The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-17
CUSTOMS TARIFF FOR CUBA
NEW RATES ESTABLISHED BY
THE PRESIDENT.
Schedule Was Prepared By Robert P.
Porter-Many Reductions IN Rates
Articles On Free List.

Washington, Dec. 16.-President Nc
Kinley before leaving for the south
last Tuesday, signed an executive or
der establishing q customs tariff for
the island of Cuba, to go into effect
Jan. next. This tariff is based upon
the report and recommendations made
by Hon. Robert p. Porter, special COM
missioner of the United States, who
was sent to Cuba some months ago for
the purpose of making an investigation
of the subjects of revenue and customs
of the island.
The list of articles which may be i'm
ported into Cuba free of duty, includes
trees ana plants, in the natural state;
trained animals, carriages, theatrical
properties and similar objects imports
ed temporarily for public entertain
nTent; used furniture OF persons gong
to settle in the island; wearing apparel,
jewels, portable tools and Instruments,
etc, for personal use of travellers en-
tering the island; stone for paving pur-
poses, ploWs, hoes, hatchets, machetes
and other agricultural implements not
machinery; quinine and all alkaloids Of
salts of cinchOna bark; hemp, fax and
ranie; spun jute for the manufacture
of sugar bags; books, maps, etc, for
use of schools: coal AMI coke; mineral,
carbonated or settler waters, root beer,
ginger ale, etc.; also samples of felt,
wall paper and tissues, and of trim
ming, when in small pieces or of no
commercial value.
In commenting upon the schedules,
Mr.. Porter says:
In recommending changes of rates in
the several schedules of the Cuban tar
if now in force in Cuban ports in pos
session Of the United States, I have
been guided by the following considera-
tons:
First-The necessity OF obtaining suf-
fcient revenue to administer the affairs
of the island.
Second-A reduction Of duties in those
cases where Spain retained in the
minimum rate" column exorbitant
rates because she could not herself sup
ply the commodity.
Third-An increase of duty in the
| schedule relating TO spirits, wine and
I 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 in
dustry in Cuba.
Fifth-Changes from specific duties
! to ad ValOrem IL cases where the for
mer method of levying duties resulted
! in inequalities, and in some cases in
! justice, alike to importer and cOnsighee.
/ SiXth-Changes in the lines of addi-
1 tional reductions, as in the case of ALI
mentary 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 unnec-
( essarily 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
/ imported commodity.
Seventh--In these changes of duty
consideration has been given to the fact
that the Cuban customs, under Ameri-
can administration, VIII be collected
in United States currency, whereas, the
Spanish duties were collected in so per
cent Spanish gold and 90 per cent Span
ish silver; roundly speaking, therefore
| if the old Spanish duties were left I'M
changed, it would practically mean an
increase of 10 per cent in the tariff 1t
should therefore be borne in mind that
the reductions made are in fact 10 per
cent less than these figures indicate. On
the other hand, however, the addition
al duties exacted by the Spanish au-
thorities, levied as war tax since the
signing of the protocol, more than
counteract the difference on currency.