Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-18
RECIPROCITY
The characterization Clause"
viii Not Prevent 1t.
So Decides the United States
Supreme Court.

|
That Clause Only Applies Where Privi-
leges are Granted Freely and without
Confederation And Uncle Samuel is
Not Likely 10 Do Anything Like That.
Our Trade with Brazil.
WASHINGTON, Aug l8,-The Indian
apolis Journals special correspondent
In this city has sent the following 10 his
paper 4
1t has been frequently asserted bv
those who are opposed to the reciprocal
treaty that the favored nation clause
in treaties between the South American
republics and European powers would
prevent, or at least nullify, any advan-
tageswe might gain from such negota.
tions. This is not the case. Very few Of the
South American countries have com
mercial treaties with Europe. and even
| If there were treaties containing the
favored.nation clause, it would not hp.
ply to such reciprocal concessions as are
proposed by the United States.
An Example.
Brazil, for example, if she had
Vored-nation clause, would. Of course,
be compelled to give England the same
advantages in trade that she gives us
In other words, she would be compelled
to admit breadstuifs, provisions, lumber.
petroleum and other articles from Eng.
land free of duty to hes ports as Well as
those from the United States provided
England gave her similar concessions,
but England produces no breadstutfs
provisions, petroleum or lumber for ex.
port neither does France, Germany.
Austria or Italy, with whom she has
commerce. M
| Spain produces q little wheat for ex-
port. but that is sent to Cuba with
greater profit than to other nations be-
| cause that island is a colony of Spain
and gives advantages to Spanish products
which the producers of other countries
| do not enjoy. But in negotiating ire
ciprocity treaty with the United States
Brazil would insist upon including only
our peculiar products, which are not
produced by any of the European ma
tions, atf
We have no competition in that
market for our peculiar products, ex-
cept from the Argentine republic.
which has been producing IA large guam
| tity of wheat and corn, and has OK.
| ported these articles to the value of $t5,.
000, 600 or $lS,000,000 year. During
the current year the Argentine repub
| lie has been an importer of wheat be-
cause of the failure of two successive
crops, owing to drouth: but the country
has an enormous capacity for tho pro-
duction of cereals and viii become q
dangerous rival, not only in Brazil, but
in the markets of Europe
| Ii is therefore the more important
| that the United States should secure
pei manent foothold in these markets
while it has the opportunity
Brazil cannot make a reciprocity
treaty with the Argentine republic be-
cause of local conditions First, tho
ports of the Argentine republic arc
closed 20 commerce with Brazil for at
least six months in the year for sanitary
reasons. Yellow fever is epidemic in
Brazil and the ports Of the two countries
are 80 contiguous that steamers from
Brazil are required to remain,in quaren-
tine for ten or twelve days before un-
loading, and commerce with infected
ports is suspended by presidential pro-
clamation for the whole season. Sec
ond, Brazil has nothing to offer the
!
wheat, except coffee, and that is now
being raised III large quantities in tho
northern provinces of the Argentine re-
public and Paraguay.
supreme Court Decision.
The United States has the fayored-na-
tion clause in most her commercial
treaties, but this will not embarrass the
government in the negotiation of re-
ciprocity treaties or arrangements with
other nations, because the department Of
state has uniformly held, from the time
Of Mr.. Jefferson, rs secretary of state, To
Mr.. Blaine, that the favored-nation
clause only applies where privileges are
granted freely and without considera-
ton but wherever special considera.
tion is made the condition Of favor
granted or received, the favored-nation
clause does not apply. This interpreta-
ton has been recently sustained by the
supreme court of the United States in
| its opinion on the case Of Bartram vs..
Robertson, October term. 1886
This case arose under the Hawaiian
reciprocity treaty, it being claimed that
sugar and molasses imported from the
island of St. Croix, colony Of Den.
mark. should be admitted free Of duty
under the favored natiOn-clause of
treaty between the United States and
Denmark because like articles We're ad-
mitted free from the Hawaiian islands.
The supreme court rejected the claim.
stating that the treaty with Denmark
does not bind the United States to ex.
tend to that country compensatory priv.
ileges which they have conceded to the
Hawaiian islands in exc hange for valu-
able concessions"