the Free Zone became unpopular on
be may not at first be evident, In view OF tho
advantages to American trade already spoken
OF: But the explanation is that under this sys-
go"ds can bo carried i'll bond across the Rio
Grantic into the Free Zone. paying only ten pei
have the same chance our own goods of being
smuggled across the inner line into the interior
goods through this bond system compete with
our own in the Free Zone itself. And still an
goods received into the Mexican Free Zone can
be smuggled back across the Rio Grande. and so
IN me . enaGy WITH
ties are laid That is due To the extraordinary
facilities for smuggling presented by tho Rio
Of the border population, but on account of the
easo with which terrying or fording operations
Accordingly. seventeen years ugo a Texas
Congressman introduced n resolution to procure
the consent OF Mexico to the abolition OF the
Free Zone and from time to time representa- |
tives OF that state have again urged the mattsr.
fact msv be due to ls.
spoken OF rs derived from the Free Zone. But at
length tho conviction seems to have become
overwhelming that any such advantages are |
counterbaanced by, the fact that European
goods brought IN bond through the United
detriment OF American tradesmen on this side |
OF the river. Instead OF crossing the stream to ,
people have goods at lower prices brought to |
their own doors. Then there is the smuggling |
The resolution adopted by the House Is e1-
pres.ly designed to prevent the transporta-
tion of merchandise in bond through the United
portntion 10 now permitted by section 3.O05 of |
the Revised Statutes. The resolution directs the |
ton of that statute as to mercha handise in bond to
be delivered within the Free Zone. While allowing
mands for bonded merchandise deliverable he
yond the free zone. where y paysduty. But m
the Free Zone Between Laredo and is the mouth mouth OF
the Rio Grande This is due 10 the fact that the
whole resolution Is based ON the prevalence of
smuggling from Mexico into the United States.
which cannot be stopped in tho shallower parts
Of the river, whereas between Laredo and the
patrollrR by guardians of the revenue. There,
accordingly, the present system is to 20 on.
II - worth notinR that MT Byhuu report de-
clared that 1t had been asccrtalned that the Mex
lean Government made no objection TO the pas
sage OF this resolution and this can easily be un-
lerstood, since the proposed move OF the United
states would destroy In great part the former
privileges OF the Free Zone to which many Of tho
Mexican people objected while the Govern
nent of Mexico does not incur that hostility of
he people of its borders which would come from
= sbolish!ng the zone. Besides, since so much OF
he trade Is now carried ON along the parts OF
The river between Laredo and Matamoras. the
,hange proposed would be much less marked
han without this exception, and In fact would
be something in the nature OF = compromise.