New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-15
THE TARIFF REVISION.
CONCESSIONS TO THE RAILWAY S4NDl
CATE AS VIEWED IN HAVANA.

Regarding the Porter tariff. it appears that
there was considerable correspondence between
the authorities in Cuba and the departments IN
Washington. Collector Bliss had intlmated TO
the War Department that his administration
was frequently embarrassed by aroitrary
changes directed from Washington without pre-
vious consultation with him. The last REVISION
of the tariff, which is TO go into effect on June
* was under way for six months 1t is stated
that the railway managers who were seeking the
heavy reduction granted by Mr.. Porter made a
formal application. coupled with promises OF
the amount of material they would import with
in the wear if the reductions were granted
They complained that the present duties were
prohibitive and apparently no official took pains
to call for the actual imports OF iron and steel
and other railroad supplies to determine
whether this claim correct. Yet the capt.
talsts interested in the Havana street rail-
ways had been importing very heavily under
the old tariff and they have stored up material
enough to use during the next twelve months
in changing the motive power of the Havana
tramways to electricity. They thought they were
getting pretty liberal rates under the old tariff
Some of these capitalists are also interested in
the Van Horne syndicate and they may get
back in the railroad enterprises what they lost
bv importing their material for the electric roads
before the new Porter tariff went into effect
MIR. PORTER AND THE SYNDICATE.
Concerning Mr.. Porter's reported connection
with the new syndicate. the belief in Havana is
that he did not show the sense of official pro-
prietv which was desirable when every phase OF
the American administration is subject to such
keen criticism. 1t is to be said. however, that
his advocacy Of the railway enterprises was
pronounced from the beginning. He supported
the project of building the Central Railroad
from Santa Clara to Santiago as Government
measure for the purpose Of giving employment
to the people of the island. At the time When
American capitalists were seeking to gain con-
troll of the Cuban railway system Mr. Porter
was not encouraging that project. and his
closest Identification was with c. w. Todd who
was the representative of the English owners.
II was through Mr. Todd and Mr.. Porter that
the difficulties between the two syndicates were
arranged All this is well known in Havana
that no charges that Mr.. Porters actions or
his official recommendations had anything secret
about them. The bad effect results from his
open Identification with these projects and his
influence in shaping the tariff to encourage
them.
There is said to be disposition on the part
OF the Havana merchants to antagonize the re-
duction on railway supplies because they recog-
nize that the Van Horne syndicate is likely to
bring considerable capital into the country and
to stimulate Industrial enterprise. Neverthe-
less, they are finding fault with other items in
the tariff apparently in the belief that the re-
duction railway supplies has been made up
for by increase on many or the articles or
daily consumption The new schedules have not
been promulgated long enough for full exam
nation Of their effect on importations but the
Collector of Havana is already loaded down with
protests against various duties
COMPLAINTS OF HAVANA MERCHANTS.
The Spanish merchants are always dstrust-
full of the Custom House, and they are finding
in the new tariff some basis for alleging that
favoritism and influence have been exerted
They also complain that some Of the schedules
were allowed TO leak out in Washington before
they had information of the changes. Collector
Bliss has been urging that, so long as the Ameri-
can control of the Cuban Custom House CON
tinues general policy should be adopted which
will avoid the complaint of favoritism and arbi-
trary changes. 1t is said that he neither ap-
proved nor dsapproved the schedule for rail-
way supplies as fixed by Commissioner Porter.
but in common with other customs officials, he