St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-11-26
WOES OF YANKEES In CUBA.
They Say They Are Robbed Mt the Ha.
vnna Custom House and ON
the Rnl7rOada.

The American commercial agents
who wen; down there after the block
ade was raised complain of unjust
Spanish taxation and other charges.
The fact is that the Spaniard is still
in power, and he is having his last
day with Il vengeance. Like Bill Nye's
landlord. he admits his charges to be
unjust. and argues merely that "he
needs the money"
The chief source of complaint is the
customhouse. II. S. Cottrell, the agent
of a New York provision syndicate.
says that he had absolutely nothing
with him on arriving there that was
dutiable, nevertheless the customs Of
fetal said he would have to pay $25
to get his baggage through. Cottrell
asked him for what, but that official
vouchsafed no explanation, and mere
ly said that was what he must pay.
After some palaver the official came
down in price, and Cottrell paid him
$40.
Another instance of the injustice of
the customs officials is the case OF Mr..
Carlos Bradford. of Brooklyn.
Mr.. Bradford brought with him
some samples. worth about $50. The
customs authorities wanted to charge
Mr.. Bradford $3.50. He contended that
this was preposterous, and offered to
mutilate everything he carried so far
as to destroy their marketable value.
The Spanish authorities would not
agree to this at first, but finally as
sented. and proposed degree of mutt
lation that would have destroyed
every semblance of their original ap-
pearan.e and made them valueless
even as samples.
Mr.. Bradford then proposed to re-
turn them intact to the United States.
After some demur the authorities said
they would permit this, but Mr.. Brad
ford would have to pay $50 costs be-
fore they could leave the country. So
at tpresent they are still in the customs
storehouse and Mr.. Bradford is hoping
against hope that when the commits
sion arrives he may be able to have
matters straightened Sui
At Santiago the minimum Spanish
tariff is charged. At Havana. the
metropolis of the island, the maximum
duty is imposed. with an added 20 per
cent. which prohibitive tariff make.
the Importation of goods from the
United States next to impossible.
Another institution that is coming
in for its share of Yankee denuncia-
tion is the railroad. 1t charges for
"hrst-class" passage. which means a
coach seat with a back to il, at the
rate of ten cents a mile. If one travels
third class. the charges assume rea.
scnable proportions, but the third
class seat is merely hard bench with
out any back to it. and as the Cuban
rpadbeds are far more exercising than
wild horseback riding. ride of sew
eral hours is more exciting than inter
esting.
In regard to freight charges, cite
Mr.. Cottrell:
81 brought with me from New York
and carried as baggage four small
boxes weighing altogether about 14O
pounds. They contained some pro-
visions and delicacies for personal con-
sumption and distribution among the
very poor along the road. Their act
ual cost in New York. where bought
them. was $12.s3. From Havana to
Caibarien. a matter of about $50 miles.
had to pay -S35 freight charges. ]
protested. but TO no avail. and the only
thing to do was to pay the charges.
Y. +. Sun,