New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-18
RECIPROCITY WITH MEXICO
AN AGREEMENT SOON TO BE CONCLUDED
NARROW BASIS FOR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
RAPID INDUSTRIAL PRoGREss-No FREE
TRADERS THERE-THE DIAZ
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.


TRADERS THERE-THE DIAZ
ADMINISTRATION.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TKIBUNEl
washington, Nov. l7-Minister Ryan. who has been
here for few days 10 confer with Secretary Blame
in regard to the pending negotiations for reciprocs
agreement with Mexico will leave Washington TINS
week TO return to his post Of duty. 1t is understood
that an agreement will be concluded and proclaimed
before January l. 1892, the date fixed by the uiu
section OF the Tariff act. What products OF the o"e.
States Mexico will agree to admit free, or at eeuo
rates of duty, In consideration OF the free aonss"
into the United States pf coffee and hides produccu
Mexico is not yet fully determined The si.uaoo
differs from that In respect 10 any other country WIZ
which it has been sought to negotiate reciprocity agree
ments In pursuance Of the authority granted oy ia~
so far as Mexico is concerned only coneo anu MUS orc
affected, she produces no sugar lor cAp'" -
exports OF coffee and hides to the United states
amount to about $5,o00,0oo a year, OF wnon
even tenths are coffee and three-tenths hides
and skins Both OF these articles nave oeeh
.a,n,tted into the United States free of duty
since 1872 and Mexico's trade with the Onteo o'alc
an tbos articles was established and has been man
tanned ON that basis II is natural that MEXICO snouu
suggest that to change this basis now ana impose
duties unless she shall comply with conditions winch
have not been exacted heretofore would be likely 10
srouse flrellng against the United States and avert
the coffee export trade from this country to European
countries which stand ready to seize it, The Mexican
coffee planters, who now receive the advances from
importers and merchants in the United states 10
enable them to carry operations, could obtain such
advances without difficulty from English, French or
German importers and merchants. From the Mexican
point of view there is weight these suggestions
There is no doubt that, far negotiations with
Mexico are concerned, the United States was placed
at q disadvantage by the provision in the Tariff law
which transferred ssal grass and other like vegetable
fbres from the dutiabe list to the free list Mexico
produces about threefourths Of the fbres of that
description which are imported into the United States
the imporations from that country in the year ended
June 80, 1890, amounting to 30,57S tons. valued
at S. 260063 the duties which amounted to S4oS,
go. The removal Of the duty was followed by a
considerable increase of mporaton the total for the
year ended June 80, 1891, 81 1877 tons, probably
three-fourths Of which WAS Of Mexican origin, the
duties which at the former rate of $15 ton would
have amounted to s65O,0OO The determination TO
repeal the duty on ssa grass and other like vegetable
hbres was reached by the majority in both branches
of Congress. however, before the reciprocity provision
was adopted. II those fibres had been included In
the third section of the law, the Administration would
now be much better position to deal with Mexico
There is good to believe, however that Mexico
win agree TO substantial concessions in favor of certain
products of the United States for there is doubt Of
the sincere desire Of the Mexican Government to pro-
mote friendly relations and the reest commercial inter
course with the United States. so strong is that de-
SIRE indeed that the Dlaz Administration we'll as
the people Of Mexico, is understood to be extremely
willing not to say anxious TO negotiate for CONNER
ciaI reciprocity treaty on broad and comprehensive
lines and there is good to believe that salts
factory basis for such treaty might be found The I'M
position Of duty the lead contained in silver ores
imported from Mexico caused some dissatisfaction In
that country for time, but 1t has since disappeared in
large degree and would not be found difficult obsta
Of eiIxr
ore from Mexico to the United States steadily in
creasng and said to be larger than they were
before a duty imposed on the lead contained In
them 1t is that the exported into this coun
try of higher grade than formerly and that the
smelling Of low grade silver ores is rapidly becoming
an important industry in Mexico. where its establish
ment is mainly due TO American skill and energy and
the investment of large amounts of American capital
Mexico therefore, has no reason to be- and, in fact
is said not TO be- dissatisfied with the changed con-
diton and aspect Of affairs as regards the silver
mining aud smelling industries.
1t is believed also that commercial treaty with
Mexico might be successfully negotiated, was done
an 1883, which would not stipuate for the free
admission OF wool into the United States. That was
one of the conditions which Mexico insisted upon
with considerable enaGy In the negotiations pending
the signing of the Grant Romero treaty of 1885, which
fell TO the ground because OF the refusal OF the
House Of Representatives TO agree to the provisions
necessary to carry 1t into effect. Since that treaty
was negotiated and signed, the cotton and wool manu-
featuring industries Of Mexico have become firmly es-
tabIished and made great progress She now exports
neither cotton wool to any considerable extent al
though the production of both has steadily increased
In heyear 80 $780, the total imports OF raw
cotton into the United states from Mexico amounted TO
only "a 400 pounds, valued at 1880 while the ex
ports OF cotton from the United states to Mexico
during the same amounted to 13O47 ,474 pounds.
aluad 4 N Tho md imDO
raw wool from Mexico into the United States amounted
to $50 o66 pounds, valued at $3O6l4. and the ex-
ports of raw wool from the United States TO Mexico
amounted to 175.O21 pounds valued at $50, 4O2.
Nearly all Of the importation from that country con-
sisted Of carpet WOOL Mexico imported from the
United States in the same year refined sugar candy
and confectionery TO the amount Of S460e4 and ex-
ported to the United States 749,779 pounds Of raw
sugar of the total value Of S27.12
The strongest objections advanced against the Grant
-Romcro treaty founded upon the provisions
which covered the free admission into the United
States of sugar sal grass and other bres ana unman'
ufactured tobacco The first two articles are now on
the free list, sugar condtonally and fbres nncondi-
tonaly. The duties manufactured tobacco have
been retained and to leaf tobacco suitable for cigar
wrappers, they have been increased. The total I'M
portaons of leaf tobacco from Mexico into the United
States during the year ended June 80 1890 amounted
to Ibll76 pounds, valued at S75,727, while the eX-
ports of leaf tobacco from the United States to Mexico
curing the year amounted to ,349,203 pounds,
valued at $11S,351.
The treaty also provided for the free admission OF
lemons, lines and oranges, which then were and now
are subject TO duty. The imports Of lemons and
oranges from Mexico into the United States during the
year ended June 80, 1890, amounted to Sal 1923.
Contrary to the impression which widely prevails
in this country the tariff system of Mexico is strongly
protective, and the Government stands ready to
xIhpp in.
dustry will be planted promoted by SO doing A
case in point is the oil-refnng industry. several
dneres had been established the reiners then went
70 the Government and represented that their industry
was languishing because Of the inadequate duties on
imported petroleum; and the rate was promptly ad