New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-17
POSSIBLE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR THE vICEPREsDENCY
impose a of three cents ltre as stated above.
Section OF the Foraker bill says

impose a tax three cents litre. stated above
Section OF the Foraker bill says:
On all articles Of merchandise Of United States
manufacture coming into Porto Rico, In addition TO
amount to the internal revenue imposed on Porto
Rican manufacture.
In other words, beer from the United States
pay a of three cents a bottle While the
construction of the Foraker act does not refer to
German beer Treasurer HOllander's circular covers
all alcoholic beverages. The spirit of the law Is
undisputed but if the question should be carried
to the courts in the opinion of legal authority
that clause in the Foraker bill "of United States
manufacture" would be construed to mean that
internal revenue could only be imposed
American beer A large quantity Of German beer
is consumed on the island, and. by the way, it has
the preference among the Americans. It is
serted that it is better beer and stands the eli
mate better than any American beer the island
Many of the American brewers sending beer
here which it is alleged, they would not offer for
sale under their own name in any American town.
The dealers in German beer say that there is no
authority to enforce the collection of the tax
their goods the Foraker bill seems to omit any
mention of foreign goods and therein lies their
chief point for complaint.
All liquor dealers and sellers think It a burden
to put a revenue stamp each bottle before it is
offered for sale. The orders tell them to stamp
each bottle in stock. 1t would that different
mode Of collecting a revenue from liquors could
be introduced-a high saloon license. for instance.
At present the license to sell liquors is only nom
ina Every grocery store town has on it's shelves
for sale all brands of liquors. from the finest Bur-
gundy down to the common Porto Rico rum. 1t
would be better. it is asserted, the community
high license in vogue, permitting only first
class establishments to sell liquor.
TAXES WORRY RETAIL MERCHANTS
Another Treasurers circular, issued, June / ere
ated more disturbance. This one enforces a tax
of a tenth Of a cent on each box Of matches two
cents pound on oleomarGarine, and 20 cents on
each pack of playing cards. The Retailers League,
which is. as its name signifies. a mercantile or
ganzation. yesterday requested in a petition in
dorsed by the Chamber OF Commerce, to the Treas
urer stay Of seizures of goods on which internal
revenue had not been paid until they had time to
prepare petition and properly present their claim.
The circular provides that all stocks of matches
oleomargarine and PLAYING cards shall be stamped
The retailers complain that the goods now on hand
were imported under the old high tariff prior
May l, and think it beyond reason that they should
be forced to pay tax goods so imported.
Otherwise the Is Just and reasonable, in their
opinion, and they express themselves willing and
satisfied to pay tax on goods imported under the
Is per clause of the Foraker act after May /
There n great many Governmental changes
to be made and hardly anything can be done by
the Executive Council until they made, and
they cannot be made until the Legislature Is con-
be the order for elections Of members Of the lower
house. These elections cannot be held until No
vember, and it would seem that in the mean time
matters must continue in the unsatisfactory state
The Commission TO Revise the Laws Is an inn
portant body. great deal of the future welfare
OF the island IS dependent upon 1t and its work
and it Is doubtful il its labors be completed in
year as the law provides. The American sys-
tenn of procedure, it is claimed should be intro
and real estate laws should be put In force as
early possible. To the layman the Spanish
code Of laws does not seem vastly different from
the American except where II pertains to mar
rage and marriage rights; there it the oppo-
site. It seems legal here TO put a person on the
witness stand witness against himself. When
criminal is arrested before he is placed In tail
await trial he is brought before municipal Judge
for sort Of preliminary hearing Immediately after
his arrest. He is forced to make a statement or
"deputacion' of his crime. The writer thrown
out OF car window in railroad accident some
moths and confined to his home for
eral weeks the result Of his injuries The day
following the accident, although the hospital record
would show that bones were broken and that the
patient would probably be laid up for several
! weeks at least, he summoned to appear be-
fore a judge to make 'deputacion." He naturally
could not appear and the next day the summons
| server. IN peremptOTy manner demanded mis- i'm
mediate presence. As he stl resfused 10 obey the
order. the Judge, his secretary, a witness and
Interpreter drove to his residence and asked for
statement.
The police arrest lie is taken before the