Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-22
BUSINESS BOOMS
IN TINY DOMINICA
United States Trade Swells Re-
ceipts at Santo Domingo
Porto Ricans Active.
SAY YANKEES DID IT ALL

| Correspondence of The Associated Press.)
Santo Domingo City, Dominican
Republic, Feb. 20.-Despite four
changes in government within the
year the receipts from customs duties
during 1916 amounted to $4,300,0O0,
the largest sum collected during a
single year since the establishment of
the customs receivership under the
American Dominican convention, ac-
cording to c. H. Baxter, the general
receiver. The customs receipts dur
ing the current year in all probability
will exceed this amount, in his opin-
ion, due to the fact that order in the
republic has been established through
the temporary military occupation BY
the United States. Already this oc-
cupation is being followed by bust
ness expansion never before known
in the country, and apparently adds
weight to this opinion.
Most of this increased business is
being obtained by the United States,
recent trade figures showing that
about 80 per cent of the islands bust
ness is now carried on with the United
States. Prior to the war, Germany
had about 20 per cent of the islands
trade. This has now dwindled to al
most nothing, while the trade of
other European countries has been
considerably reduced There has been
great increase in trade development
with Porto Rico, and Dominican mer-
chants have found there their nearest
and quickest source of supplies. Por-
to Rico now ranks third in the trade
list OF the republic. Porto Rican mer-
chants are taking advantage of their
opening and are sending representa-
tives here to canvass almost every
line of trade. A new weekly steam
ship service between the two islands,
starting two months ago, is now
bringing cargoes of increasing size.
The most direct mail and passenger
service between New York and the
southern ports of the island is now
via San Juan.
The customs receivership has long
been looked upon by Dominicans as
the most substantial and enduring in
stitution established in connection
with the government finances. Al
though importers frequently complain
because of the heavy import duties,
these have been fixed by the Domini-
can congress and are merely admin
istered by the receivership. There is
much more complaint about the GUS
that tha etro 1f
collection of custom, the chief source
Of revenue for the government. There
is at present no form of property tax
in the republic, owners Of land or I'M
proved properties either in the cities
or in the country paying nothing
therefor in the form OF taxes to the
government. There is much serious
discussion regarding the possible
changing of this condition while the
temporary American government is
in force, Dominicans in the past hav-
ingg generally agreed that they could
not impose property tax without
serious opposition. There seems to
be willingness, however, to have the
American government handle this
problem.
There is very general complaint
against the customs burden. None of
the necessities of life come into the
country duty free. Al foodstuffs, cloth
ing and shoes pay heavy duties. The
average duty imposed by the federal
government is approximately 40 per
cent of the value of the article i'm
ported, while each port also levies a
second and sometimes a third import
tax for municipal or special purposes.
The secondary duties imposed by the
different ports are not uniform and
may vary at each port. The general
duty on -four is $3.50 for 100 kilo-
grams. The average duty on shoes is
$3.50 pair for adult sizes. Clothing
pays different rates according to ma
terials. Gasolene retails in the neigh
borhood of S. cents gallon, 20 cents
of which is duty.