Omaha daily bee., 1906-06-10
Neither that Country Nor Switzerland Sat
is6ed with the Proposed Duties.
CABINET CRISIS FOLLOWS OBJECTIONS
Ministry Unable tcs Continue But for
Wsdd' King.
CONSUMED, So stRONG PROTESTS
All .SoN New Regulations Will
Cost of Living and
fnIure Foreign Trade
of Kingdom.

MADRID, June s.-Cspecisl Cablegram to
The Bee.)-If It had not been for the alb
sorbing interest in the marriage of the
king OF Spain and Princess Ena Of Batten-
berg. Spain would have sooner faced its
cabinet crisis. For this country is in con-
siderable diflculties about it's new tariff,
which was intended to come into operation
on July ] next, but which is being as
sailed with opposition on all sides. This
revised tariff was drawn up for the Cortes
by what was supposed to be a mixed COM
mlttee, but which was chiefly composed Of
government officials, high protectionists
and representatives Of industries that are,
or wish to be. protected.
The few free traders and representatives
OF consuming interests the committee
had no influence and practically all the
witnesses who were examined were pro-
tectionists AS a natural consequence the
revised tariff provides for large increases
OF duties on imports of all foreign indus
trial commodities and agricultural products,
but IL also levies high duties on the raw
materials OF Spanish Industries and on
such items as chemicals and machinery,
which Spain does not yet produce, though
It hopes to do so. AS examples Of the new
tariff coal may be taken. on which the
duty remains at $50 pesetas per ton, while
the duty on coke and coal dust Is raised to
4 pesetas. The duty on cement, which Spain
does not and cannot make, is raised from
20 to 90 pesetas. The tax on linen yarns
which Spain may want to, but does not
yet produce, are raised from 70 to 100 per
cent above present duties, and similar jute
yarns are raised 70 per cent. All protests
against the proposed new duties had to be
E.nN NN.I
opposition campaign is still being carried
on.
Fear Higher Cost of Living.
The democratic papers throughout the
country have taken the tarirt to pieces, and
show how It must inevitably greatly In
crease the cost of living to both the work.
ing and the middle classes. They have
shown, too, that exorbitant duties are i'm
posed on the products of industries that
never have succeeded nor never can sue
oeed in Spain Latterly the chambers of
commerce and associations of merchants
have taken up the tale. and in addressing
the government have contended that not
only will the tariff increase the cost OF
living in SPAIN but. It will spoil its for
! eign trade. This contention IN harmony
with the representations which the gov
ernment has received from various foreign
| governments.
The Spanish government assumed that
the revised statute could be fixed as a
| basis for neRotia ting treaties of commerce
to take the place Of the conventions based
! upon the swiss-spanish treaty OF 1895
which expires at the end Of June, but
Germany and switzerland have intimatet
that II the revised tariff to come into
force on July ! is TO be the basis of nego-
tiations they will, on their part, have tc
adopt tariff reprisals on the products ol
the mines and the soil, which are prac
tically the only exports of Spain. Thes'
intimations have very much disturbed th'
protectionist ministry at Madrid and theil
latest move has been to ask the severa
powers TO lodge their objections to tbs
new tariff before a committee which thu
Cortes has appointed to consider, and, 4
deemed necessary. to modify the proposed
new duties. Moreover, the government hai
announced that II has power to alter th'
schedules OF the revised tariff as late Al
during the whole Of the month Of June
and can even alter the alterations that tn,
con,mittee makes.
The present situation Is therefore. yer!
perplexing. for no one knows what tn
revised tariff may turn out to be befor
the old tarin expires on June 30. In tn
meanwhile. however, the Madrid govern
ment Is assiduousy pursuing or inviting
negotiat tions with foreign governments 70
either new treaties Of commerce or som
modus vivendi until the tariff matters ar
definitely arranged to replace the conven
tions now drawing 70 a close. As thes
negotiations are not in the hands Of tn
tariff junta. but OF special COMMITTEES
It is possible TO foresee not very harmoni
7 results