Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-25
DRASTIC TAX DECREE
ISSUED BY OBREGON
Payments Ordered Before Friday
Evening on Pain of Imprisonment
and COnfiScatiUn.
ALL NATIONS ARE CONCERNED
state Department Officials Consider
ing What Action to Take When
Protests Are Observation-Disclosures
and Natives Alike Affected.
Especial to The Timcs.Dispa,ch. ]


WASHINGTON. February 24.-Gen-
cral Oregon. Carranzas military gov
ernor Of Mexico City. and the Federal
district. has issued sweeping decree
which imposes taxes on all foreigners
and natives, and foreign and native
corporations. with the threat that If
the decree is not ohcycd by o'clock on
Friday evening the offenders will be
imprisoned for thirty days.
According to the State Department
kilograms. the Obregon decree "eXacts
payment. within seventy-two hours
equal to "a of per cent on the capt.
tai OF All banks, business houses. stock
co7Epa mics. mortgage holders and pr-
vatc individuals operating within The
Federal district, including nil foreign
corporations and private business men"
The decree also includes 'all com
panies organized abroad. but operating
within the Federal district" These are
subject to the tax on the basis of the
capital invested in the republic.
y tax will also bc collected. in the
proportion Of onc-third of per cent
Of the annual tax on all taxpayers with
in tho district. The time given Will
expire i. NJ. next Friday, and the
penalty for noncompliance forthwith is
coniscation. the appointment Of re-
ceivcrs. and Imprisonment for thirty
days.
tic yet issued and. as II concerns all
nations, it is likely that foreign ma
tisns. At lca.:, will see that no double
taxes or con!iscatory tributes are levied
on their nationals.
The state Department has made tho
usual INQUIRY rs to the tax. but Off
Gals are IN the dark as to what action
should be taken when complaints are
made. IT is said that one OF the dim :
culties in the minds Of American diplo-
mats is that the decree does not dis
criminatt" against Americans, and that
tor that reason ii would lie difficult to
frame Il protest. THE department, how :
ever, says 1t is giving the matter it's at
tentlon. There seems to be no doubt
that as soon as the decree and its terms
are known officially to the embassies
and legations al Washington. inquiries
VIII he made Of this government rs TO
what its attitude vii, be.
The Carranza agency issued a state
ment to-day TO the effect that the Moro
Castle OF the New York Havana and
Mexican line, will he allowed to call [
I'rogresso, fucatan. That port has re-
Gently been closed by Carranza because
Of the revolution there against Gov.
cernor Santos OF the state OF Yucntan.
The agency also gave out various
dispatches from Cons,itutionalist gen
erals in Mexico. 1t is stated that Gov
crnor Maytorena has left NogaIes with
1000 troops for icrmos!llo to oppose
General lturbide in Sonora. II is stated
! that tho troops Of Villa in Northern
Sonora have become demoralized.
The Yaqui Indians are reported TO
have mutinicd against Maytorena and
Killed thirtF-four men and four officers.
dispatch to the agency says that Mon
clora liz in possession of the Constitu-
! tionalists and that the Villistas were
defeated at iIermanas.