The Washington times., 1904-01-07
.SQUIERS TO PROTEST
OVER TARIFF CHANGES
Havana Custom House Ring
Accused Of Duplicity.
PRESIDENT ACTS PROMPTLY
Little Time Lost After Complaint of
Shoe Manufacturers Association
Had Been Heard

Upon representations made by agents
IF the shoe manufacturing interests Of
the country and officers of the Mer-
I chants Association of New York. the
State Department has instructed United
states Minister Squieres. ut Havana. to
protest against certain provisions which
are being incorporated i'm the new tariff
schedule now being prepared by com
mission Of the Cuban government.
According to the statements made by
a representative Of the Merchants As
soci2ton. the cid custom house ring of
Havana is in power again. and its lead
ers arc endeavoring to re-establfsh the
Spanish tariff of 1892. which was so un-
just that Secretary Foste- abrcgated
the reciprocity treaty negotiated the
year before by the late James G. Blsine.
The President Informed.
The Merchants Association is repre-
scented in Washington by H. C. Dumont.
who has been one OF the stanch advo-
Gates Of the reciprocity treaty Recent
~ word reached New York Of what the
custom house ring was attempting. Mr..
Dumont went to Havana. and made an
investigation. which confirmed the re
ports Mr.. Dumont then hurried TO
Washington.
Yesterday morning he called at the
White House and laid the matter before
the President. IL is said the President
exhibited considerable anger when he
heard Of the proposed duplicity. and an
nounced with much warmth. that should
any trickery be attempted, he would
abrogate the new reciprocity treaty. In
speaking Of the matter. one of the men
who are here to expose the action of
the ring. said:
Spaniards in Control.
The SDaniards and foreigners gener-
ally are in control of the import and ex.
port business of the island. and thev
for some reason, prefer TO buy from
their own countries. They get longer
credit and better terms. and they arc
supported by their governments in stop-
ping the competition from the United
States. Our Government leaves its bust
ness men to get along the best they NAV
without help. In with this foreign bust
ness element is the old regime of Gu.
pans and Spaniards who controlled the
custom house under the tariff. when
the importer who paid highest bribes
did as he pleased. The foreigners real
lied that if the United States was al
lowed to do business honestly under the
new treaty it would put an end TO nearly
all foreign business in the island. They
then got the ring together. hoping TO
nuhify the treaty by trickery. The com
1t seems. was approached and
the old tariff was adopted again.
Americas Large Interests.
The United States controls IS per
cent Of the shoe trade of the country
at present, but the tariff law places two
valuations on the same shoes: thus
cowhide shoes. no matter how many
times the hide has been split. are ad |
mitted very cheaply, while split leather
Of any kind is taxed high. Glazed sheep |
skins are taxed 50 EACH but cheap mo- |
rocco is taxed s.. though il has the
same glazed quality This same system
Is adopted in handling cotton goods.
woolens, and, in fact, all manufactured
articles. The negro in the woodDile Il |
the different values which can be placed |
upon any kind of goods 1t was the in |
tention Of the ring to benefit England. |
Spain. and Germany by the conspiracy