The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-12-12

articles of consumption. The reciprO-
cal abolition of tonnage dues secures
still further relief to our shipping. I'M
der existing laws. vessels of all nation
alitieS are charged in American ports
! tonnage dues to the amount of thirty
cents per ton, once only in each year.
! hut in Cuba and Porto Rico much
; higher tonnage dues, amounting to
! SiXtV-five cents. OF $l.30 per ton, accord
ing to the flag, are collected on every
entrance into port and this has been a
heavy and very unequal FAX on Ameri-
can vessels. The abolition of consular
fees, provided for in article sixteen, is
in accord with the spirit of the law
passed at tho last session of Congress
It's reciprocal 4 ceptance by Spain is
significant from the fact that the Spa! =
iSh consular tariff is much higher than
that OF the. United States; and it also
removes the Spanish consular tonnage
fees imposed on all American goods
shipTed 10 Cuba and Porto Rico.
against which this government has
protested for several Years past, as
tn amount to levying by a foreign gov
nn.ent in our nOrts Of an export duty
on m rchan if~e duty which h United
States cannon conStitUtionally impose,
and, therefore, cannot sanction on the
part of another government. Articles
20. q and D, are intended 10 remedy
some defects and omissions in the treaty
of amify and commerce of 1895. and Sc
cure 10 American citizens of capital and
property in the Spanish islands the
fullest protection. During the late in
Surrecth0n in Cuba the absence of such
treaty stjpulatiOns was the source of
serious injury to American interests.
Articles % and "a secure the recognition
of the Interpretation of the most
favored nation" and the treatment
cOntended for by this government
as the first essential condition to the
treatment OF the commercial reciprocity.
1t is maintained by us that the ''most
favored: nation" clause in the treaties
could not he applied in its unrestricted
sense 70 the reciprocity conventions, but
that when two nations Stipulate for Spe-
cial faYorS or a reciprocal reduction of
duties upon specified conditions, third
powers cannot claim or enjoy like favors,
except upon the same or equiva ent
condition. By the protacal attached to
the treaty, it is provided that the agree
ment of February Ii, 1884 is to ter
inmate when the present treaty goes
into effect. The result of this stipuIa-
ton will be to again subject to the fourth
COihiiIh1 VI l4IC iliSilCNb OuIlCS III J1lE
tariffs of Cuba and Porto Rico. the pro-
duets of nations which had been adj
mitted to the benefits of that agree
ment. In the negotiation of CONNER
cial conventions with countries
on the American continent and
adjacent islands, in. view of
tie disparity. of population, it is not
to be expected, nor is it possible that we
can secure an equivalentine xchange~Of
products. In the case of the Spanish
Antilles, two and a quarter millions of
Inhabitants canpOt offer a market ecu;
tt fifty-fve or sixty millions of people.
Other considerations, besides those
affecting the revenue merely. have 10 he
remembered. New markets f,r the
agricultural products and manufac-
turerS of the country are highly deSira.
bic in this period of our production. and
the encourTg cement of orr shipping ia
ma: er of tn h gEe-t moment. / these
objects can be secured in exchange
for tropical products for the general
consumption by our people. it is not
essential that a loss of revenue
undreSsed leather and skins,
long and important list of all
kinds of implements utensils land tools
for agricui. q al, motive, industriatsapd
scientific, OF all classes; and materials
and loose pieces Of same; materials and
articles for railways, tramways, canals
and other works of public utility, ma
terials of all kinds for Shipbuilding, and
other classes of manufactures, articles
il the production OF which this cOUn-
try exce's. While the Spanish govern
ment did not feel it could. in good
faith To its creditors, remove all the i'm
port duties on American goods, or an
other long list of articles such large re-
auctions have been made that the pro-
ducers and manufacturers of the United
States can compete successfully for the
trade OF the islands. Under the tariff
system now in force two rates of duties
are levied on foreign products; first,
when they are imported in Spanish yes
sells, the third column" duties is ap-.
piled. but, second, when these products
are imported in foreign vessels, the
fourth column Ga much higher duty) is
As the carrying trade. except
with the mother country, is almost eX-
done by foreign countries. if
the pending treaty goes into operation,
other foreign products than those Of the
United States will in great measure be
subject to duties OF fourth column, to
which also American goods were sub
ject before the agreement OF February
18Th last.
Here follows a long list of articles in
schedule h." which are admitted at
favoriBg duties.