Telegram-herald., 1890-07-10

F--s1z-E = 2 ! = "a = .zzs - e
made careful study of tie Questions
submitted 10 lis consideration by the In
ternetional American conference IA refer !
ence 10 forming a customs union among
the several nations Of lhis continent
II is generally understood by customs
union the establishing among several ma
tons Of a single customs territory, 10
WI, that the nations forming the union
shall collect import duties ga foreign
goods. under substantially The same taria
laws; divide tho proceeds thereof ia
given proportion, and mutually receive,
free Of duty, their respective natural or
manufactured products.
The acceptance Il this plan would de-
m&nd, Is a previous TeQulre nent, a
change IN TIE fundamental laws # the
Countries accepting the union. Even
after they were ready 20 make euch
changes. u great many other dithcultea
almost insGrmountabie, would have 10
be overcome; as, fO- instance, fixing tho
representation OF each nation 1T the in
ternarionA assembly empowered 70
frame a common tari y and amend it ia
the future. The territorial extent. the
populations and the l. .tional wealth Gif-
fer so m-ch among the american repuD-
lies that if these conditions should be
taken as the basis Of representation at
said assembly, the small states would nos
have sufficient protection for their inter
ests; and IL all the nations were admit
ted as sovereign on an equal footing the
large ones would be insulhcieIltly pro-
tected 1t might be necessary, 70 obvi-
ate this difficulty, 10 create two bodies,
one representing the population and the
other the states, in the manner N which
q like problem was solved IN the consti-
tuition of the United States OF America.
Bat this step would, III the opinion Of
the committee, require a partial sacrifice
of the national sovereignty of the Amer
lean nations, and more radical changes
in their respective constitutions than IN
their Judgment they are willing TO ac-
cept.
If by customs union is meant the free
trade between the American nations Of
al their natural or manufactured prod
ucts, which is, properly speaking, I'M
restricted reciprocity, the committee
believes it is IN principle acceptable,
because al measures looking 10 the free
dom of commerce must necessarily in
crease the Il sde and the development of
the material resources of the countries
accepting that system, and it would in
al probability bring about rs favorable
results as those obtained by free trade
among the different states Of this Union.
But while the committee believes that
such a union is at present lmpracticabls
- a continental system, among other
reasons because the import duties levied
on foreign trade constitute the MAJ
sources Of revenue Of al the American
nations. and such of them as are not
manufacturing countries would thus lose
more or less Of such revenue, on which
they depend IN a great measure 70 defray
their national expenses. while the man
ufacturing countries. such as the United
States Of America. would have to ahan-
don, at least partially, the protective
policy which they have adopted to more
or less extent. and they DO not seem yet
prepared 20 change that sys.eIn- Besides,
reciprocity treaty mutually adFanta-
gc1us between two contiguous countries
might prove oner0us If extended 10 ali
+ IS a continental compact, especially As
the products of many OF the American
republics are similar. Therefore whlie
+ these obstacles are in the way II seems
premature TO propose free trade among
the nations Of this hemisphere.
But although II is not easy, IN the
opinion Of the committee, 70 reach at
once unrestricted reciprocity, that end
might be obtained gradually and par
italy. The first and most Efficient
step in that direction Is the negotiation
/ Of part Al reciprocity treaties among the
American nations, whereby each may
agree to remove or diminish their re-
spective import duties on some a the
natural or manufactured products Of one
or more Of the other nations in exchange
for similar and equivalent advantage
as, Il the mutual concessions were not
equivalent. the treaties would soon be
come odious, and could not last bat for
a limited time and would discreiit the
tvsten. II after this has been tired for
tome reasonable time good result
should follow, as il is to be expected
the number Of articles on the free liw
might be enlarged in each case. FROM
time - time. until they attain througl
the development q the natural ele1abnti
q wealth other sources of revenue q
81 increase e the existing ones. which
would allow the contracting nations =
reach Unrestricted reciprocity q . Pres
trade among some OF al the American
nations
RE-c ssFEvD AT1CN OF TEF CsoTFERFsrH
Therefore the committce proposes.
To recommend r. s1ch n the govern
meuts repTesentod in the co1fsrersss a.
may be ir crested in the c0Beludiug n
T58rtisl reciprocity. commercial treaties
o. negz.tiate such treaties With a1le q
more q the American countries as II
raay b. in thsdr interest 10 make thern
r7rdeT such basis - may be acceptable
in each case. taking into c1usaar8tior
the srecisl situa18on- CONDITIONS art ~
terssts = eeca country. and r~ifn 8 viez
- p-oTaote tbear COMMON welfare.