The morning call., 1890-08-03
OUR TRADE WITH BRAZIL.

The San Francisco Chamber of COM
merce has passed resolutions indorsing Mr..
Blaine's views of reciprocity with Central
and South American countries. The cham
Der does not seem deeply impressed with
tile argument that if an increase in trade
with South America is desirable, an in
crease in trade with Europe is desirable in
proportion to It's greater wealth anu popu-
lation. Brazil at the present time receives
nearly all her manufactured goods from
Europe. 1t inn orts about 81, G00,000 worth
of cotton goods each year. which the United
States might supply under favorable COM
mercial treaty. There has been no official
statement as to the change Brazil would
make in her present duties in return for
Tree market for her sugar, but Brazilian
merchant in an interview with the New
Y ork Sun is reported as saying in reference
TO the free sugar proposition:
In exchange for these important advantages to
my country, We propose 10 reduce our import
duty on the products of the United States. Brazil
is dependent on tariff for revenue, and while in
exchange for free sugar we could not give entire
Tree trade, We are in position to make such
a reduction of duty that the produce and manu-
features of the United States would enter Brazil
at little lower price than the same articles
could be imported from Europe, and This would
be sufficient 10 create for American manuiac-
lures in Brazil an immense and almost exclusive
market.
The markets Of Brazil for our manufac-
tured goods would be worth having. The
population Of Brazil is about Il, 100000 and
its territorial area is about the same as that
of the United States. The people, there
fore, have room to grow. Their agricul-
tural products do not compete with ours,
except as cur beet sugar may compete with
the cane sugar from that country. 1t
should be borne in mind that the Tariff Bill.
as it went to the Senate. made raw sugar
free. The Senate Committee amended the
sugar schedule by imposing a duty OF 4-l0
of a cent. Mr.. Blaine's proposition is to
get something in exchange for the free
market the House bill offers to sugar. In
der our present laws the United States pur-
chases of Brazilian produce about 60.000,
eco a year. We sell to Brazil SS,000,000.
We gave Brazil free market for her coffee
some years ago, and Brazil Immediately
imposed an export duty at the same rate.
The effect was 10 keep the price of coffee at
the old figure. Since we have imported so
large proportion of our coffees from that
country that the smaller imports from other
countries were maintained at the cost of
the product from Brazil. Mr.. Blaine, ap-
parently, does not propose to be caught in
this trap again. If we give Brazil free
market for sugar Brazil must make such a
reduction in the duties on American manu-
featured products that We can compete
with Europe for her market. The provi-
sions in the Mckinley bill returning to
manufacturers the amounts paid in duties
on the raw material used in the manufacture
of goods for export will help US in this COM
petition. If Congress is determined to give
us free sugar, there is certainly good foun-
dation for Mr.. Blaine's proposition to get
something in exchange.