The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-11
TOO MANY TAXES.
Porto Rico's Protest Against the Leg
isIature's Action.

Washington. March 1.-The president
this morning granted a special audience
to Messrs. Wednesday Borda. jr. and Vim
cente Balbas, members of the Porto Rican
commission which was appointed ut q
and held al san Juan in February to
protest against the law enacted by the
The measure provides for the raising Of
revenue BY property and excise taxes
panied by Mr.. Freeman Halstead, the Sec
rotary of the commission. Pedro SaIzra.
the third commissioner being detained in
The commissioners presented a formal
protest which enumerated a series of
eighteen objections to the law. It con
tended that there exists today in Porto
1 Eleo three taxes isyled and collected for
the same purpose, from the impoverished
pockets of the people, the new excise
ta&es under the Hollander law, the old
lnsular and municipal taxes and the Gus
toms duties under the Porto Rican civil
government act Under the bin S500.000
or more VIII be collected semt-annua1ly
lessenfng the money in circulation, of
producing a state of impoverishment and
business stagnafIou- as the taxes are col
lected BY summary process
1t is asserted that the measure is both
an income and property tax law. that
two of the principal industries of the ISL
and rum and tobacco, are taxed SO heav-
lily that their production under present
conditions Is practically prohibited: that
the lyg1lw standard of vsItla ton At Troruar-
SCISSORS, and as they may be appointed
by political favor, there is danger of in
justice to a large section of the cOmmun-
ity from excessive valuations In view
of the fact that no municipal budgets
have been prepared, and no reliable esti-
mate of the value of the taxable property
Of the islands Is made, the great mass Of
the property owners believe, it is said.
that the interests OF the island will be
best conserved under a continuation of
the present law which has worked well
to the present time The people of Porto
Rico, the protest sets forth, are ready and
willing to meet all taxes necessary for
the maintenance of order Justice and
good government; but they strenuous1y
object to a tax law, the amount of which
is uncertain. since no valuation of prop
erty has ever been made in the islands,
which has been imposed upon them with
out due regard to the actual conditions
of the country. THE necessities of the tax
payers. and IN manner which severely
Expresses the wealth producers of Porto
Rico at time when the island has not
yet recovered from the ruinous effect of
the recent hurrican and from the 10 per
cent reduction of its. circulating medium
BY the exchange of the provincial money
for United States currency still further
reduced by the excess of imports over ex-
ports
The commissioners ask the president
that Governor Allen be directed to call a
special session Of the legislature to amend
the law IN manner which viii relieve
the people of the burdens complained of
and that the governor be directed 10 ex-
ercise care in the appointment of the as
SCISSORS
The commissioners also presented a petit
ton of bankers. merchants and other
business men of New York and Philadel-
phia, praying that the protest be given
due consideration