Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-04-21
SPAIN COMES TO TIME.
Her Reciprocity Treaty with the
United States.
IT is A GREAT THING FOR CUBA

nut Spanish Merchants Are Not at All
Pleased with the idea OF Having Their
Trade Ruined--A Great Market for
American Flour In the Antilles.
MADRID, April a1.-The reciprocity con
vention between Spain and the United
States, as drafted by Premier Canovas del
Castillo, representing Spain, and General
J. w. Foster, representing the United
States, is based, as far as the United States
is concerned, upon the third or reciprocity
section Of the new American tariff law
In return for the privilege Of free entr,
into the United States OF Antilles sugars,
molasses coffee and hides and reduction
Of the duty on tea, America win obtain
exemption from duties en most Of her raw
and manufactured products and reduc.
tion Of the tariff on cereals and -four.
There Was Fight Here.
The negotiations were protracted upon
the question Of the entire abolition Of the
tariiT 90 cereals, flours and oils, including
petroleum and lard The same question
in regard to tobacco was also raised, but
not coming within the scope OF the third
section OF the American tariff law was put
aside Premier Canovas offered protracted
resistance to the abolition OF the tariff on
flour. Barcelona and Santander traders
who are largely interested in flour ship
ments, presented energetic protests, which
fortified the minister in his indisposition
TO acoede TO the American proposals
Eventually, representations that Ameri
out the free admission Of American cereals
induced President Canovas to assent 20
such reduction Of the tariff as will place
American -four upon nearly equal foot
ing with Spanish -four
The spanish Product Must 90.
Santander merchants declare that taking
into consideration the cost OF the trans
portation Of CASTLE grain, of which the
bulk goes to the Antilles American flour
will crush ont the Spanish product in the
Spanish West Indies Cuba now consumes
10000 barrels Of -four yearly-chiehyS Span.
ish, which enters free Of duty-and pays
for it twelve dollars per barrel Trade ia
American flour. burdened with an extra
duty OF 70 per cent. since 1889, has been
completely wiped out to the advantage OF
the Spanish product. Under the new con.
vention the entry of American flour prac.
tically free Of duty will lower the price Z
about six dollars per barrel and win ex
tinguish the importation of Spanish flour,
while increasing the Cuban consumption
to million barrels yearly, all Of which
will be American product.
Cuba Wanted Reciprocity Bad.
II the pressure Of Spanish interests had
not been counteraeted by the demands 81
the Cuban commission Of notables, whc
were determined TO obtain reciprocity with
the United States, Premier Canovas would
have declined 10 make such concessions.
The prospect OF dangerous tension oil re.
lations OF Spain with Cuba and Porte
Rico, resulting possibly in civil wal
Obliged the government to sacrifice home
industries TO colonial interests Under
the new convention America win obtain
kind Of zollverein with the Spanish
Antilles. Her wheat, beans. -four, lard
petroleum, manufactured products and
machinery will enter practically free Eof
duty. Among other Spanish exports olive
oil will be replaced by American lard, and
beans, now exported to Cuba in large
quantities, will cease TO be sent. The ad
vantages resulting to Cuba will be great
but it is impossible to estimate the injury
to Spanish trade.