New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-15
LIGHT FROM THE WEST INDIES.


The Justice of the American demand for Reci-
procity is clearly demonstrated in our staff CORE
spondence from the Leeward Islands. Tho
United States takes 70 and England per cent
of the total exports of that group In return the
United States supplies 33 and England 81 per
cent of the total imports. This result is largely
produced by a tariff system which facilitates by
low duties the introduction OF English manuiact-
ures, and restricts by high duties the importa-
ton OF American food products This IS shown
by the table furnished by our correspondent, in
which the average rate Of duty on imports from
the United States il So 1-2 in comparison with
.Os, the average rate on English imports. The
free list. moreover favors English against Ameri-
can imports in the proportion of 10 to L; and
the customs revenues are largely drawn from
the food products, shipped from the United States.
The same principles apply to the entire group
of the British West Indies, from which England
buys per cent and sells in return 65 per cent,
while the United States buys SO per cent and
sells 80 per cent.
The tariffs of these islands are virtually de-
yised by the British Governors sent out to rule
over them and to make them so far as possible
f-supporting. They accomplish their pur-
pose, not as Spain has done in Cuba by having
nominal tariff on her own merchandise and
an exorbitant one on the same classes OF exports
from the United States, but by putting very
low rate or mono at all on everything which Eng
land can supply, and very high one on every
thing which the United States alone can furnish.
There is no direct discrimination in favor OF
England in duties on the same class, but there
is Ian indirect and potent advantage in the
classification of customs so as to place the bur-
dens of taxation upon American food supplies.
While English cottons are subject to duty or
8 DER cent American flour is liable to duty OF
% per cent English manufactures are favored
in this way and exports from the United States
are kept down. AT the same time England buys
the smaller and the United States the larger
percentage of what the islands have to sell.
This is on its face an nequitable condition OF
trade. The United States In furnishing free
market for the bulk of the produce OF the British
West Indies has right TO demand that its own
exports shall be admitted on a level with the
8 Der cent schedules rather than subjected to 80
per cent duties.
The Reciprocity conventions which have been
NEGOTIATED at Washington with the British sugar
islands will have the general effect, not only OF
increasing American exports in return Tor the
free market for sugar, but also of cheapenlng
the food supplies of the black population. In
that way the United States will accomplish for
the islands what English Governors with their
low tariffs on cottons and their high tariffs on
-four have not done. Engand's Free-Trade pol
lev is supposed TO be based on cheap supplies OF
food for home consumption That does well
enough when her own people are concerned ;
but when her Governors are placed in charge OF
her colonies they contrive to lower the tariffs on
everything which can be manufactured in Eng
land and to raise the duties on American food
supplies English policy involves cheap food at
home and dear food in her colonies. Apparently
what is good for her consumers will also be good
for the impoverished black population of the
islands. Reciprocity as offered by the strongest
Protection country in the world will lower tho
cost of living in the West Indies and be great
gain to the colonists, whose interests have been
sacrificed to those of English manufacturers.
Ii may be objected that the English Governors
cannot be blamed for indirectly protecting, as
they do, home manufactures, since that is the
effect of the American tariff system. Well, that
does not impose upon the United States any
obligation to sacrifice the interests OF its export
trade and those of the consumers on the islands
English manufactures will have to take care of
themselves. The islands have been governed
too long at the expense of American exporters
and their own people. The United States offers
them large measure of Free Trade, and insists
upon their paying for the privileges of its mar
kets. When they make the concessions which
are required, they will have what England now
has-cheap food and if their revenues are seri-
orsly diminished, they can readjust the per
cent schedules on English manufactures.
nj q THO SECTLQNS