New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-03
THE AGREEMENT WITH SPAIN
GENERAL BADEAU REVIEWS ITS PROYIS-
IONS
RENEWED ARRMGNMENr OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
STATE,


SIR: The recent treaty, or so-called agree
ment between the United States and Spain signed
January Q 1884 aud on the 18th Of the month In
answer resolution OF the Senate the Executive m
nounced it, coordinate branch in the Legislature that
t only remained for the President to issue his proca
nation establish entire reciprocity OF intercourse
between the United and the Spanish West India
provinces January 80 the text of the agreement
laid before the Seuae. and February - the en-
tire treaty modified and metamoTphosed' So that
only three articles remain any immediate consequence
shall inquire the reasons for this dplo
somersault hereafter. At present propose 70 ex-
anime the stpulatioss OF the original agreement
RULING AGAINST AMERICAN INDUSTRY.
Article T. reads In virtue OF the authorization given
70 the Spanish Government by Article III Of the law OF
the 10th Of July 1852 the duties " the third column Of
the tariffs Of Cuba and Porto Rico which implies
the suppression of the dierental flag dnty will at once
he applied the products Of, and articles proceeding
from, the United states OF America
The secretary OF state explains IN his letter Of January
To- that in the Cuban tariff four distinct rates are printed
in parallel columns. The first applies 10 goods brought
from spain under the Spanish dag the second almost
double the OF the first applies 10 spanish goods I'M
der foreign fag; the third about treble the rate Of the
first foreign goods under the Spanish flag and the
fourth four or FIVE times the Of the first column, ap
plies foreign goods under foreign flag. This dis
elimination bore especially and intended 70 bear
upon the trade OF Il United states, which Il greater
greater than the trade with spain. In consequence
the United states imposed a reaiiaory OF 10 per
cent al valorem upon all goods coming from
Cuba Porto Rico in spanish vessels ana
thereupon Spain declared that all goods
from the United states carried under the spanish
flag should pay the highest rate OF duties or for or hve
times much Spanish goods Article l. Of the agree
men Of January il supposed 70 remedy this state Of
affairs. II provides that goods going from TIE United
Cuba Porto Rico shall pay hereafter al the rate
the column instead OF the fourth, according
the secretary Of state three times the rate OF the hst
column instead Of four or five II this had been simply
and strictly carried ont. the result might have been ac
ceptabe. although We might even then have paid too
dearly for the advantage gained; but all the
benefit derived from this stipulation
more than ueutrllized by the construction put
upon It ny the state Department it-elf The text
applies the the products Of" and articles
proceeding the United states 70 the Spanish An
TILES and various important firms New York Boston
and Havana supposlng that the phrase "arcies pro
ceeding from" Used in addition to "the products OF
foreign goods pro ecdng from ana through the
United States to Cuba M made arrangements 10 en-
courage such a trade The state Department however.
promptly decided that the phrase proceeding from
was limited in irs application 20 articles whose origin
I'm the United states: 20 most unvlse and unfortunate de-
c>on For had the ben fits Of the lower duties been
really extended 20 al articles proceeding from the United
States large amount Os merchandise woud have been
the carrying trade and after this merchandise had
LEFT contribution handling. warahousing etc. 70
would have found way Cuba. thus greatly incre-
Ing ihe volume trade wifi that island. and benehng
of course the American shipping engaged in this bust
ness and merchants OF prominence assert that not
single article OF American production would have been
injured or replaced by such seeming competition.
The importation Of rice alone into Havana last year
amounted 20 9435OO c and FOR the past years has
averaged 900 900 cwt annually; great part OF which
might have been brought M the paddy. or rough state
and cleaned IND the United states, giving employment u
hundreds people mills and loading great num-
Der Of vessels which would have been required TO trans
port It 10 Cuba. All this trade and income are trans
fered by the decision of the state Department. into for
ein channels salt fish from the British Provinces is
sold in cuba in large quantities, and has been shipped TO
a considerable the United States; vt it viii |
now 20 in Spanish vessels because it viii then pay the
lower duty. Yet this viii not benefit American hsh.
which not prepared the proper manner for the Cuban
market, the position of tne fisheries oh-hore Nor
viii the protective nature OF the new agreement sell one
pound American 10 Cuba. since this il so much
dcarer than the Indian article that competition Is mpo-
.ibe The firms which had made their arrangements 70
secure th trade were greatly disappointed, and have
protested the state Department against IL ruling
But more important SIN. this harsh ana narrow CON
stucon drives th" entire export or I0Tcsh goods rou
the United states Cuba into spanish bot2u- ana tue
first result IF the agrce Iuent has been the sta9,
and Havana the trade which diverted by the
" Arice was made known; aud n three weeks a1ter
my prediction two spanish steamers were loaded IN la
vina Ncg-Orleau- and one for Nev-Iork circun-
stance heretofore unprecedented.
Tins then. result of the first article OF the agree
" nay a., 'l =, w., ,,,si tov Il. Inor man
COMPENSATED by the positive bonus offered % spanish
mem Il bo , nov ifes which are closed by
the narrow construction Of the Department and The Of
feet uI0u the shipping and carrying trade or the country
already SOD depressed. There is but one opinion IN
4
in these matters. Tie agree ment is worse Than
crime; it j. a olJ.Hd Why 1t negotiated
oNE-sIDEp BARGAINS.
Article H. provides that the duty live fab imported
into Cuba under foreign ha- the United
state. But no i've iish imported INTO Cuba
from any port toe United states except Key West; and
before that du.y imposed the trade amounted 70
100000 pounds annually, valued az lo cents per pound
the imposition OF the TAX th' supply has decreased
more than ouel.Li and he price has fallen 10 cents
per pound Before She tax there were twenty American
sIAacss sa- iu the trade, which plying uu-
ing 20 the Ygcaau coast This, therefore,
IS the second article OF the commercial green utthe
protection recovery OF trade which affects single
petty port and principally single finn. in which twenty
fishing sracks were engaged, with crews OF Spanish
crcoles AMI spanish subjects, and the provision is worth
the trade col the United -tltcs = 10000 year. The
article Is universally considered Insignificant and almost
flrcca; but spain. 10y this apparent concession nagI-
fled into an importalco il could not iusry clam, has
gained advantages OF an enormous consequence. The
reason foi all tAis demands careful scrutiny Who ng-
gpstci such provision in treaty that deals with mill
iousl How the i've fish OF Key Vest to be the sub
iect OF au international zoo -Otla,iJll
Bur even this mcaEres concession the spanish Gov Ri
meut d-cOvrrd-afer jLe agreement had been signed
authorized to make wi h0ut the sanction or the
ana The ,ortr~ Dissolved that sanction
could De- obtained Bii ntW election was held - ilt
Madrid Ministry proposed To- continue the treaty with
tie stipulatOus binding the United states in ul force,
and promised IN due time % submit 10 the future
CortcS the question whether the spanish Govern
mrut should Dee held 20 It's share OF the agreement and
10 tins modest bur a-rure suggestion modest bur
lutte American Government a'ceeled. since tine m
NOUS trIih recorded ia The Vicar OF Wakefield" when
Moses Primrose came home with the spccttcles Tor |
which be- had exchanged ms horse. marvel Gus baI-
gain ha- hardly ever been made.
Article Ill vastly important. and the only won
dor - ny Am.---an --.LELnMrn- -lnmL laLn n.-L.L