Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-02


The reciprocity clause Of the tariff act |
wisely and efsctusily opens the wsy to
secure large reeipsocsl trade IN exchange |
/ for The fres admission to our ports of Ger /,
/ Tain products. The righ. OF iadspsrdent
ns.ions 10 make special reciprocal trade
concessions is veil established and dsss not
! impair eithsf the nary 81 e to o.hsr powers
or what IS kao<h as The favored nation |
clause" 80 generally found 10 commercial
treaties. WHAT il given TO Gee for al ale |
qas.e axrssa consideration eaenct be
chained ~ anoihsr freely. The SKATE of
tbs revesres was such ghst we could dis
pease wlth any import dusi<s on coffee, tea.
hiiee sni tae b~er grades Of sugar and
uaola.sss That tie large advantage re-
saliiag 20 the countries producing and ex-
porting the,e articles b. placing them en-
the free lis, entitled us 70 expect fair re-
| t1rn in the way OF cestoms concessions mp
on articles exported by as 10 them VAS 50
obvious IS 10 gfaiui;ously shaadon
sls opportunity % snla-ge cur
trade would be sn U, psrdopabe error.
There were but two method. of nsinrsin.
lag coDiroi of this question open TO Con
gress- To place all OF these articles upon
the Gatiahle lisl, subject n such treaty
agreements as could De secursd, or to place
them sll presently upon the free list, bu.
subject to the re-impositiou Of specified
duties if the countries from which we re-
eeive them should refuse TO give e. usI
suitable reciprocal benefits. This ls.ter
method, think, possesses great advantages.
/, expresses in advance the consent of Con-
eress TO reciprOcity arrangements affecting
the product. which mGs. otherwise have
been delayed aud unssceriained until
each treaty was ratified by the Senate
aud the necessary legislation enacted By
Congress, as experience hiss shown
that some treaties looking to reciprocal
trade have failed to receive two-.hirds
vote ia the Senate for ratification and
others, ha'ilg passed tbs! stage, have
for years awaited the concurrence of the
| House and Senate in sach modification of
| our revenue laws as were necessary to give
effect to their provisions. We now have,
through the concurrence of both Houses
in advance, distinct aud definite offer Of
free entry TO our ports OF specified articles
| The Executive is not required to deal 10
conjecture as to what Congress will accept
Indeed the reciprocity provision is more
than an offer. Our part Of the bargain is
complete when delivery has been made and
when the countries from which we receive
/
on the free lists such of. our products
as shall be agreed upon as
al equivalent for our concession.
A proclamation OF that fact completes the
| transaction. In meantime our own people
have free sugar, tea, coffee and hides. The
/ indications thus far given are very hopeful
of early and favorable acton by the coun
| tries from which we re ceive our large imports
of coffee and sugar and it is confidently
! believed that if steam communication with
these countries eau be promptly improved
| and enlarged the mex year will show 4 most
| gratifying increase in our exports of bread
! ..uffs and provisions, as well as of some
important lines of manufactured goods.
/ In addition to the important bills that
became laws before the adjournment of the
! las. ses sion some other bills of the highest
/ importance were well advanced toward a
! tinsi vote and now stand upon the calendars
! of the two houses in favored positions
The present session has aft 1ed q limit and
| if these measures are not now brought to
4 final vote all the work that has been
done upon them by this Congress is lost
| The proper consideration of these. of an
apportionment bill and of the aDnual ap-
preparation bills will require not only that
| no working day of the session shall be lost,
| but that measures of minor and local in
terest shall not be allowed TO interrupt or
retard the progress of those tina! are of upi
versal interest.
In view Of these conditions refrain from
bringing before you Al this time some sug-
gestions that would otherwise be made and
earnestly invoke your attention to the duty
of perte0tinz the important legislation now
well advanced. To some OF these measures
which seem 10 me most important, | now
briefly call your attention,
American Steamship Lines.
| desire to repeat with added urgency
! the recommendations contained in my
| last annual message in relation to the de-
yeiopment Cf American steamship lines.
| The reciprocity clause OF the tariff bill
will be largely limited, and its benefits re
tqrded and diminished if provision is no,
contemporsneously made TO encourage the
establishment of first class steam commu-
ricatiou between our ports and the ports OF
1 such nations as may meet our overture,
/ for enlarged commercial exchanges The
steamship carrying the mails stately
aod frequently, and Offering to passen
gers comfortable, safe aud speedy
transit, is the first condition of foreign
trade. 1t carries the order or the buyer,
| bu, not all that is ordered or bought. 1t
| gives to the sailing vessels such cirgoes
as are not urgent or perishable, and indi
rectly. at least promotes that important adj
/ iunct of commerce. There is now, both
! in this country and in the nations of Cen
| trail and South America, state of expecta
ton and conf ience as TO increased trade
that will give double value 10 your prompt
action upon this question. The present
/ situation Of our mail communication with
/ Australia illustrates the importance of
early action by Congress. The Oceanic
/ Steamship Company maintains line of
| steamers between San francisco, Sydney
aa5 Auckland, consisting of three vessels
! two Of which are OF United States registry,
/ one OF foreign registry. For the service
| done by this line in carrying the mails we
paw annually the sum of S+G 900 being rs
estimated the full sea and United States in
| land postage which is the limit fixed by the
law. The colonies of New South Wales
| and New Zealand have been paying annu-
! ally to these lines f37 900 for carry
| ing the mails from Sidney and Auckland
( to San Francisco. The contract uDder
which this payment has been made is now
about 10 expire and those colonies have re
! fused TO renew the contract unless the
| United States shall nay a more equitable
| proportion of the whole sum necessary to
maintain The service. | am advised by the
| Postmaster General that the United States
receives fer carrying the Australian mails
| brou7ht TO San Francisco in these steamers
/ By rail TO Vancouver a, estimated annual
| income of S75 900, while I have stated
th,t we are paying out for the support of
| the steamship line that brings this mail to
| us only $40, 900, leaving an annual surplus
/ resulting from this service of S29 600. The
trade of the United States with Aus
trais, which is in considerable part
carried on by these steamers and the whole
of which is practically dependent upon the
mail communication which they msintsin.
! is largely in our favor. Our total exports
of m rchauiise to Australian ports during
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, were
| 81 ,266 ,4St while the total imports of mer
| chandise from these ports were only 81
! 217 676. Ii we are not willing TO see this
| important steamship line withdrawn or cor
! t,Due1 with Vancouver substituted for
/ San Francisco az the American terminus,
c ,rgress should put il in the power of the
/ Postmaster General to make liberal in
/ crease in the amount now pail for The
trlnsporfaton of the important mail.
I the South Atlantic and Calf ports occu
F.! py very favored position towards the
/ new ard importan. commerce which the
| 'eeiorocity clause Of the tariff act and the
postal shipping bill are designed to pro
mote. Stesmer lines from these ports to
some northern port of South America
will almost certainly effect connection
| between the railroad system of the CONT
peuts before a continuous line of RAILWAYS