New-York tribune., 1891-03-08

Cuba and Europe, various fibre plants with un-
rivalled facilities, and great variety of tropical
produce; but it also has in it's broad elevated
plateau temperate zone available for wheat-grow-
ing and catte-raising and its mountains stored
with silver and lead. Reciprocity with Mexico
must be something essentially different from
reciprocity with Brazil. Here is a country with
two zones and two climates, and agricultural and
mineral resources competing with those of the
United States Reciprocity must be grounded
upon this essential distinction. else it will not
be accepted by Mexico.
Secondly, while the general lines of the Grant
Romero treaty may be followed a new convention
must be negotiated which will be adapted to the
altered economic conditions and revenue systems
of both countries. When that treaty was con
cuded in 1883 sugar taxed in the United
States BY putting Mexican sugar on the free
list the negotiators placed great premium upon
its production in the tropical belts This was
one of the main concessions the part of the
United States. A free market for sugar is now
offered under the Mckinley act TO all the South
ern countries which comply with the require
ments of the reciprocity amendment. If Brazil,
Cuba Santo Domingo. Venezuela and the British
West Indies share in the benefits Of the free
market Mexico which does not now produce
enough sugar for its consumption, will not
derive any advantage from it. This is one Of
the altered conditions. Another is the removal of
duties on hennequn and iXtle fibres in the United
States BY the treaty of 1888 these iibres. which
formed of the largest groups of Mexican eX-
ports were admitted free Of duty; now the same
concession has been made by the Tarih act on
terms which bring them into competition with
rival productions of other countries. Moreover
the ore question had not been raised in 1883
whereas 1t is now the most important one to bc
considered in connection with reciprocity. So
many changes will be required that the former
treaty is base for departure rather than recon-
strucuon.
Taritf act has only restricted application TO
Mexico. 1t three classes of exports
coffee, sugar and hides. and carries the menace
of a withdrawal of the free market if reciprocity
engagements are not made within a year. one
of these exports, sugar, is not produced here i'll
large quantity. Mexico is importing sugar to-day
from Cuba. The list is reduced to hides and
coffee, and there is not a very large surplus OF
either for expectation. Mexican coffee Is II Great
demand in Germany and England and while "A
very large proportion of the shipments from vera
Cruz are to New-Orleans. the country is not dc
Brazil is for its coffee and rubber or Cuba for is
sugar. The Reciprocity amendment is less effect
i've against Mexico than AGAINST other sugar ana
coffee countries. There is not strength enough
in the bow. 1t offers too base for the
rcadustment of the commercial conditions of the
United States and Mexico
While the negotiation of a treaty of reciprocity
is bcset with difficulties and embarrassmcntS there
are strongly cntrenchcd grounds for confidence
that every obstacle will gradually be overcome
and the two nations brought into commercial
union The steadily increasing volume OF Ancfi,
can capital invested in Mexican enterprises ana
industries is great force i'll favor of reciprocity.
The Germans and English may be active com
petitOrs in the import trade, hui the TalWaNS'
which have transformed the conditions OF govern
ment, are American In CONSTRUCTION equipment
and mana cement: the mines and cattle ranches
are falling under the control of American invest,
ors and the public works and new industrial
enterprises are under American direction mere
are more Yankees in Aztec-land than IN Son'h
America There are larger investments of American
capital in Mexico than in any other foreign coHn-
try 1t is American energy that is viViiylng tins
ancient land with creative impulses. Let there
he enough of it, with solid masses of capital
behind it, and new era of prosperity and INDUS
trial development will be opened for McXico.
Reciprocity Implies larger stock of American
energy, blood and money. II ino what MeMlG4 Mno,
needs more than anything else. Mexico canno,
reasonably reject RECIPROCITY when II Is oheIeu
on generous and equitable terms .,.,...
One thing is Indispensable The responsibility
of rejecting a second reciprocity treaty WIN
Mexico if one be negotiated this year or the
next is one which no political party in the nfed
States can afford 70 assume second arrond MI
would create rescntments which could not hc
overcome in half century. The rc1coll0h OF
a second treaty would involve the conversion OF
Mexico into commercial dependency OF maritime m
Europe. The objection raised in Congress 10 me
first treaty was that II did not benefit either the
Southern or Western States, but only Eastern
manufacturers Only five years have passed since
it's rejection and the manufacturing as we'll MS
the agricultural interests of the Southwest are
now clamOring for reciprocity with Mexico Inc
abandonment Of the Grant-ROmcro treaty was n
bnndcr for which the West has paid more dearly
than the East The United States would haV"
been greatly benefited by that cOmmcrci1l agree
ment limited as it was in scope and inadequate"
| as a permanent basis Of international exchanges.
| The rejection of larger and more comprehensive
| treaty would be the fatuOus continuation Of an
| imbecie and blundering diplomatic pOCY. which
has already deeply prejudiced Mexico agaimst the
United States. J. v T.