The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-04-17


The Proposed Bnsis of Reciprocity Treaty
with che British west Indics- w lille
Meeting with some Favor. Lord Gram
willie Thinks u Lscks tho Essential Eie-
ments Of stability.
LONDON, April s.--Thc Foreign Once
has published the correspondence re-
speeding the negotiations for a treaty be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain In regard to reciprocity OF trade
with the British West Indies.
On October rs, 1881, Lord Granville,
British Minister OF Foreign Affairs.
directed Minister West to propose 70 the
American Secretary Of State, the follow.
Ing basis for . treaty; The British West
Indies colonies To abolish their
duties OF the following articles
coming from the United States: Bread
biscuits, butter, cheese, corn, meats Of
all kinds, hour, lard, lumber, kerosene,
oat meal and oil cake; aud some OF the
colonies 10 also abolish the duties on
hams, meats, shocks and slaves; the
United States In return, therefor, TO re-
duce the duty on sugar coming from these
colonies at least flity per cent.
vi A*tFNM'<A -NhAf SAtAtrt<k WCot lu-
formed Lord Granville that the United
States desired wider basis for the treaty,
and that they also stipulated that the ad-
vantages proposed 10 be conferred upon
the United States should not also be con-
ccded gratis TO third parties under the
most favored nation clause OF treaties.
On December 4th Minister West for
wardcd TO Lord Granville draft OF a
counter treaty proposed by Mr.. Freling-
huysen. This is an elaborate document,
containing schedules of 100 articles upon
which an abolition Of colonial duties was
desired, in return for which concessions
the United States would abolish tue duty
on all sugars below No. lG Dutch stand
ard. The exclusion Of third parties from
the benefit Of the colonial concessions Is
also insisted upon In this draft as an in
dispcnsable element In any further ncgo-
tiations. Included In the cores pondence
ut this point Is an estimate by Sir John
Lubbock, M. r., for London University,
In which he states that the adoption OF
Secretary Frelinghuysen's proposed
treaty would reduce the revenues
Of the affected colonies by only
4 10000 annually, while the yearly
loss to the United States would be e.
100000. Sir John strongly urged the ac-
ceptancc oil the Frelinghnvsen draft, and
this recommendation was concurred In
by Minister West.
On February 18th. however, Lord
Granville directed Mr.. West 70 inform
the American Secretary Of State that 1t
would be impossible - accept the pro-
posals made by the United States. To
do so would be to admit a principle
which would revolutionlze the conven-
tional stipulations ~ TO commerce
among all nations. Il would render the
.favorcd nation clause" fruitful cause
OF dispute, and would, in fact, be a plain
Infringement Of International law. Lord
Granville minutely criticised the points
raised by Mr.. Frelinghuysen's PROPOSE
tion, and in conclusion, expire sscd mis- re-
grct at being compelled to reject the
draft aud bis hopeiulness that an agree
ment satisfactory and beneficial to both
nations. will be reached sooner or later
"A copyebf this dispatch was forwarded by
Lord Granville 10 the Colonial ONCE with
the additional comment that the conces-
sions offered by the United States We're
Of less real than apparent value, and that
the proposals lack the essential elements
Of n stable agreement