New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-07
THE NEW CUBAN TARIFF
RATES GR4TTFTING.
Friendship for United States Sho7en
81 President Palma.
IRON rHE TRIBUNE rURTAr.l


washington. Feb 6.-Crati1catiOn rather than
,..a-rort--eut is expressed in Washington over
=. nov, cuban tariff rates proclaimed yesterday
- -oro-ted 10 the State Department tE MN
,s+e- squiers Sufficient time mas nor elapsed Tor
= exhaustive examination Of the new rates out
- .befr face Il would appear that President
-. ts. show, evidence under the authority
- az, him ,,-- Che Cuban Congress. Of his
,-.orilv attitude toward the United States
+. ID believed here that the 20 per cent in
-s.So IN cottons Viii prove ample 10 insure 1he
crban market fov that product 10 Ihe Oi-lleN
e.s-es L IS appreciated Of course that an N
.-oase Il 80 per cent or linens. as hoPe1 'y
,.,o~5-s,rs might have SO increased the price Of
49, commodity to the consumer as 70 permit
-.rs;sa-., HE substitution u American cotton
= 80 o,,s, hand. such an increase would have
s.,si.ss ,,r,,,.ad unpopular with the Cuban con-
- and might -hus have resulted in disad-
..~...oe 20 This country when the tariff is per
,,anen;Iv revised next winter
-. .,.xir'ur, increase Of 50 Ter cent on a
-,,o.,lo number OF food products IS regard
a a. natural in view of the long prerallng
-.-,f,.,,rt IN favor Of such an increase in cuba
:. !. -ecaued that the FIRST tariff promulgated
=. .te American military administration pur-
s.,y r;aoed q tariff on al food produces 81
- Lowest point. with the humanitarian ooJec'
!. .,asneling the necessities OF lie 10 the
,-rbsns who had underCone long period OF
= and non roductiveness. The object failed
,....t--,s,,t however. because Of The thorough
r-~.rization OF the Cuban importers. who
s,-.o,rss rrioes 20 the consumers and merely
~o,s,s,ss larger profits. AS result. there was
,.,-,esisre demand for an increased tarih
." -...,esuIes and il is 10 this demand that
-. Palma has responded in placing the
-u-,,,, increase on poultry. game, lard. hams
bacon fresh meats, etc
Expert OPINION OK CHANGES
There are two points which are kept con-
.,snflv in view ir considering Cuban tariff legis-
lstion by the experts here.
Fsrs,-That every increase Of the tariff rate
srorss 2 larger diferential 10 this country
caccna-Thst Il IS imperative mat Nuod
should increase her tariff sufficiently 20 olls Sc,
the ainiuution IN revenues resulting rom me
concessions granted 70 this country "E 'ie
Cuban reciprocity treaty.
such an increase has all along been expected
and Congress was advised that such change
would ne necessary by General Tasker II. Bliss.
when he appeared before the Ways and Means
Committee two years ago.
General Bliss explained al those hearings,
however. how al increase OF the rate would &C
c-ue 10 the advantage Of this country. He
pointed our that where the present duty was.
say. - re- cent. the concession Of 25 Per cent
10 ,..s country would amount TO only per
cent whereas. with the rate raised TO 80 per
ceut. the concessions 70 this country would i'm
ne, 7ia -ey be raised 20 IS per cent.
h1oh-r point that IS emphasized by the
D1aa1 tariff experts IN Washington Is that
lcasi6ea- Palma is authorized 10 increase the
e.ls-i-e tariff al most by so per cent Of the ex-
sting at-s. not 20 add 30 per cent ad valoren
g. present rates. IS some persons seem 70 sup
lc.- The increases are not large in any in
s.a1Ce AID cannot prove serious hardship n
@-y .e.rcr ant class OF American commodities
General Bliss whose familiarity with Cuba,
tcr.G rates and mercantile conditions IN H.
Eana Is exceeded ty that Of no Official OF the
government is Of the opinion that before the
tdhan congress aeain undertakes TO revise the
tcilH there should be appointed as an ATTACKS
q the United States Legation IN Havana 2
tariff expert who could advise the United States
Minister IS 10 the proha BILE effect Of ch pro.
posed change from the present rates In view
OF the intricate admiNture Of specific and al
Falorem duties the effects Of even small change.
are foreseen with difficulty by any but an ex-
pert and. as is well knomn. there are many
influences IN Cuba by no means friendly 10 this
country The Cuban treaty is regarded by for
elgners as an attempt TO deprive them Of their
share Of the Cuban trade. and they are almost
certain 10 use every artifce 10 effect subtle and
apparently unimportant changes IN the tariff
Nfhch would prove 10 the detriment Of this
country. In the absence Of some one competent
10 foresee the precise effect Of each change il
Is by no means improbable that the Congress
might Dc prevailed upon. even unwittingly. to
incorporate IN the neW tariff act changes seri-
otSE inir1ical to American interests.
ne case Of American shoes furnishes an in
stance OF the possibility Of such discrimination.
American manufacturers have the faculty Of
making ar apparently high grade shoe al low
ceeJ Nn shoes. under the Cuban law. there IS
specinc and an ad valoren duty. At one time
we Speolhc duty or patent leather shoes, en-
acieo with only The more expensive European
Naflelles III mind, was prohibtiVe Of the i'm
PoIlaIlon 81 the cheaper grades OF America n
patent leather footwear.
No serious consideration hae thus far been
ElNth 10y the administration to the question az
tendlnE tariff expert as an attachS to the
tunan Legation. although the proposition. su-
Ie4H la-lF considered. has attra cted some com
1tl-4a lon Under existing provisions the State
-ei''-i liAellt has no available fund with which
20 pay Slcn an expert buf II is not unlikely that
1le sniJe't VIII be brought 10 The consideration
% NollkreSf before the close 81 the present Ses-
t''n. me services of such an expert would not
- come desirable until the reassenlbIinr OF the
SCuaA congress draws nigh: but there n liz e
-pAot mat when -he tariff bin is under con-
S-eI5t loA Euch an attache could return 70 the
l..'iitia turers and producers % this country
nance " "'1 "-0i'l'V