Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-07-06
Progress Ct Reciprocity.
rSey York Tribune,

A dispssch from Nse,ii remove, all re-
| naming doubt respecting the success OF me
nesctistions for Commercial sfsssy. The
convention has tesn signed, the texs viii
| be published there On Augus. |, and II VIII
70 into operasicH on September l. A. IL u
generally undefss0od that the treaty 10 simi-
| lsr Ia scope TO the sgreement win Brszu.
and falls naturally under the opersiion OF
the reciprocity amendment; 10 the Nc
Kinley tariff act, the President viii prob
ably be able 10 issue Q proclamation aod
announce It's provisions early during the
comiua month. IL 10 TO be hoped that
there viii be no unne cessary dslsy In
| revealing the r.salts OF the negotiations.
Large exporting interests here will be
Affected BY iss provisions, and it Is highly
desirable that explicit information should
be furnished to merchants 1t the earliest
day possible.
1. is also known that reciprocity arrange
msnt has zen made with Ssnto Domingo.
and that it, provisions will 20 into effect
early in the autumn. This will be the third
con vention negotiated under the sanction
of the Aldrich amen dment, which is proving
to be . most effective lever for opening the
Southern markets. UHless all sisns fail
there will be . similar convention concluded
With Venezuela, which next to Brazil
is the largest coffee depot Of the United
States in the South. A Mexican
treaty is also cor fidently to be expected
Even il no fusther progress be made, the
rec uits 81 the STATE departments diplomatic
WORK are suffi GENTLY large 10 justly the
ae1oa Of Congress- in adopting me A.crlch
amendment The reciprocity policy bias
| -z.k.
which President Harrison and SECRETARY
Blaine are to be alike congratulated BY All
patriotic Americans.
Inevitably there will be large develop
ment of the export trade under favorable
and equitable conditions of exchange. For
q long period Southern countries have bee
allowed to receive rs gratultles commercial
privileges of tremendous magnitude. The
mar gin between what the United States has
bought and what 1t has sold in exchange
was 50 broad that II reciprocity has followed
Is soon as il WAS demanded with iiieuoie
purpose and diplomatic tact. Exporters and
manufacturers will now have conspicuous
opportunity TOR showing what they can do
The bulk Of the manufactures required IN
Southern markets are those which are mos!
lightly protected in the United States, and
for which free raw materials are available.
Cottons, boots and shoes aud manufactures
Of rubber, leather. hides, paper, glass and
wood are the chief staples OF importation
in Southern markets; and these can be pro-
duced in the United States as cheaply as in
Europe. Even American iron and steel man
ufactures without free raw material are
already displacing European imporsations
wherever intelligeDtly and energe.icaily
introduced in the South. Other manufsct-
ures, like woolens, blankets, carpets,
upholstered furniture, felts, heavy cloth
and linens, in which the United States is
less able at present to compete with for
eign goods, are not those which are
imported in large quantity in Spanish
America.
When doetrinaire free traders assert that
| free raw materials are necessary before the
United States can take advantage Of reci-
procity treaties to enlarge its export trade in
ras South they virtually concede the prac-
ticability of obtaining at once large share
of this commerce. At least 10 per cent. OF
the imported manufactures Of that quar-
ter Of the world represents manufsc-
lures which practically have free raw
materials already. The American tariff Is
not an obstacle to the development of the
export trade. 1t is ignorance Of the require
ments Of Southern markets and Of the con-
ditions of successful competition that is
largely At fault. The reciprocity policy,
by directing the attention Of m Merchants and
exporters to markets now gradually opening
to them, will displsce ignorance with intel
ligence, listless inAction with mercantile
energy.