The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-12


but from internal taxation while in transit to
the place of consumption, articles which
the Mexicans very much require in
the development of their country, and on
which the present duties are so high they
produce little or no revenue to the Mexican
government as the duties are prohibitory.
The articles to be so admitted are under
seventy three heads. Under some of these
heads you can enumerate a great many-I
might say hundred-of special articles. |
will give you a few of them under one
head. They admit machinery of all Sorts
classes and descriptions for mining, agricul-
ture and other purposes. Under another
heading they admit agricultural implements,
under another wagons, coaches and all sorts
of vehicles that are adapted to animals; and
under the head of tools for mechanical,
scientific and all other purposes,
they admit tools that are composed of brass.
iron, steel or wood or any combination of
these materials Under another head they
admit free all classes of rolling stock from
a passenger car to a steam engine, that
is used upon railroads. Then there
are many other articles admitted under heads
which do not give minute specification as
to the articles themselves; but among
them are petroleum, crude and refined;
barbed wire for fencing with all
its fixtures; houses of wood or
iron, built ready to put up in that country;
pumps for mines, irrigating and all other
purposes for which pumps can be used.
Clocks and many other articles extensively
manufactured in this country are
put under these head. 1t is be-
lieved these articles, being received free from
all duty, will find a very large market in
Mexico, and Mexico will find a cor
responding benefit IN the rapid
development OF her resources,
and to some extent be finding a market
in our country for her products, protected as
it is by tariff upon similar articles that are
brought here from other countries
than Mexico. Now that we have
railroads penetrating from our country into
Mexico, in the absence of treaty
annoyances to trade and commerce with that
country will be illimitabie. Goods of course
will have to be stopped at the frontier and
will have to pay duties there. After an exam
nation, packing and repacking, tley will be
subjected to inspection and to another tax
in each State that they pass through in
reaching their destination. While this
treaty will not cover all these embarras-
ments, yet it is fair to presume that
with the railroads and with
this treaty ratified, there will be little or
no difficulty in making mutual arrangements
between the two countries for passing goods.
This will free transportation companies and
owners from all of these embarrassments. 1t
does take them away on all the articles
enumerated, and they are about all that we
shall be able to send to Mexico as far as
national duties and state taxation are con-
cerhed, simply requiring regulations which
can be made by Mexico herself, on her part,
and by the United States Treasury on our
part, to relieve the transfer of goods
from these embarrasments. There are very
strong reasons why it should be
desirable for us to procure as far as it is prac-
tioable or possible for us to do so, tropical
and semi-tropical fruits and products. In
the first place we must consider our con-
Of
tions and the fact that Mexico imposes no
tax whatever upon her exports.
They are all the product of free labor and
republican government At present such
products as Mexico is capable of producing
are received from monarchial countries,
where they are the products of slave labor
and heavy export duties are levied.
Thus we are paying into the treasury
of countries producing these articles, duties
which go to sustain an institution that has
cost us in this country so much blood
and treasure to get clear of, and
further we are compelle to make
our payment in foreign exchange
also most exclusively, these countries buying
from us but very little, but going to Europe
with the money they receive from us for the
purchase of their articles. Mexico will buy
our manufactures in payment of all she sends
US and for years to come great deal more
than she can pay for by her exports of pro-
embodied in this treaty clause which would
require that all goods transported by
water between the two countries be trans
ported i'll ships built in the United Stats or
Mexico, and owned in one or the other of
the two countries, and run under the laws
of the country to which the ships belong,
to have the benefits of free trade
established by this treaty, but it
was matter which did not
suggest itself to my mind until the treaty
had been submitted to the Mexican Presi-
dent and cabinet and when it did occur to
me l communicated my desire in this
matter to the minister for that country,
who communicated it at once to
his own government and there has been no re-
ply as yet to the request to have that inserted
inthe treaty as an article. But have hopes
that if this treaty is ratified, such supple
mentary treaty embracing that provision,
which would be so advantageous to both
countries, might be made. l am thoroughly
satisfied that this treaty will be of great
benefit to the manufacturers of this country,
and to all persons engaged in transport
taton by rail and water, and to the
and indirectly to the whole people,
while it will not work to the prejudice of any
producers whatever in our country. As |
have stated earlier in this interview it
will be many years before Mexico
can have a surplus of sugar to
send to any country that will affect
the price OF the article. The price will con
tnue to Re regulated by what we have got
to pay for sugar, which pays duties here and
also pays export duty where it is pro-
duced. AS a matter of fact, without being
able to state accurately the quantity of
sugar produced in this country, [ believe
the whole product is only about equal to the
annual increase of consumption of the arti-
Gle In other words, that native sugars
raised in 1888 will be about equivalent
to the consumption of 1888
over that of 1882. While this
is an interest that should not
be destroyed, it is not so large an interest as
to make it worth while to prejudice all of
our manufacturing interests to foster it,
While the benefits of this treaty will be felt
all no If Our thara iS proha hlu n n