Telegram-herald., 1890-07-10

These figures should be closely studied.
1t would be difficult to understand, bat
for the explanations given IN the confer
ence, why, ont of the three hundred mill
ions Of staples exported from this eoun-
try, only fifteen millions should be con-
sumed in all Latin America with its
population of fifty millions of people,
when the United States is the only
source of supply for these articles, which
are regarded by Us as the necessities OF
life
The foreign delegates all agreed that
this proportion could be increased many
fold by extending TO their people the
ability 10 purchase; and the ability to
purchase rests, in their opinion, upon
reciprocal concessions.
Attached hereto is statement show
ing the duties charged by the South
American countries of the largest com
merce upon the articles which they i'm
port chiefly from tho United States, and
also statement showing the meageT
amounts of our peculiar exportable
products shipped to the several Latin
American states. By a comparison Of
these statements the effect Of the re-
moval Of the duties upon these articles
by the countries of Latin America VIII
at once be apparent.
Fifteen of the seventeen republics
with which we have been in conference
have indicated, by the votes of their
representatives in the International
American conference, and by other
methods which it is not necessary to de-
fine, their desire to enter upon recipro-
cal commercial relations with the United
States; the remaining two express equal
willingness, could thoy be assured that
their advance would be favorably con-
sidered.
To escape the delay and uncertainty
OF treaties it has been suggested that a
practicable and prompt mode OF testing
the question was to submit an amend
ment to the pending tariff bill author
izing the president to declare the ports
of the United States free to all the
products of any nation of the American
hemisphere upon which no export duties
are imposed whenever and so long as
such nation shall admit to its ports free
of all national, provincial (stGte), mum
cipal and other taxes, our flour, corn
meal and other breadstuffs, preserved
meats, fish. vegetables and fruits, cotton
seed oil, rice and other provisions, in
Guiding all articles of food. lumber, fur
niture and other articles OF wood, agri-
cultural implements and machinery,
mining and mechanical machinery
structural steel and iron, steel rails, loco
motives, railway cars and supplies, street
cars and refined petroleum. mention
+ these particular articles because tSey
/ have been most frequently referred to
as those with which valuable exchange
could be readily effected. The list could
no doubt be proftably enlarged by a
careful investigation of the needs and
adyantagesof OF both the home and foreign
markets.
! The opinion was general among the
foreign delegates that the legislation
herein referred to would lead TO the open
ing Of new and profitable markets fo1
the products Of which we have so large a
surplus and thus invigorate every branch
Of agricultural and mechanical industry
OF course the exchanges involved in these
propositions would be rendered impos-
rible if congress, in its wisdom. should
repeal the duty on sugar by direct legis
lation, instead of allowing the came Oh
iect to be attained by the reciprocal ar
rangement suggested. Respectfully sub
mitted. jams q. BLAINE