New-York tribune., 1906-05-19
SPANS TARIFF WALL.
Trying to RecOwp Weakened Fort
aneS by He0Uy Import Tar.

W'teO OY HCGUy import Il al.
The effect of the war between the United States
and Spain, in 1895. was most disastrous 70 the
spanish Kingdom. Her navy practically driven
from the seas. involving an enormous financial
loss. and, in addition to this her national revenue
was reduced incalculably by the loss of her COL
Onies in Cuba. Porto Rico and the Philippine ISL
ands, the only compensation which she received
for this loss being the $20O0OOOO which the United
States paid her for the Philippines in a spirit Of
humanity
Burdened with the loss Of this revenue, Spain has
struggled for years. endeavoring to recover the
ground she had lost and last year, for the first
time since the close Of the war her financial con-
dltion showed in her favor. Now she has adopted
policy Of protection in the hope OF building up
her industrial enterprises and becoming an I'M
portant factor in the world Of commerce. She has
studied the history OF protection In the United
States and apparently has decided that what was
done in this country can be repeated by her, and
With the same success. She has adopted q new
tariff, which is to take effect on July / and which
VII practically prohibit the importation OF many
articles Of American manufacture which have hith-
srto been prominent features Of her markets.
whether she will realize the dreams In which she
is reveling is quite another question. It Is very
certain. however, that she will cast & shadow over
the prosperous American trade that has been es-
tab1shed with her people which Il may take q
long time to disspate.
Spains new tariff Is a maximum and minimum
tarln adaptable TO the conditions prevailing IN all
Foreign countries. The minimum schedules will be
applied only to those countries which favor her
with a low tariff rate and the maximum schedules
to those which she decides are discriminating
against her productions by the imposition Of high
rates. The United States comes within the latter
class Of countries. and the highest schedules viii
be applied to her shipments What such an ImpO-
siton means TO the trade between this country and
Spain will be by reference to Of the pro-
visions Of the new tariff.
One Of the most prohibitive Of the schedules is
IyDSWE1terS Spain
states manufacturers Of these ARTICLES have met
nations but the superiority OF the goods has
worked IN their favor. and prosperous trade was
Sa% p5d the Sq san f51 ST 8 "a go
ki!o. Under the tariff the rate is placed at
S2 80 per kilO. AS the ordinary typewriter weighs
duty Of from s45 to s4s 70 on each machine. which
added to the cost Of manufacture and the rates
chine 10 the consumer to such a figure that It will
be, to all intents and purposes, unsalable
The ultimate purpose Of this high scale Is evil
IDENTIFY to shut foreign typewrers out OF Spain and
be established in that country. at Barcelona. The
future Of the American typewriter in Spain had had
been considered as practically secure and big
bssness had been predicted within the & next Sg nye
ana It remains 70 be seen how tar the local tactory
will be able 10 succeed in producing satisfactory
law.
Under the new tariff also all foreign electrical
shut of Spain. The duty them is raised TO
per kii6gram This Will hurt Germany. France,
Switzerland and England as well as the United
growing in SPAIN particularly in Barcelona in TS-
years, and the schedule is designed solely
fer the protection or the nome INDUSTRY; I1SdEy
machinery of all kinds is also greatly AFFECTED as
it pay % pesetas, gold "a I5 per 1O0 ko-
heretofore Cash registers, hardware. heusehold I
and kitchen utensils and all similar manutacture9
goods are subjected to considerably increased
rate of duty. American photographs which now
pay 81 so per kilogram. will hereafter pay 81 % per
Some few American goods win benefit by the the
new tariff. American luorieatlng OIL WhlCn l tss LaS
heretofore been Disseminated against IN the taTt
will hereafter pay the same rate as otneT luDIl-
eating oils. about s. % per !Uo kiogans re- n
fore American oil has been taxed at the ratS OF -
pesetas silver while other oils have been alloWe6
mean very large increase in the sale OF American
OIL which can now go direct 70 SPAN s from Ie me
werp. Liverpool or Hamburg as on or Esnropea9a @ p3a
origin. which was done 10 avoid the hsher 'allh
The new tariff also opens profitable field in
Spain for the sale of canned beef and mutton
the past by prohibitive duty Of pesetas kilo
gram but this has been reduced to p centmes
and 20 centimes (about II cents) when coming from
the United States and other unfavored nations
field is the Argentine Republic. South America. but
the process Of tinning ana Pacaing ougnt 10 eD De
tina and If this is true. then with superior prod
ucts the United States ought TO be able to occupy
The li' American Sewing machine is also benefited
by the new tari ann Of "a 1esetas gold about SIS 81
instead of 20 and 81 pesetas silver per 100 Kilograms,
as heretofore. This means that American sewing
In The future all sewing machines, without respect
Ham lard and bacon. which already pay heavy
duty are burdened with sun heavier rate undss
bout epe u e. "a per 100 klograms they must pay
S14 a. American hams and fat bacon have recently
NE German and English article. The question is
whether the Spanards VIII conunEe 20 Use t .nese e
articles largely If the prices are advanced 10 meet
the duties