Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-11
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: PORTO RICAN TARIFF. I
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Shall it be Taken off?-Question I'm
der Consideration.

der Consideration.
| Washington, Dec. 7.-(Special Cor
respcndence.) 1.-THE abrogation of the
Porto Rican tariff is being seriously
discussed by the press of Porto Rico.
The Porto Rican tariff act it will be
remembered provides that whenever
the legislative assembly of Porto Rico
shall have enacted and put into opera.
ton a system of local taxation to meet
the necessities of the government OF
Porto Rico, by this act established,
and shall by resolution duly passed
SO notify the president, he shall make
proclamation thereof, and thereupon
all tariff duties on merchandise and
articles going into Porto Rico from
the United States or coming into the
United States from Porto Rico shall
cease, and from and after such date
all such merchandise and articles shall
be entered at the several ports
of entry free of duty?" The Porto Ri
can legislature elected on November
| 6, the dsfe of the general election in
the United States, is to meet shortly
and will, under the provisions of the
| Porto Rican act above quoted, have
the power to Immediately terminate
the Porto Rican tariff by enacting leg
islation which will provide funds for
the necessities of the government OF
Porto Rico and the question whether
this action shall be taken and the Is
Per cent tariff thus terminated is be-
ing discussed by the press and public
| Of that island as is shown by the fol.
loving leading editorials taken from
| the San Juan (Porto Rico) Daily News
of November 10, 1900, just received by
the treasury bureau of statistics:
I'VE have lived now for six months
under the IS per cent preferential tar
| iff. The question now ISIS it good
or bad? Has 1t helped or injured us :?
The legislature will have these ques-
tions to decide.
I'VE rev have the question to deal
with aside and apart from politics. It's
use as camp aisn club is past and
gone. The burden Of deciding this
very important question is solely up.
on the legislature. AS it DEGREES so
shall IL be. If 1t desires to abolish
the tariff and operate the island upon
a free trade basis it can be so ordered.
IF the people of Porto Rico thru
the legislature desire to continue the
tariff it can be done. precedent has
| been established which will permit
this class of taxation. 1t has been le.
gully decreed that such action is con.
| Stitutional.
IF the tariff is abolished, it is at
once evident that more burdensome
and higher rate of internal taxation
must be imposed. Where and upon
what shall this be levied, is indeed a
IperlleAing question.
Aside from all the difficulties that
may or will arise from the abolition Of
the taliff. let us glance at the tariff it.
self ana see what 1t has done. In the
last six months the 15 per cent tariff
has afforded the island as much, if
not more revenue than the 100 per
cent tariff. The theory that the way
to incl ease revenue is by lowering the
taxes is proven to be true Tor Porto
Rico. This revenue will be constantly
increasing as our trade increases as it
| is sure to do. 1t has helped the CON
sumner, for it has lowered the taxes he
has to pay, not only on American
goods, but upon all goods that enter
our market in competition with them.
This results in an increase of importa-
tons. This helps the producer by
constantly providing him means to
carry his goods to the great American
market, which is always so hungry for
the products this island has to dis
pose of. Again, unless we have a
traffic both ways, the steamers must
make one trip without cargo and
the freight is thereby doubled.
"A tariff helps us as borrowers; it
will give our securities stand in the
United States, which they could not
have without permanent revenue
| like the tariff revenue. The argument
SO often advanced in favor of tar
if tax as against other means of rails.
ing revenue, that it is easily collected,
is especially forcible in Porto Rico.
We would advise that the tariff is nee.
essary, and If it were not it would still
be the most convenient and logical
means of raising our revenue. Let the
tariff stand at is per cent"
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