The Hemisphere: Society Rag

The proposal, as leaked from the office of Finance Minister Rufo Lopez Fresquet, was so zany that the Cuban press thought somebody was pulling its leg: anyone mentioned in the Cuban social register or newspaper society pages would have to pay a tax for the honor. The bite would be $1 per mention, plus $1 for each flattering adjective. Titles of nobility would be taxed $100, and photographs $10 per column inch. For collecting the tax, the newspapers would be allowed to keep 25% of the take. Going along with the gag, Prensa Libre used up seven adjectives in describing Minister...

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