The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-02-17

duty on lard, hams, butter, cheese,
canned goods of every description, man.
utactures Of cotton, leather, iron and
steel, lumber, furniture, wagons, cartf'
carriages and manufactures OF rubber,
that these are the products Of
or made in the United States" The
whole, says the Record, is a clearly de.
fined, plainly stated agreement, free
from all antiquities that might lead TO
conflicting interpretations and unpleas-
ant controversies.
A gratifying feature Of the treaty is
that the farmers of the United States
WILDE its most numerous aud direct
bsnefciaries, and it will go far toward
relieving them from the condition OF
which they now complain. The majority
Of articles placed on the free list BY
Brazil under the agreement are agricul'
tural products and majority OF those
upon which the % per cent reduction is
made are derived from the same indus
try. It may not be generally known,
but is nevertheless fact, that Brazil
now imports potatoes from Portugal,
-four from Virginia and Maryland mills,
from the Argentine Republic and from
Trieste; hay from the River Platte; oats
from Scotland, and butter from Den
mark. An enormous quantity OF Amer
lean lard Is used, but it is bought
through European merchants. Under
the new arrangement, however, the
large profits made by these merchants
will be divided among the manutactur'
ers and farmers Of the United States,
while owing to the tariff concessions
made by RraSil in favor Of this country
and against Europe our farmers will be
enabled to occupy the Brazilian markets
with their potatoes, corn, hay, -four
oats, butter and other agricultural
staples, in exchange for which they will
get cheaper sugar and other products Of
which America does not supply enough
for the home demand.
Then, again, the manufacturers OF the
United States have new field open to
them. Says the article referred to
above: "In 1890 Brazil bought cotton
fabrics amounting to s26,OO0,O0O, Of
which the United States furnished only
a moiety Of the value of SslS,7OO, while
Great Britain supplied more than Sl7,'
100000 worth and continental manutsc'
turers the remainder. The opportunity
lie now presented to our Gotten manu-
facturers to study the needs of that
country and to get control Of that i'm
msnse trade. In recent conversation
Secretary Blaine said to Mr.. Charles R.
Flint, Of New York, while speaking OF
this convention between the countries:
1T enables US to sell watch:springs for
pig iron.' This said Mr.. Flint to a
Tribune reporter who was interviewing
him, means simply this: 'Wesell man
uiactured articles for raw products.
The average profit on raw produsts is 2
per cent; on manufactured articles it is
10 per cent. Under this treaty We make
10 per cent while Btizil makes but Q.
This will soon put the balance of trade
in our favor"
Thus the Republican policy Of reci-
procity OF trade as advocated by Mr..
Blaine and provided for in the McKin-
ley bill, will open up new era Of pros
perity for US and its grand consequences
will be almost immediate. Demagogues
who attempt to twist it into departure
from Republican Protection doctrines
ignore the radical difference between
free trade, or-let us spare their sensi-
tive teelings-"tariff REFORM" and reci-
procity. Our Democratic friends pro-
posed to throw open wide our ports to
admit the products Of the cheap labor Of
Europe that they might enter and COM
pete with the same kind Of products Of
our better paid American labor. Reel
procity provides for the free entry only
OF articles that we do not produce our.
selves at all, or not in sufficient quanti-
ties to supply our people, and in return
binds the party OF the second part 10
admit free our manufactured and agri-
cultural products which they cannot
produce, and under such terms that the
balance OF trade will be largely in our
favor. 1t is q combine Of the countries
OF North and South America for the
mutual protection OF their industries
and to secure mutual prosperity and
closer commercial relations. All that is
needed to make the benefits full and
complete is the passage of the two bills
now pending in Congress (the tonnage
bill and the charter for an international
bank. The first is a step toward build.
Ing up our merchant marine. OF this
bill the Record says:
uutil this government follows the example
Of the great maritime nations Of Christeudom
aud helps to sustain an American merchant ma.
rinc we must still transact our commerce In for.
elgn bottoms and pay larger tribute 10 our
competitors for doing our tranSpor.
tAtIon than II would cost the nation to main,
tain It's own fleets Of merchant vessels. Reclp.
rOclIy was the frst need; that 10 secure. Now,
unless Congress does its duty In this matter,
every barrel Of flour from Virginia and Mary
land, every sack Of potatoes, every bale Of do.
meSlcs, everything, In fact. that we ship 10 Bra.
Ill In foreign bottoms will DO compelled TO pay
4 tax 10 their owners, aud the greater the vol.
lme Of trade the more onerouS will bC their
charges.
No part OF the United states has greater In.
tcrpstin this measure than the South. To her
ARricutturiStS, mintrs, manufacturers and mcT.
chants the speedy passage Of the tonnage bill Is
Ol the utmost importance.