The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-24
THE OBJECT OF RECIPROCITY.

oHueT tHe reciprocity arrangement en-
tered into between the United States and
Germany, the sugar of the latter secures
continued free admission into the United
States, and in return reduction is made
in the German tariff duties on wheat of 30
per cent: rye, 80 per cent; oats, 371l per
cent; corn, 20 per cent: butter, 10 per
cent; sailed and picked pork and beef, 10
per cent. wheat flour and corn meal, 80 per
cent. The arrangement was submitted to
the German reichstag on the 7th inst. and,
If approved by that body, will go into effect
on February l. 1892.
The sale of corn meal has already in
creased wonderfully throughout the Ger
man empire, the present season of scarcity
in Eastern and Central Europe having
made the peasants exceptionally favorable
to the trial of the American substitute for
oat -four. The policy of reciprocity prom
ises golden returns in the future
Reciprocity under our protective policy
provides absolute free trade in articles
which cannot be supplied to our people by
home industry-free tea. free coffee, free
sugar, tree molasses, free hides and free
rubber. The threat of re-imposing tariff
rates on these articles has already brought
Brazil, Cuba, Porto Rico, San Domingo
and Germany to terms. Mexico, Jamaica,
the British West Indies, Central America,
all the South American states, japan,
China and the British East Indies will be
obliged 10 choose between embracing
~ or e
great free market. Our present export
trade with these countries is small. while
our import trade is large. For the year
ending the first of last July the figures of
our foreign commerce show that with
Brazil there was a balance against the
United States of 9.000, 600; while with
Mexico. the West Indies and Central and
South America the balance against US was
$i5l. 100000. The trade Of the British East
Indies. China and Japan shows Il balance
OF trade against US OF S4tO00.0o0 in the
aggregate.
With the countries producing coffee,
tea. sugar. hides. rubber. the articles
which form the basis of the reciprocity
policy formulated by Mr. Blaine and con-
tanned in paragraph +0l of the Mckinley
law. the balance Of trade against the
United States during the past year was
$l95, noo.oo0.
With Great Britain the commerce Of the
United States showed a balance in favor of
the United States for the year of $50.
001.o00.
The purpose of Mr. Blaine's reciprocity
policy is to force n revolution and read
justment Of our foreign trade The elTec,
Of the reciprocity policy Will be 70 market
a vastly increased quantity Of our exports
with the countries Of which we buy so
largely today in excess Of their imports
from the United States. Today Great
Britain buys from Us her food and the raw
materials of her manufactures, while We
buy Of her comparauve,y little. Great
Britain, however. finds her market in these
very countries, Soa;h America, Mexico,
Central America China, Japan and the
East Indies. with which we are now seek
ing 10 establish reciprocal trade. Our
present tariff Is m effort 70 compel these
countries of which we buy so much and
TO which We sell 50 H,,!e 70 grant rs spe-
cial trade concessions. Mr. Blaine's OBJ
iect is 80 immensely reduce our adverse
trade balance with the countries before
named. Under our tariff we propose to
grant Them free market for the few
articles they produce which we cannot
supply to ourselves from our Own soil and
by our own industry, bat in return for
this free market we demand trade con-
cessions which viii enable Us 10 sell our
surplus home products and manufactures.
No Sonder the Mckinley tariff disiurhs
England. for under our reciprocity policy
we seek 10 secure the British trade with
the East and West Indies, Japan. Chins,
Central America and South America To-
day England buys our surplus cotton and
food, keeps the profit Of her manufacture
st home and sends her goods to Brazil or