Omaha daily bee., 1890-08-16
THE RIVER ANO .IIARDOR BILL.
Some Doubt Expressed as to Whether the
President Will Sign 1t.
THE GREAT QUESTION OF RECIPROCITY
Rcprcse nta Z i've Burrows of Mic higa II
Thinks it w Would be Better 10
Provide NIeansof Trans
portatiOn First.
WASHINGTON BuREAU THE ON ANA BEE,
il3 FOEMEE NfM SfREEh

WAsnfNGToN, D. c., August 10. J
There is still serious doubt whether the
president will sign the river and harbor bill
THERE'S now remaining mcNpcnded of pre-.
Wousappwpriatious the sum of Sj,OWOOO
but itmostly Standsto the credit of unim.
portant works and cannot be used in places
where improvements are actually needed
prOpos iOn to make this money availa ble
upon such gre at works ofnatiOnal Importance
as the Sault Ste. Marie and theharbor Of
New York would receive the prompt ap.
proval of the president, but a general river
and harbOr bill, made upas such bills are to
secure votes by log rolling, takes
$50, 100000 or more from the treasury,
and it is exceedingly doubtful whether
1t will receive the executive
san ction. prcsdentunoC oCrs tands as well
as any one else thathe has authority todircCt
thatthc money appropriated shall be ex-
pended only where it is gecdcd, and if there
is any danger of a deficitn the treasury he
can direct that the greater portion shall re-
main uncypended. Butthe republican lead
ers want the credit of economy and this
Appropriation will be charged against them
whether it is expended or not. Therefore
tn economists will lurgea veto.
THE RECImGCIW QUESTION.
IL mas OcCll frequently asserted ny JnOSc
whoare opposed tothc reciprocal policy that
the Favored nation clauseN in treaties be-
tween the South American republics and
European powers would prevent or at least
nulity any advantages we might gain from
such negOtiaiOns This is untrue. Very
fcwOf the South American countries have
commercial treaties with Europe, and devenif
there Were treaties containing the favored
nation Causeit would not apply to such re-
ciprocal concessions as proposed by the
| Tritn1 t.nS ErnZil fn,, .mn1n If ha
hada treaty with England containing the
favored nation clause would, of course, be
compelled to give England the Sameadvan-
tages in trade that she gives us.
peeled to admit bpadsmffS, provisions,
lumber, petroleum and other articles from
England freeOf duty to herports aswell as
those from the United States, provided Eng
land gave her similar con CcSsiOns, but
England producesno breadstuffS, provisions,
petroleum orlunber for export, neither does
France Germany, Austria or Italy, with
whom she has cOmmcWe. Spain produces q
little wheat for export but that is sent to
| Cuba with greater profit than to other ma
| tiOns because that island is a colony of Spain
and gives advantages to Spanish products
which the products OF other Countries
o.,,, do not enjoy; But in, in negotiatIng ,
Sotes Brazil would insist upon
| including only our peculiar products which
are notproduced any ofthe Europeanna-
tiOns- We have no compettionin in that mar
| l6et for our peculiar prOdu cts except from the
Argentine Republic, which has been pro-
| ducinGa large quantity of wheat and corn
| and has eX ported these articles to the value
| OF $1,000, 600 or 81 5000, ,0.O a year. During
| the current year the Argentine Republic has
| been an impOrterof wheat because of tho
! failure of two successive crops owing to
| drouth, but the country has an enormous
capacity for the poduction of cereals
and an viii VIII 6ecome 3,ovi dhmgeroqs hns rival
markets of Europe. 1t is therefore the more
| Important that the United States should Sc
| cure Appointment foothold in these markets
while has theoppotunity. Brazil cannot
| make RECIPROCITY treaty with the Argentine
repu bile because of local conditions. First
the ports of the Argentine republic are
| closed to commerce with Brazil for at lcaSt
| six months in the year for sanitary reasons.
| Yellow fever is epidemic in Brazil and the
| ports of the two countries are so contiguous
| that steamers from Brazil are rec uircd to re
! main in quarantine for ten or twelve days
before unloading and dcommerCe with in fecte
ports Is entirely suspended by presden-
| tal proclamation for the whole season.
Second Brazil has nothing to offer the Ar.
gentiRe Repu bile in exchange for her wheat
| except coffee, and that is NOW being raised in
large quantities in the northern provinces of
| the Argentine Republic and Paraguay. The
United States has I he favored nation clause
in most OF her commercial treaties, but this
will not embarrasS the gOvernmentin in the ne.
gOtiation OF reciprocity treaties or arrange.
mentS with other alton $, because the depar rt-
mentOf state has uniformly held from the
| time of NlE j emerson as secretary OF state to
| Mr. Blaine that the favored nation clause
only applies where privileges are granted
freely and without a consideration, but
| wherevera special consideration is made the
| condition of Il favor granted or received the
| favored nation clause does not apply. This
Interpretation has been recently sustained by
! tile supreme court Of the L nited States in its
I tl, lsiut. I1gl..
October term. lSo6. This case arose under
the Hawaiian reciprocity treaty, it being
| claimed that sugar and mOAsSeS imported
fromthe iSlaudo of ST. CGOiX, colony OF Den
mark, should be admitted free of duty der
"the favored nation clause of treaty be-
tween the United States and Denmark be-
cause like articles were admitted free from
the Hawaiian islands. The supreme court
rejected the claim stating that the "rcaty
with Denmark does rot bind the United
States TO extend to that country without
cOmpeu Saton privileges which they have
conceded to the Hawaiian islands in ex-
change for valuable comes siOnS.n
representative Burrows Of Michigan, q
member Of the GcoTnmitte on ways and means,
talked at some length today to your CORES
pOndent about crctary Blane's reciprocity
schemes, What ever Mr. Burrows says is
entitled the greatest consideration owing to
his leading poationn the house, and the fact
of his being the leadin < member of the house
committee on ways ndmoaus, next 10 Major
Mckinley.
My theory about ncipwcity' sad Mr.
Burrows lis, and think every other good
republican feels the same way, that we ought
to have the lreest commercial intercourse
With theSouth American Countries, proyi-
ding we can do so without abandoning the
principle Of protection. And L do not think
there could bo a more opporhne time to do
this than just now owing to the interest
which the Pan American congress and the
general discussion has aroused in the sub
leCt
a say amin favor Of extending our COM
merce with the South American cOun tries.
butt seems to mothat before We can hope
to do that we must have sure, speedy and
regular means of transportation between our
ports and those ofthe countWeS to the south
of US. 1t j. no use talkng about finding a
market for our goods FIVE have not the facil-
titles TO put those goOdSOn the market You
might as well taikof trade with the Congo
state. What we wantirstof all is a steam.
ship service, and we ought to give the same
, assistance todeveIoping this service as has
been done byother countries with the same
Objects in view. The Frye shipping bills