San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-05-22
FREE MEXICAN ORES.


favorable amendment to the Mexican
ore schedule. The attempt to change
the figures from one and a half cents
to half-a-cent per pound failed, as did
also the motion to abolish the duty
altogether. This knocks large hole
in the importation of silver-bearipg
lead, ores from Mexico and renders
valueless the large plants that have
been created for the purpose of re-
ducing such ores. 1t is very much to
be regretted, that this change was not
permitted, as it is serious blow to
very valuable industry. The Difficult
ty of making any change in the sched-
ule is admitted, as such changes only
pave the way for others and might
lead to very serious inroad upon the
bill as a whole. The acceptance of it
in its entirety seems necessary to Its
safety, and the time spent upon it in
committee and the very careful con-
sideration of its items warrant
the conclusion that the committee
framed it in the belief that it
was the best all-round schedule that
they could devise, and as such they
propose to pass it, or be defeated in
the attempt. The committee, no
doubt, felt themselves shut up to a
schedule embodying the protection
principles Of the party, and therefore
very difficult consistently to make ex-
ceptions to The vote on the motion
to reduce the duty to one-half cent
per pound on the lead contained in all
ore importations as sampled and
assayed at the port of entry, shows
that the republican forces are we'll in
hand and argues very hopefully for
the passage of the tariff bill as a
whole when the final vote is taken.
There could be no bill framed that
would satisfy all sections of the coun-
try in all its particulars. The inter-
ests of the several loCa les are tCo
diverse and what makes for the in
terest of one section may be a disad-
vantage to another. The local char
acter of all tariff legislation, to be
acceptable, is conceded, and as such
legislation is not local but gen.
eral, the general Flaw will not
and cannot be universally accept
able. In this case the republican
party will accept the tariff schedule
as presented as the best possible un-
der the circumstances and acquiesce
in its regulations; while, of course,
the democratic party as in duty
bound will challenge the wisdom Of
its provisions and denounce the
schedule on general principles.
The remedy for this provision of the
new tariff schedule, which bears
50 inimically upon the smelling
and reduction business in the
! southwest. is in reciprocity
treaty with Mexico. Such treaty
is very much to be desired on nor e
than one aount, and if this tariff
schedule, which practically shuts
out the Mexican composite ores,
should hasten the day of Mexican
and United States reciprocity it will
not be an unmixed evil by any means.
! This remedy for the existing evil
will not interfere with the levy of
the prOhibitive tariff upon the lead
! imports of other countries outside OF
Mexico, and would thus leave intact
the principle of protection so directly
bound up in this measure OF the re-
publican committee. The opening OF
trade under reciprocity treaty with
Mexico would add largely to our eX-
portatiOns into that republic and be OF
immense benefit to the whole country
particularly to the Southwest. Ques,
tons of customs, of railway enterprise
under American engineers and con-
tractors, fruitful source of jealousy
over the border, would be readily dis.
posed of under reciprocal trade eX.
changes and the border friction
would soon be thing of the past
Such reciprocity, also, would be in
the direct line of that larger measure
of reciprocity in which the All-Amer
icas would be included and so haster
the day of Pan-American trade
union, if not absolutely free YET
largely emancipated from the incon
veniences of tariff lmposts. Failing