The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-07-06
THB PAN AMERICAN COUNCIL.

The Pan-American Council which il
TO be held in Washington City in Octo
Der next, has for its osiensible objec
the promotion OF trade between tht
several countries represented, the es.
tublishment of a common coinage, anC
the promotion of fAmericanism in gen
eral. Its real object, we have always
believed, was to promote private raid
on the treasury in the way of steam
ship subsidies. There has been much
talk about treaties of reciprocity with
these countries, and there have been
some persons SO bold as to suggest that
if Il lot of people from the various coun-
tries could meet lot of our people face
to face they would take such liking
10 each other that they would begin
| buying and selling in the most
! liberal manner, without much regard
to prices or profits. The fact that we
have reciprocity treaty with Mexico
living uncompleted on our part these
six or seven years, which would I'M
doubtedly promote trade between the
two countries, has been lost sight of in
the rising Pan American chorus. The
ldCt tllht WC oCbb q loNlHS
TO South America, in President Ar
thurs time, to seek out new avenues of
trade, has been apparently forgotten
The treaty with Mexico failed because
it was believed that there might be
(Dot that there actually were) some
things admitted free of duty under Il
which would come in competition with
somebody producing the same things
in our own country, and that thus the
great principle of protection to United
States industry wonld be infringed.
The South American commission failed
TO accomplish anything because the
members we're unwilling to let down
the bars of the tariff anywhere. Their
idea of trade was selling but not buy
ing; and az the South American idea
was both selling and buying. the ex-
cursion of the commissioners Welded no
results.
Is it likely that our representatives
in the coming council will come togeth-
er with any new ideas about trade?
They are all, with perhaps one excep-
ton, high-tarif men. Mr.. Andrew
Carnegie, one of the members, is per-
haps as much interested in maintaining
the Chinese wall system as any man in
the United States. The republican par
ty is committed by its platform to
maintaining that system in its entirety.
What prospect is there that any ar.
rangements can be made for reciproc-
ity with those countries? What arti-
cles are we prepared TO pat Oh the free
list in order TO meet them half way?
The chief articles OF export from those
countries not already free under our
tariff wool, sugar, copper and
lead-all heavily protected under our
tariff. Coffee, cocoa, hides, Peruvian
bark, bananas, crude rubber, and crude
dye stuffs were put on the free list long
ago. because they did not compete with
anybody or anything in our own conn
try. What trading capital have we left
to make commercial treaties out OF?
The shop is empty. We have nothing
to offer In return for any concessions
that the countries south OF us might be
willing to make.
But ii is possible to raise a dust
about foreign trade, under cover of
which tcw persous may get their
hands into the public treasury. Subsi-
dies for shipping are the only foreign
device that our high-tariff gentry find
worth initiating. "Give u.s." they say,
ga little public pap, and we will unfurl
your flag on the high seas. Never
mind whether your laws fetter foreign
commerce or not. If you have crippled
it with your tariff, you can buy it a
crutch p" Projects of this kind have
been on foot for dozen years. Hard
ly year has passed without conven-
sinp nf ouhoi,l.y hanno.o f,, -
the country. But up to this time they
have always failed to get bill passed
by both houses of congress, although
they have log rolled with the southern
members, bringing Norfolk, Charles
ton, Savannah, New Orleans and Gal
weston. at one time or another, into the
charmed circle.
Meanwhile, under our medieval nav
igation laws American citizens have
been investing their money in ships
sailing under foreign flags. Mr.. John
M. Forbes, of Boston, told us the other
day how, in order to compete in the
ocean carrying trade, he had been
compelled to take perpetual charter
of his own steel clipper ship built on
the CLYDE, and run her under the Brit
ish flag. Although an American
citizen cannot own a foreign. built
ship and take out an American
register for her, he can charter as many
such as he likes, and he eau lend mon
ey on ship mortgages, aud he can own
shares in foreign steamship company.
The ship held by Mr.. Forbes, by virtue
of a mortgage for her full value and a
perpetual charter on her first voyage
from Glasgow to San Francisco carried
l,6OO tons of dead weight ane made the
voyage in 1913 days. On her arrival
she was pronounced the finest sailing
vessel that ever entered the port of San
Francisco. This notable craft flies the
British flag, although her earnings go
to an American citizen. No otherwise
can MIR. Forbes compete with English,
German, Italian, and Norwegian ship.
| owners in international trade. 1t has
been affirmed repeatedly, and is not
denied, that the stock of the Inman
Line, which owns the fastest steamers
that sail between New York and LIVER
pool. is owned chiefly by American
citizens, vet the British flag flies at
their peak because our laws, not Brit
ish laws, have so decreed.
When the Psn-American Council
comes together, and when it has been
voted not to admit Argentine wool or
Chilian copper free of duty, but, on
the other hand, to ask congress to pay
bounties to steamships for flying the
American flag in Southern waters, we
hope that some member will have the
har0ihOod to move that the ships al.
ready owned by Americans, wherever
built, may be allowed to fly the flag of
their country.