Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-04-09
RATES OF ADVERTIsIHGy A
The Pan-Amsricans on the New Tariff Bill.

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1t was noted in The Sun recently that the
fiscal policy of the republican party, as ex-
pressed in the Mckinley tariff bill, is who'll
ly at variance with it's professed policy Of
commercial Development ofwhich the Pam
American conference is the visible token.
A law. designed to restrict importations,
cannot by any ingenuity be made to pro.
mote that exchange of products in which all
commerce consists. This is so evident to
Senior Don Manuel Quintans, the represent
alive in the conference of the Argentine
Republic, that he will, he says, advise his
| government to enter into no arrangement
with us for substituting ships in the event
that the Mckinley bill shall become law.
With the object of promoting commercial
intercourse between the United States and
the Argentine Republic the latter govern
ment was about to agree to aid in the es-
tablishment of a line of steamers between
the two countries. None of the lines run.
ming between European ports and Buenos
Ayres receive any aid in money from tho
Argentine Republic. but to meet the prop-
osition of the United States government
10 friendly spirit Eve agreed, !" says Senior
Quintana, as quoted by the New York Her.
aid, ito recommend to our government that
it stand from II to IS per cent. of the ex-
predicated, of course, upon belief that the
United States, in calling the Pan-American
conference, really meant to do something to
promote trade. The delegates represents
ing the Argentine Republic were according
ly amazed on looking over the schedules of
the Mckinley bill. Senior Quintana ex-
presses himself, however, with diplomatic
moderation. "When," he says, tive learn
ed the other day that the new tariff bill re-
ported by the ways and means committee
OF the American House of Representatives
not only did not lower the duties, but actu-
ally increased the duty on wool and revived
the duty on hides, We promptly notified
cur American colleagues in the conference
that in view Of these facts we would advise
our governneut>to disregard our recon-
mendations as to the grant of a subsidy to
the projected steamship line." 1t was use-
less, of course, to pay out money in SUBJ
sides to lessen the cost of the carriage of
goods if Congress, by new taxes on cargoes
from the Argentine Republic, stra:ghtway
reimposed an equal or greater burden.
Much has been made by our delegates in
the conference of the fact that the United
States already admits free of duty nearly S5
per cent. of the goods South America sends
US. From this it has been argued that the
tariff, after all, is no obstacle to our trade
with that continent, and that the nations of
South America should lower their tariffs to
our manufacturers to corresponding de-
gree. Senior Quintana quickly disposes of
this contention. SIT means simply" he
says, "that American merchants only buy
what they can import with profit. Articles
duty free are imported, while those liable
to heavy rates of duty are not" The en-
largement of our commerce with our south.
or oil Inh off tnd o. oil 30 70, ha
complished, it is evident, only by increased
importations of articles now excluded by
aim ost prohibitory duties. These conside.
rations are, of course, of an elementary
character, but they seem never to have oc.
CURED to the protectionists that represent
US in the conference. Our delegates enter
ed upon their task in the trus "grab-alr'
spirit of economists of the Pennsylvania
school, having the idea, it appears, that they
would gain all they wanted from the SIM
ple-minded Latins without a single conces-
sion. The latter have been more than
match for them. The centre of gravity of
intelligence, commercial knowledge and Dip
lOmatic skill in this hemisphere, if the pro-
ceedings of the conference may be taken as
an adequate basis for an opinion, lies far to
the south of Philadelphia, somewhere upon
the upper waters of the La Plata. The
L
success, undoubtedly, in the sense that it
has contributed to enlarge the commercial
education and promote the infant modesty
of some Of our protectionists. In this sense
it has done good already, and must contiD-
ue, by its negative results, to do good by
convincing reasonable people that there can
be no considerable increase of our foreign
commerce without tariff reform. Already
one of our delegates, Mr.. Flint, has seen a
great light. SIT would" he says, ''bs
most profitable for this country if absolute
free trade between the republics of the
Americas could be brought about Every
interest throu yhoat the East, West and the
Pacific slope would be- benefited indirectly,
and most of them directly, by the more ex-
tended market for our products. Our farm
ers would not only be benefited by an i'm
proved market for their produce in conse-
quence of the general stimulating of manu-
featuring, but they would be benefited di-
rectly in having more extended market
for their products through the expectation
to the South of wheat, flour, provisions and
canned goods, of which there is very large
consumption in the countries to the South
There could be no severer comment upon
the absurdities Of the Mckinley tariff bill.
Bali. Sun.