The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-10
DUTIES IN CUBA.
American Importers Wants
No Further Delay In
New Tariff.

HAVANA, Nov. (via Key West, Fla,
Nov. TO- 1S9S.-.A circular letter is being ad-
dressed to all business centres, exchanges
manufacturing companies, mills and pro-
duce dealers requesting their cooperation
in an effort to offset the petition. signed
by most of the Spanish merchants and i'm
porters here, who request an extension of
sixty days after the American occupation
before putting the new customs tariff into
effect
The letter is signed by many Of the
principal business houses, especially
those representing American concerns.
A committee viii wait upon Special Com
missioner Robert P. Porter when he ar
rives here and submit the matter to him.
asking his support in favor Of the petit
ton. The letter, which follows explains
the reasons adduced on either side in re-
gard to the CASE
ssThe undersigned, representatives in
Cuba of American products and manu-
faetures beg to submit to your consider
alton the following facts hoping they will
be deemed Of sufficient Importance to
warrant your cooperation in a matter
which effects American interests at large
in this island:
l. The uncertainty regarding the sched-
ule Of import duties to be levied by the
American Government, both as to the
rates to be imposed and as to the specific
time when the schedule is to go into eff
feet is resulting in an almost complete
stagnation in this market, and is render
ing the Introduction of American products
and manufactures, under the present du-
ties, almost an impossibility, not only in
Havana but in the smaller ports
on this side of the island.
Meanwhile, the less important markets
of Santiago de Cuba, Manzanillo, Guam
tanamo and Gibara, now under American
control, are working with specific duty
much lower than the Spanish tariff in
force here, thus placing this port at a
great disadvantage. 1t is therefore of
the utmost Importance that the American
administration be extended throughout
the entire island without further delay,
and that a uniform schedule be establish
ed for all these ports, that there may not
result an undue advantage for any one
market on the island
.s2-The American Commission has been
approached in the interest of small
minority of the importers. who request
that the American Government grant
them an extension of sixty days after the
date on which it is intended to place the
new schedule in operation. in or
der that they may dispose of
their goods which were imported
under the Spanish tariff now prevailing
here. the rates of which are much higher
than the American tariff to be put in
force This request is made on the
Cd
with goods upon which these higher du-
ties were paid. Those acquainted with
the corrupt methods practiced under the
Spanish Administration cannot conceive
what would be the cause of such desire
to prolong the Spanish tariff. 1t is mo-
torious that some of the importers,
in combination with few of the Custom
House officials, have for years been pay
ing but a small portion of the proper
amount of import duties. This practice is
all the more pronounced in the last days
at less cost than would be incurred in
paying the lower rates of the American
schedule.
IF the American government were to
comply with this request it would act
against the interests of the commercial
world at large and would be especially
detrimental to the American producers
and manufacturers represented here. On
the contrary, the new uniform schedule
should be put in force at once in order
to remove the present altogether unsat-
isfactory state of this market
The sale of the Ferro Carril Urbano's
entire street railroad system is an
nounced to an English stock company for
81 100000. The system covers twenty-five
miles Of road between Cerro, Jesus del
Monte Castillo del Principe and Vedado.
The entire line viii be rebuilt and the mo-
tive power Will be changed to electricity
Several American corporations made bids;
but the English company's terms We're
the most favorable. A meeting of the
Board of Directors is only necessary TO
ratify the sale.