The Portland daily press., 1890-10-21
CONCERNING TRADE RELATIONS.
Spain and Cuba on Sugar and New
foundland on Fish.

WASHINGTON. October 20.-The Depart
ment of State received today copy of the
minutes of debates that have recently taken
place In the Chamber of Commerce at Ha.
vana with reference to the Mckinley bill,
and the question of reciprocity. This state
meht is accompanied by letter from Segun-
do Alvarez, president, and Saturnino Marti-
nez, secretary general Of the chamber, which
shows the existence of strong sentiment
favorable to reciprocal relations with the
United States. This statement was sent to
the Spanish minister Of colonies in response
to message from him requesting sugges-
tions from the Chamber as to any moGifca-
cations desired in the proposed new Cuban
tariff. The letter says the chamber thought
1t proper not only to consider the new Cuban
tariff but also correlative matters which di-
recily affect financial conditions. These
provinces which are far more prosperous,
which may become even worse the principle
Of reciprocity is definitely adopted in the tar
III OF the United States, and if changes made
in our tariffs are not such as TO correspond
with that reform. The writers further say
that the new Cuban tariff proposed by Spain
must be preceded by repeal of the act of1SS2
because the act creates lnsurm0untable OBJ
stacles 10 the development of the foreign com
merce OF Cuba which is Indispensable to the
encourage ement of the cultivation of its pro-
ducts. The consumption of sugar and tc-
0acco produced in the Antilles. they say is
so limited in the Spanish peninsula that Gu
ban producers are compelled to seek other
markets for their commodities. The opinion
of all Cubans is that this law which inter-
feres with their trade should be repealed d.
with equal unanimity the writers add, it is
con sldered that the greatest market for Gu
ben goods in the nation whose ports lie at
Its very door. The chamber of commerce.
they say, does not hesitate to affirm that the
United States today is the regulator of its
commercial market just as England is of Its
money market Law makers of the United
States they say know perfectly we'll that the
people whom they represent have an abun-
dance OF the necessaries of life. They know
that by imposing heavy duties upon the
manufactured goods of Europe they
ia yor the development of their own indus
tries, compel the well to do class
to pay indirect taxes. They have no cause
to fear European reprisals, because such re-
prisals would have to apply to cereals, meat.
these nations absolutely require. The Unit
ed States cares but little for reciprocity with
Europe for they know that Europe has need
Of them. They will grant it or refuse 1t as
great deal for reciprocity with the nations of
South America and are seeking to establish
it.. They want sugars of low grade for their
refneries. coffee, hides, timber. They think
they can get them by reciprocity. Attention
is then called to the fact that Brazil is pre-.
States for sugar, and the additional fact that
the government is encouraging sugar produc-
tion by the large loans to planters.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. October 20.--It Is In
timated that the Newfoundland government
will put an export duty on all fresh or frozen
fish exported from that colony in foreign
bottoms as a retaliation against the three
fourths of a cent pound the Mckinley bill
placed on all frozen or fresh fish imported
into the United States. Boston, New York
and Philadelphia commission merchants
and importers were opposed to duty being
placed on either fresh or picked fish, as it
would be detriment to business. Leading
Gloucester owners, however, favored it. In
anticipation OF an export duty being levied
by Newfoundland, 1t is rumored that an ef-
fort is being made to form frozen herring
syndicate, with headquarters at Bos-
ton and New York. 1t is proposed to Coop
crate with leading business men at st. Johns
N. F., who wish to induce their government
to put an export duty on frozen herring suf-
ficiently high SO that with three-fourths of a
cent pound import duty on this end no
American vessel could continue bringing
them, with any degree of profit. to our mar
ket. Steamers from st. Johns. N. F., are TO
load at Placentia and Fortune Bay, and sail
ing thence for New York or wherever they
might be ordered: Should this proposed
scheme be carried out, Gloucester and all
New. England fishermen, in order to get a
supply of bait during the winter season
would be at the mercy of this combination.