The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-11-28
0.be ernquirer.
RICHMoND. NOVEMBER %, 1902.
POINTS IN DISPUTE DErwERn GREAT
BRITAIN AND UNITED STATES.
.i. No. Ill

POINTS IN DISPUTE DETwERn GREAT
BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.
s No. LII. i.
The principal point. of commercial re
fdfon4 betweSn tine two countries are lst
the restrictions OH commerce in the pores q
either. Cd. Our trade to the British West
Indies, aud Sd, to the East Indies.
AS to the LIST. "thc most natural srrsnv ~
ment, says. the Secretary of State in his
IJo'nf letter OF May IL. 1906. twill be, sim
ply TO agree that the TWO parties shall enjoy
in the port, OF each other. in regard to com
merce and navigation, the hririicgcs NJ f6e
'nost favored nation. But the article should
De framed so as to- embrace 1st, every pri
viiege. and particularly the exemption from
higher duties OF every description either on
exports imports, and including convoy du
hes. that are paid by the most favored ma
ZION I'd, al the possessions of Great Bri-
tam IN every part of the world, which Will
secure admission at all times in both the Eas,
and West Indies, on the same terms as arc
now, or may in future he enjoy ed by the most
favored naticn, whether it be friend or an
enemy -" If" Continues Mr.. Matlison. "it
shall be thought eligible to- place the reel
procal commercial privileges of the two ma
tions on a more d.fnite basis than they
wonid he placed by the general expression
u
which Is liable to the difficulty OF ascertain
ing the equivalent to be given in cases where
a privilege is granted by one Of the contrac
ting parties to another nstion, in exchange
10 some favor. which the other contracting
party Cannot specifically g:ve) it may be
one. either, by abolishing all alien duties,
-A'her on vessel amt cargo, or both, and reci-
ptecally placing the ves.cts efthe other ma
nc ms on the same footing Svifh national pes
seis conJorma6iy to a provision in which
Hre1f Britain concurred by an act of par
lament in the year 1902. or, by fixing the
mGsinum Of alcn dnfy, which each nation
shall have the right to. impose on the vessels
or cargoes of the other nation. But should
the last plan be adopted, care must be ia.
ken. LIST. that in fixing the maximum OF the
alien duty tobe ievied on vessels, all char
Srs srhaiercr, and under whatever name
knoTn, whether tonnage, light house money,
port charges, Se. shall be included. 2dly.
That the maximum OF the alien duty to be
levied on merchandise imported i'm the yes.
sells OF the ether nation (beyon5 the duties
levied OH similar articles imported in TIL.
national vesscls) shall be per centaee on
me udtue Of the merchandise itself and rnt
on tae original duty. 3diy. That the right
OF imposing such maximum duties, either on
the vessel or merchandise, shall never be
exercised so as 10 contravene the other sti
pulation of enjoying the privileges of the
most favored nation. 4thly. That the stipu
fation shall not embrace vessels and careoes
coming from or going to ports. from which
the vessels or cargoes of the u. States are
excluded"
Could any propositions be more fair or
reciprocal As to the abolition of dis
terminating duties, it was one of the terms
n C0d hr-f a
by act of Parliament in 18O2-but at that
time, it is said, we declined it, owing to the
smallness of our tonnage and the fear lest
we should be unable to Withstand all equal
competition with the British tonnage. Our
tonnage has now, however, grown to such Il
size, that We can venture to offer the same
proposition which we had rejected-but this
very reason furnishes dorbt, whether c..
Britain will not noIv be afraid of entering
into an equal competition with our vessels.
In the treaty made by Messrs. Monroe
and Pihkaey, the ships or merchandise of
one party in fhe forts of the other, were
not to be burthenad with other or higher du.
ties than the like vessels or merchandise of
other nations. Nor was any higher duty to
be laid on the IMPORTATION of goods, &c the
produce OF one, than of the like articles, the
produce OF any oLhc" foreign coustry. Nor
was any Prohibition to be laid on the expor
tation or importation of any articles, which
was not equally to extend 20 all other natl
ons. But both nations reserved to them
selves right (Which was granted to c.. B..
only by lays neaty,) of eguaHzing the
tonnage duties paid in each others ports
upon their respective vessels. And it was
agreed, that in the trade of tile two coun
tries, the same duties of expectation and
importation on all goods and merchandise,
as also drawbacks and bounties, were TO be
paid and allowed, in both countries, whe-
Their such importation or expectation were
IN british or American vessels. This arti
Gle was In many respects better than the
treaty of 1894.
The great objection against this article
was, that it did not specify, that the parties
were TO be boundup from laying duiics, as
well as Prohibitions " unfavorably discrimi
mating between articles erhortcd to them,
and like articles euforlea to other nations u
| BY the Constitution OF the u. States, Con
gress can lay no duly on EFFORTS.
| Fhe article, then, as il now stands, allows
g. Britain not only to duty our exports, with
out our being able to conntervaH them. bu,
to duty the exports to- us, more than the like
exports 10 other nations.--As to the first
case, mark the effect: q. b. now Laws an
| erfiorf duty Of per cent. on our exports
under the names OF convoy dntv-7pa, dun
&c. Now stating the exports ofG Britain
to the u. Estates at 100000 sterling only
she thus levies tax, on the y. States
says the Secretary Of state, amounting tc
| lO65,600 dollars" and thus Z" the British
| government draws into the treasury, from
our consumption, 3-3ths OF the revenue now
paidjntoit by the u. Staies This would be
E - =.