Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-04-24
RECIPROCITY.
Something About the Treaty BE-
tween Spain and the u. n.

tween Spain and the u. y.
MADRID, April 2i.-The reciprocity con-
vention between Spain and the United
States, as drafted by Premier Canovas del
Castillo, representing Spain, and Gen. }.
w. Foster, representing the United States,
is based, as far as the United States is con-
cerned, upon the third or reciprocity sec
ton OF the new American tariff law. In
return for the privilege of free entry into
the United States of Antilles sugars, mo-
lasses, coffee and hides, and a reduction of
tho duties on tea, America will obtain ex-
emption from duties on most of her raw
and manufactured products and reduction
of the tariff on cereals and flour The nc
gotiatons were protracted upon the ques-
ton OF the entire abolition of the tariff on
cereals, fours and oils, including petroleum
and lard. The same question in regard to
tobacco was also raised, but not coming
within the scope of the third section of the
American tariff law, was put aside. Pre-
mier Canovas offered protracted resistance
to the abolition of the tariff on flour.
Barcelona and Santander traders who
are largely interested in flour shipments
presented the energetic protests which
fortified the minister in his indispostion
TO acccde TO the American proposals.
Eventually representations that American
reciprocity would be impossible without
the free admission of American cereals in
duced Premier Ca1ovas TO assent to such q
reduction OF the tariff as will place Ameri-
can -four upon IA nearly equal footing with
Spanish -four. Santander merchants de-
clare that, taking into consideration the
cost OF the transportation of CASTLE grain,
of which the bulk goes to the Antilles,
American flour will crush out the Spanish
product in the Spanish West Indies. Cuba
now consumes 500, 900 barrels of -four
yearly-chiehy Spanish, which enters free
Of duty-and pays for it sl2 per barrel.
Trade in American flour, burdened with
an extra duty of 20 per cent since 1889, has
been completely wiped out TO the advant-
age of the Spanish product. Under the
new convention the entry of
American -four practically free of
duty will lower the price 10 about
80 per BARREL and WIKI extinguish
the importation of Spanish -four while in
creasing the Cuban consumption to "a mil
lion barrels yearly, all of which will be
American product. If the pressure of
Spanish interests had not been counteract-
cd by the demands of the Cuban commits sion
Of notables, who were determined 10 obtain
reciprocity with the United States, Premier
Capovas would have declined to make such
concessions. The prospect of a dangerous
tension of the relations of Spain with Cuba
and Porto Rico, resulting possibly in civil
war, obliged the government to sacrifice
home industries to colonial interests. Under
the new convention America will obtain
kind of zollverein with the Spanish An
titles. Her wheat, beans, -four, lard, pc
troleum, manufactured products and ma
chinery will enter practically free of duty.
Among other Spanish exports olive oil will
be replaced by American lard, and beans
now exported to Cuba in large quantities
will cease 10 be sent The advantages re-
sulting TO Cuba VIII be great, but it is i'm
possible TO determine the injury to Spanish
trade.