Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-07-28
INTER AMERICAN RECIPROCITY.
A Late Pan American Delegate Speaks
On that Subject.

NEW YORK, July 27.-Charles X. Flint,
member of the late pan american confer
ence. whose 20 years experience in the
South American trade. both financial and
mercantile. gives weight to views and spoke
to lay upon the subject of inter American
reciprocity. On the question of CONNER
cal treaty with Brazil, Flint says that the
question now before Congressis whether
we can afford to admit sugar free for Is
year, "a term proposed in the treaty and
thus lose the import duties amounting u
over 5000 coo, 900 and pe rhaps have to pay
Brazil the export duty on sugar, as was the
case with coffee on which commodity Bra
zil has collected over 800, 900 export
tax since we admitted it duty free.
Brazil has at Wsshingt IN an envoy duly
authorized to offer in exchange for our sd-
hitting sugar, a free market for the pro-
ducts Of our farms, forest. and factories
Il would be the veriest folly. he thinks, for
Congress to thus throw away this oppor
,uuty. He further says; ~ nfortunats IT,
a simple business proposition has become
complicated with other interests not direct
ly bearing on it, and involved with partisan
politics and personal ambitions. If the
farmers merchants and manufa ,turers
would call meetings Of their trade ascot
atoms and discuss this question, it wou !
be treated as it should be, on purely
practices basis.
The farmer who comes into town to buy
coffee, sugar AMI other supplies prefers to
pay for them in what he raises rather than
TO draw gold from his bank. The manu-
factLre who must have South American
products to run the factory prefer 10 send
IN exchange cotton and wooden goods, ma
chinery, hardware, implements, WOODWARD,
and leather goods rather than paying for
the raw mate rial as at present. principally
in gold. Their practical views on these
matters should be transmitted to the repre-
sentatives in Congress. nder our consti
tuition, We cannot If we would. put an ex-
pt rt tax on what we raise, and want to pro-
vide against their putting an export tax on
what they send US. Before throwing our
sugar market open to Spain while she is
putting prohbitory duty on onr -four, let Us
| fix basis for fair trade.
| Today we buy from countries south Of
Us sugar, coffee and rubber to the amount
Of over $500, 100000. Largely owing to
to the fact of neglec,ing to negotiate
treaties Of reciprocity in the past we sell
| them less than $50 000, 900. leaving a
| oalanc. of over sI20 900 .000-forcinz gold
shipments to Europe which at times endan-
ger the industrial interests of this country
/ and forces high rates of interest against our
! farmers and manufacturers. Farmers
mechanics and merchants would not spend
/ time in discussing whether reciprocity is &
step in the direction of free trade oil
whether it was widening the field of protee
ton.
They would look at il from a purel
business standpoint, and would recommend
position be taken against putting it in tbs
power Of sugar producing countries to pu
on between the sugar plantations and tbs
consumer a United States export tax Il
take the place Of the tax we remove. ant
protest against giving away the duty OF
sugar while the government of Brazil
through its representative at Washn 2 ION
to open the markets Of the great republic
of south America to our products in ex
change for the free admission Of Brazilian
sugar, other republics have shown no de
sire to enter into treaties reciprocity viii
ns.
RThe time most favorable for negotia,inl
such treaty with Brazil, no. only il Their
A feeling against England. owing to he
hiah- banded course With Portuguese, ans
from whom Braz lisns descend not or I
osins to the sympathy that exists on tn
part Of the new republic of South Americ
for ours, and after which she has mode ile
her constitution and forms Of government
but only serious internal pcliticsl questio
tha. threatens the new republ C woaii b
8, lred through treaty of reciprocity Wit
the United States, By giving new inpetu
To the sugar industry Of the northsr'
provinces.
NJ present those provinces are somsvhs
isHhected in their relation TO . cenni
. government. Is is growing di.content, a
,hey DO not feel that they are receiving th
proper equivalent for the large amount Q
taxes they are weekly remiting TO Ri
Jareiro.
II the central government at Rio opene
the whole market Of Brazil to the produc
of the manufacturers of the United State
and the northern provinces, and thus secuI
the free admission Of their sugar into Ii
United States. they could bind the sugi
producing provinces Of the north = . eei
: trail governments for . period Of years. unt
! the new governments could BE- f -mIy esta!
: lished, and the province Of Brazil be boun
{ together by railroads and telegraph, sue
! AZ nor unite the different sections Of tn
aaur,rx- -