New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-01
THE TREATY WITH SPAIN.


The results of the State Departments nego-
| tations with Spain are disclosed in the hecl-
procity Convention officially proclaimed by the
| President As the treaty with Brazil was Ill
the main a coffee agreement, the convention
| respectno American trade with Cuba and Puerto
| Rico is grounded upon the free market 1or
| sugar. In 1890 the Spanish West Indies fur
nished S42,06O,917 of the sugar importation
| of SOL 2G3, 1927 received in the United States
| Over 90 per cent of their cane sugar came 10
| the American market. The coffee imports from
the Spanish West Indies amounted to Sill, 800
during the same period-an insignificant frac-
ton of the total coffee importation of the United
States-S7S, 267 ,432 and the hides ana SElnS
imported from the islands amounted to about
100000. The Reciprocity amendment SO lar
as these islands ale concerned is grounded upon
the free market for sugar-their great staple
forming the economic basis for all their indus
tries. SPANS first response to the Mckinney
Tariff Act was an increase OF the duty OIL
American -four from 81 SO IL to % % -
and an addition of 20 per cent to the duues on
all classes of foreign manufacture. DIpions'c9
then interviewed with the result OF proVlulhS
compensating advantages for the free market
for sugar in a reduction of duties upon food
| products and limited number of manufactures
exported from the United States.
If the Spanish West Indies had been like
free and Independent Brazil dealing directly
with the United States the concessions would
have been larger. Equitable Reciprocity would
| he little short of free entry for American eX-
ports of all classes. All the sugar Cuba has
10 sell goes to the United States, and what pur-
chasing power it has is derived from the only
market that is open to it. That was bargain
which the United States had no chance OF max
ing with Spain, which naturally persists IN re-
tanning for its own agricultural and manu1act-
uring classes ditferential advantages IN the I'M
mort trade of its colonial dependencies. What
has been obtained by diplomacy is series OF
material reductions upon the duties on Aner-
can food products and manufactures.
Spain has been the chief competitor OF the
United States in supplying the islands with their
| imports, and It's advantage has been artlhcialIy
maintained by discriminating tariffs III favOr
of its food products and manufactures. The
general effect of the Reciprocity agreement VIII
| he to reduce the Determinations and thereby to
increase largely the American export trade.
| In 1884 by a commercial convention American
| ships were placed on an equality with Spanish
| Ships in Cuban harborS This removed dis
| elimination equal to SO cents on barrel OF
flour. But by gradual reduction Of the i'm
ports Of Spanish breadStuffs beginning in 1882
and ending in 1891 the duty on flour amount
ing to 81 90 was abolished altogether. On July
1 of this year Spanish flour was free, and
American flour paid not only the original
| 81 60, but additional charges bringing the duty
| ND to SIS 90 -. Even with this tremendous
| discrimination two barrels of American -four
were imported to one from Spain The Ieduc-
ton of the duty on American flour 10 81 per
| 100 kilogrlmmeS will undoubtedly more than
| double the export. The same reasoning VIII
| apply to other manufactures which are placed
| on closer level with the imports from SPAIN
Reciprocity will largely benefit the American
export trade. Spain has relaxed its system OF
unrecprocal Protection by which its own mer-
chants, manufacturers and farmers have profit
ed and the great Nation which buys nearly
everything Cuba has to sell will be enabled tc
trade with the island on more favorable terms
Cuba being absolutely dependent upon the
American market while politically united with
spain will be greatly benefited by Reciprocity
Ii will secure a free market permanently fol
its sugar and the purchasing power Of its great
staple will be largely increased. Without Reel
procity bankruptcy and ruin were before it, anc
probably revolution and civil war in the end
With Reciprocity its industries will revive, and
it will emerge from the outer darkness of eco
nomic exhaustion. The Administration by its
diplomacy has done much to promote Ameri
can interests, but even more to restore the
fortunes of the miSgovemed island.