The herald., 1898-12-17
CUBAN FARlff RATES
ARE FIXED, BY ORDER OF THE
PRESIDENT
SOME THINGS ADMITTED FREE
On All Other Imports the Rates Show
Large Reductions From Those
Made by Spain
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, Dec. l6.-Prcsident Nc
Kinley before leaving ior the south last
Tuesday signed an executive order estab-
fishing a customs tariff tor the island OF
Cuba. to go into effect january lst next
This tariff is based upon the report and rec
concentrations made by Hon. Robert L..
Porter, special commissioner of the United
States, who was sent to tuba some months
ago for the special purpose of making an
investigation OF the subjects OF revenue and
customs OF the islands.
The list of articles which may be imported
into Cuba free of duty, includes trees and
plants in tile natural state, trained animals,
carriages, theatrical properties and similar
objects imported temporarily io'' puohc en-
tertanments; used furniture OF persons
going to settle in the island; wearing APP
larel. Jewels. portable tools and instru
ments, etc, for personal use OF travellers
entering the island; stone for paving pur
poses, plows, hoes hatchets, machetes and
other agricultural implements not machin-
cry; quinne and all alkalolJs of salts OF
cinchona bark; hemp, mans, etc, for use OF
schools; coal and coke; n&iersl carbonated
or seltzer waters, root beer 81 Egcr ale, also
samples of felt, wall paper and tissues; and
of trimmings when i'll small pieces or OF no
commercial value.
Export duties on tobacco are,prescribed as
follows:
Tobacco, cigarettes in boxes per 1000, 80
cents. Should wrapper and filler leaves be
exported in the same package, bale or bun
die, the export duty levyable on wrapper to-
bacco shall be coh hected when the weight
of the latter exceeds 10 per cent of the total
weight.
Tobacco. cut, l0O klos, S375. Other $6 80
Cigars. thousand, 10 cents.
PAPER cigars and cigarettes, $3.50 and 25
per cent advalorem.
In the leaf or filler tobacco, harvested in
the province OF Santiago dc Cuba, and eX-
ported through the custom house of San
tiago, Gibara or Manzanillo, 100 kibos, 81 20.
Tobacco in the leaf, for cigar wrappers,
shall be liable to the duty levyablc on tobac
co in the leaf with surtaX of 100 Per cent.
The long schedule enumeratine the rates
of import duty on alimcntary Substances,
animals, cotton, machinery. etH.. is sum
married. in table which Mr.. Porter sub
rlits, showing the average per cent of reduc-
ton in the several classes between the cid
Spanish rate originally adopted by the
United States for all imports. The table
follows:
Per cent.
Glass I-Stones, earths, ores, etc.,. Gil
Glass H-Metals. etc...................... 62l
OidSS lll-I anu CltliMCilS,
substances Off,. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5S1
Glass IV-Cotton. etc.....................6 637
Glass N-Hemp, flax, etc................. 62.5
Glass NI-Wool, etc.......................7 704
Glass NII-Silk, tc.......................5 $50
Glass Wallpaper, Observation-Disclosures. 769
Glass IX-Wood, etc...................... 631
Glass Mammals, etc. 6l.S
Glass XI - Instruments, machinery,
etc ........ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 60.6
NIT-Mant
Sreases ....... ...................... 6l.5
Class NII1-Miscellan .............. 61.S
General average. all classes. ...... $40
PORTER'S COMMENT
In commenting upon the schedules, Mr..
Porter says:
In recommending changes of rates in the
several schedules of the Cuban tariff now
in force in Cuban ports in possession of the
United States. | have been guided by the
following considerations:
First. The necessities of obtaining suf-
ficient revenue to administer the affairs of
the island.
Second. A reduction of duties in those
cases where Spain retained in the minimum
rate column eXorbtant rates because she
could not herself supply the commodity.
Third. An increase of duty in the scned
ule relating to spirits, wine and malt liquors.
in which the reduction, by the adoption of
the minimum rate column, is altogether TOO
great.
Fourth. Changes of rates that have been
suggested by the testimony taken, for the
purpose of encouraging local industry in
Cuba.
Fifth. Changes from specific duties TO
ad valorem in cases where the former meth
cd of levying duties resulting in inequalities
and in some cases injustice, alike to importer
and consignee.
Understandable Instruments, machinery
and apparatus employed in agriculture, ETC.
Sixth. Changes in the line of additional
reductions, as in the case OF alimentary
substances in which many of the rates Of
duty now in force in Cuban ports in the
possession of the United States were found
to be unnecessarily burdensome. In this
case the aim has been to make the specific
rate of duty average not over % per cent
from the present market value of the import
ed commodity.
Seventh In the changes of duty con-
has been given to the fact that
the Cuban customs, under American admin
will be collected in United States
currency, whereas, the Spanish duties were
in eighty per cent Spanish gold
and twenty per cent Spanish silver: roundly
speaking, therefore. if the old Spanish du
ties were left unchanged. it would prac-
ticaly mean an increase of ten per cent in
the tariff 1t should therefore be borne in
mind that the reductions made are in fact
ten per cent less than these figures indicate.
On the other hand however, the additional
duties exacted by the Spanish authorities
levied as war tax since the signing OF the
protocol, more than counteracted the differ
ence on currency.