Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-12-05

abroad ana from our custom houses tna1 the pro-
hlbitory effect upon importations imputed to the
| act is not justified. The imports at the port of
| New York for the first three weeks of November
were nearly per cent. greater than for the same
period iii 1883 and % per cent greater than in the
| game period of 1888. And so far from being an
act to limit exports confidently believe that I'M
| der it We shall larger and more profit
| able participation in foreign trade than we have
ever enjoyed, and that we shall recover a proper
tonate participation in the ocean carrying trade
| of the world.
| The criticisms of the bill that have come to US
from foreign sources may well be rejected for re-
pngnaHcy If these critics really believe that the
adoption by us of free trade policy of tariff
rates having reference solely to revenue would
diminish the participation Of their own countries
in the commerce of the world, their advocacy and
promotion by speech and other forms of organ
lied efforts of this movement among our people
is q rare exhibition of upselfshness in trade
And on the other hand, if'they sincerely believe
that the adoption of protective tariff policy by
this country iHuIes to their profit and our hurt it
is noticeabiy strange that they should lead the
outcry against the authors of policy so helpful
TO their countryInen, and crown with their favor
those who would snatch from them a substantial
Share OF trade with other lands already made
quate to their necessities.
There is no disposition among any of our people
TO promote prohibitory or retaliatory legislation
Our policies are adopted not to the hurt of others
but to secure for ourselves those advantages that
fairly grow out of our favored position as ma
ton. Our form of government, with its incident
OF universal suffrage. makes it imperative that we
shall save our working people from the agitatons
and dlStreSSeS which Scant work and wages that
have no margin for comfort always beget. But
after all this is done it will be found that OFF
markets are open to friendly commercial ex.
changes of enormous value to the other great
powers
From the time of my induction into office the
duty OF using every power and influence given by
law to the executive department for the develop
ment of larger markets for our products espe
cially our farm products, has been kept constantly
in mind and no effort has been or will be spared
to promote that end We under no disad-
ntA in &Ix.k--
pay our workmen and workwomen better wages
than paid Observation-Disclosures abstractedy,
better relatively to the cost of the necessares Of
life do not doubt that very largely increased
foreign trade is accessible to without barter
ing for it either our heme market for such prod
ucts OF the farm and shop as our own people can
supply or the wages of our working people
The Reciprocity Clause.
In man. If the products of wood and IRON and
meats ana Breadstufrs. we have advantages
that only need better facilities of intercourse and
transportation TO secure for them large foreign
markets. The reciprocity clause of the tariff act
wisely and effectively opens the way to secure a
large reciprocal trade in exchange for the free
admission to sar ports of certain products. The
right of Independent nations TO make special re-
ciproca trade concessions is well estas lished and
does not impair either the comfy due to other
powers or what is known as the favored nation
clause so generally found in commercial treaties
What is given to one for an adequate agreed con-
sideration cannot be claimed by another freely.
The state of the revenues was such that we
could dispense with any import duties upon coffee,
tea, hides, and the lower grades of sugar and mo-
lasses. That the large advantage resulting to the
by placing them on the free list entitled us to ex
pect fair return in the way of customs conces-
sions upon articles exported by us to them vas SO
obvious that have gratuitollsly abandoned this
opportunity to enlarge our trade would have been
an objectionable error
There were but two methods of maintaining
control of this question open to congressIto
place all of these articles upon the dutiable list
subject to such treaty agreements could be Sc
cured to place them all presently upon the free
list, but subject to the reimpositon of specified
duties if the countries from which We received
them should refuse to give to sujeesbis recipro-
cal benefits This latter method, l think, pos
sesses great advantages 1t expresses in advance
the consent of congress to reciprocity arrange
ments affecting these products, which must 9th
erwise have been delayed and unascertained until
each tranty was ratified by the senate and the
neces legislation enacted by congress. Ex-
perienu,, nas shown that some treaties looking to
reciprocal trade have failed to two thirds
vote in the senate for ratification, and others hav
ing passed that stage have for years awaited the
concurrence of the house and senate in such mod
ificatiOnS of our revenue laws were necessary
to give effect to their provisions.
We now have the concurrence of both houses in
advance in distinct and definite offer of free
try to ports of specific articles. The execu
tive is not required to deal in conjecture to
what congress will accept. Indeed, this reciprOe-
ity provision is more than offer. Our part of
the bargain is complete; delivery has been made
and when the countries from which we receive
sugar, coffee. tea and hides have placed on their
free lists such of our products shall be agreed
upon, equivalent for concession, a proc
lamaton of that fact completes the transaction;
and in the mean time people have free
sugar. tea, coffee and hides.
The indications thus far given are very hope
full of early and favorable action by the countries
from which we receive our large imports of cof
fee and sugar. and it is confidently believed that
if steam communication with these countries can
be promptly improved and enlarged the next
year VIII show most gratifying increase i'll our
exports of breadstuffs and provisions, well as
n m
In addition to the important bills that became
laws before the adjournment of the last session,
some other bills Of the highest importance were
well advanced toward a final vote and now stand
upon the calendars of the two houses in favored
positions. The present session has fixed limit
and if these measures are not row brought to a
final vote all the work that has been done upon
them by this congress is lost. The proper con-
sideration of these of an superintendent bill and
of the annual appropriation bills will require not
only that no working day of the session shall be
lost. but that measures of minor and local inter-
est shall not be allowed to interrupt or retard the
progress of those that of universal interest In
view Of these conditions, refrain from bringing
before you at this time some suggestions that
would otherwise be made and most earnestly in
woke your attention to the duty of perfecting the
important legislation well advanced To
some of these measures which seem to me most
important now briefly call your attention.
I desire to repeat with added urgency the
recommendations contained in my last annual
message in relation to the Development of Ameri-
can steamship lines The Reciprocity clause Of
the tariff bill will be largely limited, and its bene-
fits retarded and diminished if provision is not
contemporaneously made to encourage the estab-
lishment of first class steam communication be-
tween our ports and the ports of such nations as
may meet our overtures for enlarged commercial
exchanges The steamship, carrying the mails
| stately and frequently and offering to passen-
gers comfortable, safe and speedy transit is the
first condition of foreign trade It carries the or
der OF the buyer but not all that is ordered or
bought 1t gives to the sailing vessels such car
goes as are not urgent or pershabe, and, indi-
rectly at least, promotes that important adjunct
h1tl,.
state OF expectation and confidence as to in
creased trade that will give double value to
your prompt action upon this question
The present situation Of mail communica-
ton with Australia illustrates the importance of
early action by congress. The Oceanic Steamship
company maintains line of steamers between
San Francisco, Sidney and Auckland. consisting
of three vessels of hich are of United States