The Portland daily press., 1890-08-30

year, 1889. In that year, our whole exports
to all the countries In the three continents
of Europe. Asia and Africa and to Australia
Canada and Hawaii amounted. In round
numbers, to S658, 100000, and our imports
from all those countries amounted In round
numbers to S529,000,0c0. showing that from
that vast trade we had balance OF $129, 600
600 in our favor, equivalent to that amount
OF gold among our people. But when all
the accounts were closed, instead OF having
sG balance In of our sls,ooCoGo tcSSG; Ws against
US from our foreign trade. We must
therefore have lost S142, 100000 in our com
merce with the countries outside Of those to
which / have referred. Where could we
have found such large adverse balance9
Let me tell you. We lost S41 900, 900 in Cuba,
from which our imports were S52,000, 900 and
to which our exports were 81, 100000.
Forty-one millions is a pretty large sum to
lose In one island in single year.
Ia the republic Of Brazil we lost Sol ,OOO, goo.
Our imports from Brazil were S6O,OOO,O9o.
Our exports to Brazil were 100000 In
Mexico we lost S1o.0OO,OOO. Our imports
from Mexico were S2l, 100000. Our exports
TO Mexico were Sl1, 100000. To sum 1t all up
our imports from the countries south Of us,
Doth lnsular and continental, on this hemi
sphere, were $216,00O0O0 Our exports to
them were S74,0O0,000. The balance against
US In our trade with those countries there
fore was S142, 100000, exceeding our gains
from all tne resi- Ol Lno WOtlu Oy 1lo,OOO,OVO.
Trade with Our Neiehnors.
BY no figure Of speech can we fatter our
selves into the belief that our trade with our
American neighbors Is In prosperous condl-
tion. How can this state of affairs be reme-
died? You have heard a great deal said
within the past 10 years by our Democratic
friends about the iniquity Of the Republican
party keeping up the war iarih. AS matter
OF fact, the war tariff has not been kept up,
but has been amended over and over again
until the revision Of 1883 left scarcely trace
Of the actual tariff that was in operation at
the close Of the war and for few years at
forwards During the war we were COM
PEELED to tax almost everything In the air and
In the water, on the earth and under the
earth. The necessities OF the government
scarcely anything. to be imported with
out paying tributes, and l think
no patriotic man can deny that
that was wise policy. We
were not studying the philosophy of trade
the life Of the nation. Money was primal
necessity, and we seized 1t wherever we
could reach 1t lawfully. But during the last
1S years great change has been made. So
entirely has the war tariff been abolished
the articles admitted free were considerably
more than one-third Of all the imports. To
be exact, the imported articles that paid duty
exceeded SASS. 100000 in value, and the i'm
ported articles that paid no duty exceeded
$3.50, 900, 900 in value.
Opportunities for Reciprocity.
The inevitable tendency is, think, to-
wards the increase Of the free list. Our
great mistake was made when we began to
repeal the war duties on so large an amount
Of imports. Every duty repealed was ia
vor and az advantage to the exporting coun-
try, and we have asked nothing in return.
Instead Of this course which, l must say,
was one OF carelessness and wastefulness by
both political parties, every repeal of
duty should have been preceded by the most
thorough investigation and whenever 1t was
practicable to export anything from the Uni
ted States and thus establish reciprocity Of
trade, 1t shL uld have been done. do not, OF
course. intend to decare or to imply that we
could have secured the free admission Of
$3.50, ,O0n 900 of American products In the
countries whose products we purchase an
nually to that amount. The richer country
cannot expect to get complete reciprocity
In amount from countries less wealthy. But
whatever we should have received would
have been clear gain and in all future re-
peals OF duties whatever we may be able to
get will be clear gain. 1t is not a question
OF setting deliberately to work to establish
reciprocal exchangS, but with all the du-
ties we have thus far repealed. it has been
question of whether we should get some
thing or get nothing. We have chosen with
our eyes closed to get nothing. hone now
with our eyes open that we shall In future
choose to get something.
An objection Answered.
We encounter an opposition to this policy
from those who declare that IL we enter into
reciprocity Of trade with one country we
must do so with all countr 'es, and thus indl-
rectly bring about complete free trade. do
not see the logic Of this, aud 1 am sure the
fact VIII not prove what Is predicted. We
may enter into reciprocity with one naticn
because we find advantage In it; we may de-
cline to enter into reciprocity with another
nation because we see no advantage In 1t.
Reciprocity Is simply the policy of clrcum-
stance to be determined fav0rably or ad-
versely according as Its operation may make
or lose for u.s.. To say that because we enter
into reciprocal relations with one country on
one thing we must enter into reciprocal rela-
tions with all other countries on all things,
Is to my mind as absurd as to say that IL l
buy horse today must necessarily buy a
drove OF asses tomorrow. All objections of
tnat kind are, am sure, unfounded, and
will not stand the test Of argument or Of
practical trial.
Our people do not realize the great fact that
IL specie payment Is endangered In this
country it Is likely to be ENDANGERED by our
present system OF trade with the Latin
American States. The few millions Of gold
that have gone out of the country within the
last three months have created uHeasiness In
certain quarters as to our financial position.
IL Is very extraordinary that the loss of these
millions from the banks. In Wall street
should be accounted so serious an event
when we have lost a much larger amount
during the same period from the condition of
our trade with the countries south of us with
out exciting the least observation. When
our merchants and bankers come to thor
Oughly appreciate this fact we shall receive