The Washington times., 1915-03-27
GEN. CARRANzAPUT
NEW TAX ON S|SAL
Takes Advantage Of Fast That
Farmers Are Dependent on
Output.

! Taking advantage of the fact that
farmers Of the United States are alb
solutely dependent on the sisal hemp
OF Yucatan for the twine they use in
their binder machines, General Car
ranza has decided to impose an even
greater tax on the export Of the fiber
to this country.
Foiled in his attempt to blockade
the port of Progreso by the plain
, threat that American ships would
lombard the port, Carranza had al
! ready imposed a tax of 4 cents per
kilo in Mexican gold, or about l cent
a pound in American money. This
effective under the original decree
. the 1oo.ooo bales Of fiber now at Pro-
/ movement of which the United States
! is willing. IL necessary, to use army
or navy transports.
Effective Now.
| Today, however, Rear Admiral Caper-
ton, commanding the American squad
ron IN Mexican waters, sent a wireless
to the Navy Department stating that
! Carranza has since decreed that the
new taxes shall be regarded as effec-
tive from March 90 Unless the United
bales. which the American importers
have agreed not to sell at any advanced
price. will have to bear the burden Of
an extra tax d,l,ch Of 81 e bale ,,co nro.,
dent of the Peoria Cordage Company,
and Edward t'rensdort, chairman of the
board Of control of the Jackson, Michi-
| gan, State Prison, which manufactures
and the Navy and State Departments
today urging that even more strenuous
| action be taken, II necessary, to force
! Carranza to permit the free export OF
| the nber.
Mr. Heidrich, while admitting that the
| United states Government has been
working hard to remedy the situation,
declared that unless some such promises
| were exacted the farmers Of this Coun-
try would be absolutely unable to har-
vest their crops.
I'VE send eunboats to Progreso." said
Mr. Heidrich, land open the port, and
tell Carranza that he must let the sisal
through. and then his army withdraws
| few miles from the shore and thumbs
its nose at our warships. meantime
| stirring up the laborers and preventing
the fiber from being gathered
| Collier On Way.
Admiral Csperton's report stated that
the navy collier Jupiter had sailed
Thursday afternoon from ProgreSo foi
New Orleans with a cargo of sisal. Tho
Honduras, a private merchantmen, also
sailed from Progreso yesterday, but
/ Admiral Caperton does not state wheth'
er she carries any of the precious fiber
The Nils and the British steamer Ber'
windvale chartered by the Ward line
have arrived at Progreso. and are wait
ing to load sisal as soon as they car
get any.
A small Mexican merchant vessel ar
| rived at Progreso Thursday, reports the
: admiral, with forty soldiers on board
| but these, he states, did not attempt tt
interfere with the merchant ships load
ing or unloading. In the harbor of Pro
| greso. ready for any emergency, are the
United States battleship Georgia anC
cruiser Des Moines.
There is no change in the situation a.
Vera Cruz. says the report, but fight
ing continues at Elbano. and some oil
tanks have been damaged.
No Fighting Yet.
Although heavy reinforcements o
Carranzistas are reported to be gath
ering at Tampico. no lighting ha
started yet, according to advices re
Ceived at the state Department today
1t is stated that the authorities Il
Tampico have imposed heavy fines oil
number of merchants. alleging tina
they have charaged excessive prices
Several firms have closed rather thai
t pay the fines.
The department is advised that Gen
/ eral villa has telegraphed instruction
to Sonora with reference to the pro
, lection OF Chinese citizens. Advice
from Nogales states that General Gov
ernor Maytorina has stated that tn
t depredations committed against tn
= Chinese at Moctezuma, Cumpas, an
Frontera were made by a hostil