The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-09-21
FREE TRADE WITH MEXICO.

'NS NSSAiNil oSS'ah w.
will better serve TO open the eyes OF
the blind and bigoted partisan who
has heretofore opposed tariff reform
than the position taken by the new
minister TO Mexico in regard to trade
citations with that country.
Minister Ryan went to his charge
with all the hyde. bound, antiquated,
Chinese-wall ideas of protection which
are taught by his party. Looking at
the thing from afaI, he thought protec-
ton a fine thing, but facts are stubborn
and he has recently had his head well
bumped by them-so well, indeed, that
he writes very much as a democratic
minister might.
The farmer of this country has seen
his meat business disappear from
French and German markets purely
because of the absurd exclusions prac-
ticed by our tariff against their pro-
ducts, but this was 80 tar awa y that q
thousand things were brought up by
the willy Mr.. Blaine to take their minds
away from the disagreeabIe circum
stance.
Here, however, we rave a republican,
sent ont by Mr.. Blaine himself, send
ing home word that the stupid policy
of his party is about to wipe out what
trade we have lett with the land of the
M~ontezumas.
Mr.. Adee, the acting secretary Of
state, at Washington, gave out a few
days ago, a telegram from Mr.. Ryan
giving the essential text OF a decree Of
the Mexican government dated ON the
9th of August, removing certain classes
of live animals from the free list of the
existing Mexican tariff and imposing
duties thereupon OF importation. The
decree also imposes a duty on dressed
animals and all animal products. MIR.
Adee says: - 1.-THE minister's tele-
grams convey his belief, founded upon
intImations made to him on good au'
thOrity, that this decree is a r%etaliatory
measure in opposition to the recent &C.
ton of this government touching the
appraisement of silver lead ores i'm.
ported into the United States from Mex.
leo. From apparently inspired utter
ances of the Mexican press and from
conversation with the minister for
foreign affairs Mr.. Ryan gathers that a
further measure is in contemplation for
the imposition of a discriminating duty
of ten per cent. additional upon all I'm.
ports into Mexico in vessels of the
United States i'm retaliation tor the re-
cent action of this government in ap-
plying to imports in Mexican vessels
the provisions of section 2;501 of the
revised statutes, but he adds the intim-
alton of Senior Msriscal that such a step
will not be taken hastily"
The new Mexican tariff against the
United States imposes o each mar
and stud horse a duty of 500; on each
ram, wether and eve, thirty five cents;
each kid, five cents; each hog on foot,
S2 %; cattle, So; mule and ass, So;
dressed animal or any part thereof, ten
cents per kilogram. The decree takes
effect November l..
The most remarkable thing about the
dispatches of Minister Ryan is his out
spoken declarations for throwing down
the tariff bars and opening the way for
unrestricted trade with our sister re-
public. In a letter to the acting secre-
tary of state, dated August %, and re-
ceived at about the same time with his
later telegraphic dispatch, he says
SIR:-In view of the vast amount of
American capital invested in railroads
and mines i'm Mexico and reduction
works in the United States directly in
volved in the question of the importa-
ton of Mexican lead and silver ores
into the United States, | beg especially
to draw the attention OF our govern
ment to the enclosed copies of and
clippings from The Two Republics of
this city. and to an editorial in its
issue of August ID, bearing upon the
subject, and an expression, | believe, OF
public opinion here.
1t may not be improper for Inc 10 add
that grave apprehension prevails in this
country, not only among those directly
iniert sted, but also on the part of the
government and generally among all
classes who are solicitous for the pro-
motion OF trade relations between the
United States and Mexico that the &C.
ton of our government may be such as
10 seriously cripple this commerce. The
recent action of our treasury depart
ment upon this subject was not regard
ed by the Mexican government with
serious dissatisfaction, since it was go
much better than the worst that was
feared, as Mr.. Mariscal expressed ii in
a purely non-O official interview with me
a few days ago.
In this connection | will add that
Mexican people are extremely sensitive
touching any action of our government,
the tendency of which may be to en-
barass their trade intercourse with the
United States. Without reference to
this important subject, l trust | shall be
pardOned for expressing the conviction,
" lit IIulu buCu ClObO anu Cdi CIul
observation and study as l have been
able to make since entering upon my
duties here, that the people of the
United States have very largely to gain
and little or nothing TO lose by the most
liOeral trade relations with Mexico. If
our government agrees with me in this
respect then | beg TO make the sugges-
ton that the longer reciprocity Eegotia-
lions are deferred the more difficult
will be their cOnsummatioD, because of
the constant development OF industries
in this country that naturally create
opposing interests.
thing the Two Americas Congress will
10 do will be t. kick down the
to trade. Unless they do this
the delegates would quite as well 60
home without a session.
The general convention of the
Protestant Episcopal church in the
United States, which assemblies every
three years, will meet in New York
city OF September 2. 1t will consist
this year, of the upper house of seventy
bishops, and the lower house of tour
hundred and twenty-five deputies
four clerical and four lay deputies from
each diocese, and m clerical and one
lay deputy from each of eleven mission
airy districts. The convention will miss