The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-12-13
The Free Zone.

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From the Chicago Tribune.
Tho President, in his message, refers Il
the controversy with Mexico cOncerninl
hor tariff laws, and expresses the hopC
that that republic VIII Voluntarily repea
the law which operates 50 disastrOusly "a
American Commerce on the Rio Grande
The ease is not without lis troubles, and
the President wisely abstalns from recon,
mending tho extreme measures which
have been urged upon him. For many
years previous to 1858, tic tariff of M
United States was very moderate, espe.
ciHlly upon those goods which are most
needed in the frontier districts, The tariff
IN force in Mexico was very high, and
hlgh duties were imposed upon many ar.
ucles which were admitted into the Uni.
ted States free Of duty. The result was
that commerce deserted the Mexican side
OF the river and tlourishcd in Brownsville
and the other American cities. The
MeXicans, who obtained their goods from
the river towns, crossed the river and
bought all they needed from the American
merchants, who, owing to the low tariff on
their side, could sell from 80 to 50pCr cent
lower than the Mexicans. The MexiCans
ceased 10 import, getting their stocks on
the American side, and smuggling them
into Mexico. The consequence was that
the Mexican Government collected little
or no revenue on the Rio Grande. In re.
sponse to the appeals of the Mexican
towns-thus deprived of their trade, and
making virtue OF necessity, the Mexican
Congress, in 1868, established a "freo
zone," or district, extending, say, fifty or
one hundred miles back from the Rio
Grande, into which twas declared foreign
goods might be imported free of duty.
This placed the MexiCans and the Next
can towns on an equality with the Ameri-
cans. The war followed, and after 1t came
our present high tariff. AT the close of
the war the condition of affairs was d.
rectly tho reverse OF what II had been
ten years before. On the Mexican side
OF the river there was no tariff on the
American side the duty was from 40 TO
100 per cent The Mexican could import
foreign goods FREQ Of duty, while the
American could not. Trade Immediately
recrossed the river. Merchants in Browns
vile packed their goods and moved over
into MatnmoFas. The whole country
traded with the MexiCans. The people |
of Texas, who obtained their supplies |
from the river towns, traded with the
merchants, and, precisely as
American goods were once struggled |
across the river into Mexico, so now they |
lre struggled from Mexico into Texas
and US Mexico could collect no revenue
from her ports on the Rio Grande, so now
the United States do not receive enough
to pay the salaries OF the officers.
The owners of empty stores and unoc-
cupiGd buildings in Brownsville demand
that tho United States shall compel
Mexico TO abolish the free zone, and eslab.
lish tariff As high as ours The
Texan remedy 10 TO take forcible posses.
sion of the whole territory embraced in
The free zone, thus settling the question
by conquest. The demand for the abolish.
ment Of this free zone Is resented In
Mexico by the whole nation. ThOy pre-.
cent the case strongly when they show
hat the United States, Tor many years
previous to 1903, had a tariff imposing
nominal duties, while Mexico had a high
Tariff; that what the United States now
in an inability to collect reve.
nue., ia no more than what Mexico endur.
ed for many years, and that the establish.
ment Of the free zone was forced upon
Mexico by the policy ofthe United States.
The change in the relative position of the
Two countries Is not the result of Mexican
legislation, but is entirely due to the vol.
Il. + l.. : - 4 1
by the United States. 1t Is difficult TO
answer this argument. Certainly, the
of affairs does not call for any
INVASION Of Mexico, or any conquest Of
iCr territory. 1t is no part of the duty of
Mexico to enforce tho collection Of our
'evenueI