New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-30
RECIPROCITY.
80 ENGINE OF GREAT POWER FOR THE
GOOD OF The NATION.
-gr MEASURE is IN ENTIRE HARMONY WITH
THE PROTECTIVE sYsrEM-PRE1DENT
HARRISON AND MR. BLAINE IN
PRODUCING 1T VIGOROUSLY.

r,.ing the last few weeks have been in re-
=, NJ numerous letters asking me If the new
-. ~ Reciprocity is a free-trade measure. These
,'.,.rs all contained the statement that the
n.mocratic press and Democratic orators in the
';.ritv where the letters were written are all
Lining that reciprocity is an admission that the
80 Traders are right and that in an indirect way
!, admits all that the tariff reformers claim.
am well aware that very many Democratic
,.rrnak have assumed such to be the case, and /
sove no doubt that very many Of their speakers
,.ve asserted the same thing in their public
,,,srapces propose in this article. to show how
r,,erly false such statements are, and l ask the
arious writer's OF the letters referred to above 10
.ocept this as direct answer to their questions.
In order that all may understand the subject
nlly and that there may be no doubt as to the
oorrectness Of my conclusions. / copy the entire
,bird section of the Mckinley BILL which contains
al there is of reciprocity in that entire law. l ask
,scb reader TO examine carefully the section,
which is as follows:
section 3. That with a view TO secure reciprocal
,.de with countries producing the following articles
ond for this purpose, on and after the first day OF
January. 1892, whenever. and often the Presi-
A.n, shall be satisfied that the Government OF any
country producing and exporting sugars. moasses,
Oose, tea and hides, raw and uncured, any Of
scb articles imposes duties or other exsctions upon
a agricultural other products OF the United States
which in view OF the free introduction OF such sugnr
noasses coffee tea and hides into the United States
!, NAV deem TO be recprocaiy unequal and unreason
,A,e he shall have the power and II shall be his duty
% suspend. by proclamation to that effect, the pro
,dops Of this act relating to the free introduction of
peh sugar. molaSSes, coffee. tea, and hides, the pro-
epcton Of such country. for such time as ne shall
deem lust and such and during such suspension
Antics shall be levied collected, and paid upon sugar
volssses coffee tea and hides the product of or ex
perted from such designated country as follows,
namely
All sugars not above thirteen Dutch standard in
oolor shall pay duty on their polariscopic tests rs
folovs namely All sugars not above thirteen Dutch
standard in color, ali tank bottoms, syrups Of cane
te or of beet Juice meada concentrated melada, con-
,e and concentrated mOlasseS, testing by the poar
oue not above IS degrees, 40 OF cent per pound
All for every additional degree or fraction Of de-
zee shown by the poariscopc test, 21O0 of l cent
De- pound additional.
All sllcars above No 13 Dutch standard in color
ha be classified by the Dutch standard of color. and
nav duties as follows. namely: All sugar above No.
10 and not above No 10 Dutch standard OF colof
] 3-S cents per pound.
An sugar above No. 10 and not above No. 90 Dutch
standard Of color 5-5 cents per pound
All sugar above No. 20 Dutch standard Of color
2 cents per pound
Molasses testing above Sc degrees, cents per
gallon.
sugar DRAWINGS and sugar sweepings shall be subject
to duty either as molasses or sugar. as the case may
BE- according 10 pOlaiiscopic test.
On coffee, 3 cents per pound.
ON tea, 10 cents per pound.
Hides raw or uncured, whether dry salted, or
pickled. AngCa goatSkins, raw, without the wool,
manufactured asses skins, raw or manufactured
and skins except sheep-skins. with the wool on, L.
cents per pound
The first point to which l would call attention
is the fact that this law simply permits the
President in cases where we treated unfairly
by any foreign nation to levy duties on the arti-
cles named which come here from such nations,
all of which articles are by this same law placed
- -eSe &ee Led. ---------
To be more explicit There is not one word in
this provision which permits the President under
any circumstances TO remove the least iota of any
duty now levied on single article The bill
gives him no right to NEEDLE in the slightest
degree with any duty now made legal by the
Tariff laws. viii some free-trade advocate please
inform me how giving the President power under
certain conditions TO place duty on articles that
are now on the free list can possibly he con-
strued as q power in the direction of free trade?
The whole intention of this provision is to
enable the Government of the United States TO
compel nations from whom we purchase large
quantities of sugar, coffee, Tea or hides TO treat
rs fairly in the purchase of our surplus products.
1t simply gives the President power 10 say to
Spain: e" If we continue To admit the sugar OF
Cuba into the United States free of duty, then
you shall cease levying such duties on our bread
stuhs as will prevent from sending American
food into Cuba" 1t must he apparent 10 every
one at glance that reciprocity can be OF no
practical use as between this country and any
other nation except it be nation which produces
articles that we do not produce IN sufhcent
quantities to supply our demands ana
that same nation must also be purchaser OF
articles of which we produce surplus, ana
which they are compelled 10 buy somewhere
Let us take an illustration. The United States
las. year consumed 3, 995, 703 $50 pounds OF sugar
OF this only 512,2Gl $50 pounds were produced
IL the United States. We were therefore COM
peed 10 purchase. from other nations the ehor-
nous amount Of 3,4S3, 442,32j pounds OF sugar.
The Mckinney bill provides fer the admission OF
that enormous amount of sugar into TINS country
free The reciprocity clause of the bill provides
that the President may put duty on the sugar
coming from any other nation 10 supply thlS great
demand in any case where such nation does not
uedt Us larry III acHlltlInB ouI SUI i"' r :,
Into It's markets For example, we buy OF braZli
snOrmous quantities each year of sugar, cohee anu
hides Those articles are all admit'e"
MO this country free. Brazil has an enormous
suFas Of those articles and the United states
b far her best customer for that surplus
We produce large quantities Of various articles
iai Brazil is compelled to purchase somewhere
AIMED with this provision of the new Tam law
M Blaine could say to the Govern ent OF Brazh'
We need your sugar, your coffee and VT NOES
and We are ready and willing TO admit INTO the
United States free Of duty, providing sou VIII
give US fair arrangement in return winch
WI enable US to supply your markets win
hfge amount Of goods Of which we nave
surplus and which your people must OBTAIN from
somewhere outside of your own borders lhoSe
three articles WON all ON the free list in the