Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-05
A HOPEFUL BELGIAN.
He ls Not Alarmed. Over the Effect
of the Mckinley Act
ON BELGIUM'S GENERAL TRADE.
Figures Quoted by Him in Favor of His
Own Little Country,
THAT ARE FLATTERISG TO his HOPES
rBY pUSIAr,s CABLE coMpASr.I

rBr DUNLAP's CABLE CoMPANr.l
BRUSSELS, March A Dunlap reporter
has had several interviews during the past
few DAYS witt Belgian politicians and bust
ness men regarding the effect of the McKin-
ley tariff act upon Belgian trade and manu-
faeturers. NJ. Sabatier, Liberal Deputy for
Chsrieroi, and an important manufacturer
in th1t district, is a strenuous advocate of
freesfade. He SAYS:
II am told that the United States are pay
'-- off their debt. That is perfectly true;
but they are impoverishing themselves at
the same time. Their Golfers are replete
with cash, but that does not mean that they
are rich. Wealth does not consist OF having
pocket full of money, but in money which
is making money. England, France and
Belgium have debts, but they are rich and
their wealth is Inexhaustible. The customs
revenues of the United States are enormous;
they may suffice to pay of the country's
debts, but they are not productive.
Not Afraid of Huns.
belgian workingmen, who have been in
the States, say they can live better in their
own country on a fourth of the wages they
received in the States, where the necessaries
of life are made so dear. The United States
sends US the raw material, cotton for example;
We send it back to them as manufactured
goods, and they impose tax on these arti-
cles which have been made from their own
raw material.
I'm my opinion the Mckinley bill will
not do US much harm. The sole danger lies
In the faculty which it gives to the Presi-
dent of the United States to augment GER
tain taxes by way of reprisals. 1t constitutes
standing menace to foreign trade and lasting
temptation to the American manufacturers de-
sirous of augmenting their profits. The United
States revenue from customs is increasing an
nually to an enormous extent 1t amounted
last year to l,O0O,000,0 600 francs. II shows that
the importation of goods into the United
States is increasing. The new tariff will not
prevent the entry of European manufactures
IL will only render them more expensive for
the American buyer. The following table will
illustrate my argument:
Figures on Exports and Imports.
The value of our exports to the United
States was in 1873 93O7, 900 francs; 1873 J9 &C.,
0VO francs 1850 80 al 600 fancs; 1851 az 6SS 600
francs; 1882, A, 4,677OOO francs; 1883, 43. 900
francs; 1884, SO $50 600 francs; 1886, 81 ISL OOO
francs; 1856, 40,647000 francs: 1857 20 93Ol 900
francs; 1855 s., 100000 francs These figures
are much understated, but they are sufficient
10 show that as regards Belgium the policy or
the United States protectonists has So far,
tailed.
"our glasswares are beating the American ar.
AASASr Tue l%O pei cent uuIN ll0-
posed by the Mckinley act. Five years ago
glass was valued at 40 francs per 100 kilo-
Rrammes, and is now worth 20 francs. AT the
old rates our expectations to the States would
be much larger. Here you have In the order
OF their Importance the principal goods export
ed by Belgium to the States In 1855: Glassware.
raw sugar, raw hides. brandy and liquors frills
and ruthes, cast steel, steel bars, woolen It's
Saes raw material products, fatty substances,
woodwork.
Afraid of the Presidents Power,
"Belgium's largest customers are, in the order
of their Importance, France, England, Ger
many, the Netherlands, the United States,
Switzerland. But though not afraid of Mr..
Mckinley's tariff act, we are not gong to shut
our eyes to the consequences of that measure
The Americans are not overScrupulous in
dealing with their commercial rivals: and con-
less to some uneasiness in regard to the great |
powers which the act gives to the President of |
the United States. |
In 1888 Americas imports were valued at |
$3.50 500 QUO francs, and her exports consisting
chiefly OF raw material amounted to 225 O0O, 600
francs. Now let US see what is taking place in
Belgium. During the protectionist regime
which lasted from lS4O to 1850 our exports
amounted to l67000,0OO francs; from lSSO to |
lSo9, under free trade, they were 292, ,OOO O0O |
francs. |
I'm the Drotectionist period above referred to |
the value of merchandise produced and ex-
ported was estimated at As francs per head of |
the population. In the free trade period of |
l6SO-o9 II was estimated at 227 francs per head
Of population"