File No. 812.512/576.
Vice Consul Bevan to the Secretary of State.
Tampico, March 6, 1915.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a notice72 in regard to the payments on the stamp tax for petroleum, ordering that all future payments for this tax be made to the general director of the stamp office in Veracruz instead of in Tampico, where they have been paid heretofore.
This notice has already caused a great deal of friction between General Pablo Gonzalez, in command of the Army of the Northeast, who has his headquarters in Tampico, and the First Chief in Veracruz. General Gonzalez has appropriated all the money collected in the custom house in Tampico, and from the stamp office, for his own use for official purposes. A collector of customs appointed by General Carranza refused to turn over $27,000 U. S. Cy. to General Gonzalez and was immediately removed from office by Gonzalez for not doing so. Gonzalez obtained the money and appointed his successor.
It remains to be seen whether the order will be enforced by the local authorities. The oil companies are expecting trouble over the matter when the time comes on the 15th of March for making the payments.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩