The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-07-30
What Reciprocity Means.

The policy Of reciprocity, which forms
something definite and limited 1T
terms are stated clearly in section thirc
of the law, which provides that ''wheI
and SO often as the President shall be
satisfied that the government of coun-
try producing and exporting sugars, mo
lasses, coffee, tea and hides =
| imposes duties or other exactions upon
the agricultural or other products of the
| United States, which, in view of the free
introduction OF such sugar, molasses,
coffee, tea and hides into the United
States he may deem to be reciprOcally
unequal and unreasonable, he shall have
! the power and it shall be his duty to
suspend, by proclamation TO that effect,
the provisions of this act and relating to
the free introduction of such sugar, mo-
lasses, coffee, tea and hides, the produc-
ton of such country, for such time as he
shall deem just, and then follows the
prescription of the rates of duty to be
paid on such articles.
OF the sugar imported into the United
States in 1890 nearly one half came from
the Spanish West Indies; of the molasses
imported nearly all came from the same
source; of the coffee, more than one-half
came frcm Brazil, and Of the hides and
skins, more than one-third from Mexico
and the Central and South American
countries.
Already reciprocity convention has
been made with Spain for her colonies,
one wit Brazil and one with Venezula'
while others are in process OF negotia>
ton with Mexico, the Central American
States, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uru-
quay, Haiti, and San Domingo.
Here is table showing our total i'm
ports in 1890 from all the countries
namedl
Spanish possessions of Cuba, Porto
Rico, and Philippine Islands-Sugar,
$43. 935, 900; molasses, "a, $1,000; coffee,
$160,OOO; hides and skins, 1921 900; total,
$50, 229, 600
Brazi-Sugar, 81, 1853, 900; coffee, $45,
664, 900, hides and skins, So, 17S, 900; total,
$49 sol ,D0a.
Sugar, $s7, 900, coffee, $685.
900; hides and skins, 1873, 900; total,
SIS, $4,000.
Venezuela = Coffee, $9,66s,o0O, hides
and skins, $751;, 900; total, SIC, 474,oOo.
Central American States-Sugar, $94,-
600; coffee, $3,976, 900; hides and skins
1887 900; total. "a, 457 900.
ombia-Coffee, 81, $40 900; hides and
skins, S136. 1000; total, $2,479,oOO.
Ecuador-Cotfee, $4,000 hides and
skins, $4,000, total, $s1s,O0o.
Hayti-Coffee, $1,27o,o0o; hides and
skins, $4,000; total, $1,300,OOo.
: San Domingo Sugar, $1,75,6 $780, coffee
$40 900; hides and skins, $4,000; total,
1854 900.
Peru-Hides and skins, $239,000.
Uruguay-Hides and skins, 81, Alb. 600.
The following table shows the compar-
ative value of all imports of the articles
named and of the imports of the coun-
tries above mentioned:
Article. From all From coun-
countries. tries named |
Sugar sos 093OO0 $4s, $4,000
MolaSSeS .....s........... s, 1880 4,7B000 |
GGffee e,so. wv oo,Soo,uhu
Tea .......t............,... 122l.,WO ..... j., |
Hides ana Skins .....-.. q SS2, 900 1882, 600 |
In,return for the free importation of
these products we obtain the free intro
duction, or the introduction at smaller
rates Of duty than other nations, of our
flour, machinery and many other pro-
ducts,
This policy secures a virtual annexa
ton by the United States for commercial
purposes of all that part OF the Western
hemisphere that lies to the South of us.
1t opens a large and rapidly increasing I
market for our own products and gives
to our people their sugar, molasses and
coffee at lower prices than were ever
paid before. By it's fruits let it be
Judged Mdal and EGpress.