Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-28

~ 10 q llLIAC SdAU 1lAnlolGI
Foster, talking of the treaty with Spain
which he negotiated, in which he naturally
feels much interest; sit is a little odd
that the people of Spain are just as much
opposed TO this treaty from their stand
point as certain of our people are from
theirs. Some of our people and news
papers think that we are getting the
worse end of the bargain, while the peO-
pie OF Spain feel quite as sure that the
tarred end of the stick has been extended
to them, and that the people of this cOun-
try are greatly the gamers over them by
the treaty. Delegation after delegation
from the manufacturing and producing
and mercantile class called upon the
Ministry when the treaty was announced
to protest against it, and communication
and protest one after another came from
| commercial bodies. The people of Spain,
who looked upon Cuba as their legitimate
market for their surplus production,
are quite indignant that the tariff is
removed upon the very articles which
they have for sale, but in which we excel,
| and the doors opened wide to us, who are
at the very threshold with wares that
must prove more attractive than those Of
the parent country. Cuba has been the
| chief market Of Spain for many if not all
| of the articles which she had to spare in
| large quantities, and the occasion for
! complaint on the part of her people at the
! treaty seem much greater than those of
| our own people, who are offered free sugar
| and reduced cost of tobacco on the one
| hand and the doors of a market just at
| hand thrown open to us while they are
! kept closed to everybody else. Why, it is
to the interest of all the commercial world
! except the United States and Cuba to see
| this treaty defeated and If the press and
that section of the people who are fight
ing it would stop to think moment they
would see that in doing so they are serving
! the interests of all Europe against our
| selves. Nothing pleases England and all
other manufacturing and commercial
communities Sc much as to see the OppO-
sitiOn with which this measure is received
in this country"
''But, Mr.. Foster, it is urged by the to-
bacco interests that this treaty will ruin
them"
oThis treaty." he replied, smilingly,
"leaves a duty of 80 per cent. ad yalorem
on tobacco. Don't you think that the to-
baccO interest ought to be satisfied with a
tariff which protects it in this degree?"
''But the sugar clause. 1t takes $780,
600, 600 year out of the revenues, doesn't
it?''
mo. 1t leaves $5O,0OO,0O year in the
pockets of the people, which the present
sugar tariff, which, by the way, amounts
to 100 per cent. at the present low prices,
now takes out of their pockets and trans
! fers to a revenue cOnfessedly too large by
about this sum. Do you know that our
sugar costs more now than our bread?
i No? Well, it's fact. The sugar tariff is
at the present prices about 100 per cent.
My taking that off we leave the $50, 100000
the pockets of the masses-nOt of a
N0, but Of every man, woman and child
| ~l at the same time open market right
| atAYery doors in q manner that Will
give khe absolute control and mOnopO-
| ly, so tC$Apeak, of it. 1t will permit the
very goOM Of which we make most to
spare go in ere free against the high
tariff MAINTAINED upon the goods of all
the world eXceEtk their home government,
and over which e have manifest advan-
tages both in pom of nearness and IA
cility Of prOductiOi&
"But it is arguedTfhat our commerce
with Cuba is only a SHALL amount at the
best, bagatelle beside Ee loss in revenue
by the removal of this tariff"
"All of which is true und<.the existing
tariff, but which will not be sJMf the pres
ent treaty is confirmed, becaHse it will
give us practically the entire trade of the
Spanish Antilles instead of about one
sixth which we now get. If this treaty is
confirmed our people will keep in their
own pockets $50,00O,OO0 of their own
money which they now pay out as duties
on the articles made free, and will in
crease their trade with those islands to
$75,OOO,O00 a year. The products of the
Mississippi valley will float down that
river and across the Gulf at nominal
freightage, finding a ready market in
which it will have practically no CON-
petitOrs, all others being kept out by the
tariff which we thus escape"
''And do you think the treaty likely to
be confirmed at this session.
81 don't know" he answered somewhat
sadly; II rather regret its premature pub
LEGATION, for L think it would have been
better had it come before the Senate, to be
considered in all its bearings as an en-
tirety, before being made the special mark
of the interests especially affected, which
cannot even agree among themselves as
to what they do want in regard to it.
Then, too, the Nicaraguan treaty, also a
very important matter, is taking atten.
ton from it just now. 1t must be very
busy session which can pass intelligently
and justly upon so many very important
measures as are now before 1.-THE Span.
ish, Mexican, Hawaiian. Dominican and
Nicaraguan treaties, and all in fifty work
ing dayS.v