New-York tribune., 1900-02-23
THE PUERTO RICAN TARIFF.
T. LARRINAGA ON THE DUTIES UNDER SPANISH
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Although 1 suppose that your correspondent
mere mas reported tC you the statement of Manuel
fernandez Juncos, former Minister of Finance of
the autonomous Government of Puerto Rico at
the time of the arrival Of the American ARMY in
that island, which fully establishes the fact re-
garding free trade between Spain and Puerto
Rico, / beg leave to add some remarks TO that
subject which will dispose, I hope, Of minor erro-
neous points, so that doubts may remain In
the minds OF your readers about this matter In
your article entitled Spain and Puerto Rico"
you quote from DR.. Carrolrs report:
The Puerto Rico tariff was so levied as +o SIM
Tess, , OF at least repress Puerto Rican Industries
sur interests If Spanish an ppo6ncers s4e 0 of
concern me re taeTs iran ft OF the tariff showed little
As AS between Spain and Puerto Rican producers and
were the needs of Puerto Rican consnmers how rDI
ever urgent they might appear from the insular
sderaion Indispensable articles OF OF fon5 baG con n
come in roundabout way through the handg ~
iheichahts IN spain, or pay enormous duties
1 believe that DR.. Carroll examined This o,es+io,,
OF the tariff with the same impartial Judgment
win which he studied everything else regarding
fuerto Hlco. In this paragraph he plainly refers
10 tatlHs framed by Spain for Puerto Rico in
treaties with foreign countres as II is cIaarI,,
proved by the assertion of DR. Carroll in +b It
t'ree lines when he says that articles of food
hao 10 come IN roundabout way through the
nahos OF merchants in Spain pay enormous
ana Puerto RICO must have been low or practicaI-
ly none at all. But l think If would bs Of ~
much practical utility in the present case to dis
cuss the degree OF accuracy of his Judgment for
we may even for the sake of argument admit
that his views are substantially correct What
VIII your readers say when they are told that
every Puerto Rican merchant believes TODAY tbat
the tariff between Puerto Rico and Spain 70 on
phed now between the United States and Puer+o
Rieo, would he far preferable to the % per cent
IHy
Means? 'N
You further quote DR.. CarrolPs reference in his
report TO the business carried on by milIers IN
SPAIN VINO imported wheat from other countries
10 make flour for shipment to Puerto Rico You
might also add TO this that -four was steadily
shipped from the United States to Santander ana
other ports Of Spain, to be put there in Spanish
bags or barrels, labelled anew. reshipped and sent
argument goes far to prove against Your conten9
uoL' Ior 1t plainly shows that If flour could sup
OF Fuerto RICO at profitable selling price it was
DeSnuSe aus IL IL paid % no dutqS in coming from Spain
talhed IN your article as, for instance your stat
Der, when exported to Spain were subjected TO
oures @ it at Dotn ends. In the first place none Of
extent eSte ever Went into Spanish markets. Four
onefb part of or cyo was Sod 10 Guba and only
and other ports Of Europe and this was The Worst
hardly paid for he ekpenses So of !e6 S me It
fnr Gofre u 10 Inc ports of shipment
sugar that were sent also to Spain / hardly think
II lar iair @ for you to say that it paid duty at both
use your own language at this end. This duty
amounted 10 less than one-half a cent per pound
and not hve-tenths. as you state But YOU must
ADMIT i ra b 1aat sqeh @ duty was small one as com
times reaches 30 cents a pound AT whoIetaIa
price. As for sugar. tie local internal revenue
trhthef 1ah 5sa export duty only 80 cents per
ton Of Z.z3o pounds, which was levied by the Rar-
Dor WORKS E9ard FOR dredging and harbor Inn
OF the @ island @ d such duty therefore amounted
and may be considered preciicsTv as ndPminai PUJrai
duty; All these duties were provisional and were
=, AS Tor import duties of the same articles in
spain OF al ths other end you call IT, there
were none 10 be paid by the above mentioned
staples and hardly think IT fair to attribute such
character 10 internal revenue duties or consump-