The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-22
RECIPROCITY CONVENTIONS.

When the working of the reciprocity
convention with Spain is ascertained Con-
gress will be enlightened on the subject of
reciprocity treaties in general. 1t was the
Iurp, Sc of the Fifty-frst Congress to place
sugar on the free list under any crcum-
stances, and it was happy thought of Mr..
Blaine's to press upon the party in Con gress
the policy of StpHlating for some CORE
spending concession by the States which
have been exporting sugar 10 this country
and paving 2 cents duty. Spain felt that
tree entry for Cuban sugar into American
markets was eheaply bought by the free ad
mission into Cuba of American beef, lard
and of long line of American manufac-
lures, and of American -four on the same
tennis as Spanish flour. and Senior CanOVas
signed the treaty. The Cuban trade in
flour has always been homogeneous. The
island consumes yearly some 800, 600 barrels
OF -four which are invoiced at S3000,000.
OF this about three-ifths come from this
country and two-ffths from Spain. The
duty raises the cost Of the American flour to
about So a barrel in Havana and the
Spanish exporter, though he does not pay
the duty, adds it to the price of his goods.
But, as a matter of fact Spain has no -four
available for export. She has TO import
every year. In 1885, which is the last year of
which we have returns, her wheat imports
amounted to nearly 100000 peSetas. 1t
was only through the coercion of law that
Spain kept the food market Of the colony in
the hands of the mother country. That law
being abrogated by the convention just con-
Guided, the Cubans will get their -four from
the country that is nearest Them and
which, having every year surplus of flour
for export, can supply them on the lowest
terms.
If this convention works, the next step
will be to apply it to this Coast and here is
where the interest of this port comes in.
Some 400 odd miles south of the border
line is the port of Guaymas, in Mexico,
which stands on the mouth Of large river
running through the State Of Sonora and is
the terminus of the Sonora Railroad. A
! few years ago it was a mere hamlet, with
200 or 300 population. 1t is now prosper
Gus seaport. with a population Of 100000 for
| the Consular district Its imports for the
| calendar year 1890 amounted 10 S2094,0 900.
| OF This amount nearly three-fourths came
from the United States chiefly from
| San Francisco and something over one
| fourth from Europe. A few years ago all
| the impOrtations of Guaymas came from
| EUROPE, ana 10 thlS day Tue lOteISh uaue VI
| the port is in the hands of Mexican, Ger
! man, Spanish and French houses,
The chief articles imported at Guaymas
| from the United States are agricultural and
mining machinery. lumber, dry goods,
| groceries and hardware; and the impOrta-
tions from Europe are the same, except
mining and agricultural machinery. The
| exports from Guaymas to the United States
amount TO about the same sum as the i'm
| ports. These consist chiefly of bullion and
ores. There is a small export of phosphates
and hides. What is said of Guaymas may
| be said of the Pacific ports OF Mexico
| generally, and the question for merchants
to consider is how reciprocity convention
| with Mexico. framed on the lines OF the con-
vention with Spain, would promote and
| protect their interests.