Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-07
WILL HELP TRADE.
HOW RECIPROCITY WITH BRAZIL Is
LOOKED UPON IN RICHMOND.
It's Advantages Discussed by Prominent
Mtllcrs and Others-Will be
Benefit to wheat-Growers


The reciprocity treaty with Brazil was
most favorably commented upon in bust
ness circles here yesterday and the millers
were particularly we'll pleased with it.
The consensus of opinion of these gen.
tlemen is that IL will vastly benefit the
| -four trade of this country, and that Rich
| mond, with her well-established reputation
for manufacturing superior grades of -four
for the South American market. will reap
her full share of that benefit.
MR.. O. L. ToDD's VIEWS.
Mr.. Charles l.. Todd president of the
| Gallego Mills Company, upon being asked
| by Dispatch reporter what he thought
would be the effect of the treaty upon the
| flour trade said. speaking for his CON-
| pany: I'VE think il will affect the -four
trade most benefcially. Heretofore, as we
understand it, wheat has been admitted free
into Brazil, while the tariff on -four has been
| equal TO about 80 cents per barrel, varying
somewhat with the price of exchange.
| This gives the -four of the mills located in
| the city of Rio JaneirO, of which there are
| two of large size, avery decided advantage
| over American -four, so great an advantage,
| indeed, that these mills have not only
made largo inroads upon the American
| -four trade in the city of Rio, but they
| have entered into very active competition
| with American fours in Bahia, Rio Grand
| dc Sui, and Pelotas."
| BIG RIVAL.
Zone of the Rio Mills, known as the
| English mill, has reputed capacity Of
| 1000 barrels per day." Mr.. Todd continued,
"end has proved a very active and strong
competitor. But the great advantage Of
free importations and the natural advan,.
| tages of the American millers, consisting OF
| abundant cheaper as well as better va
rieties of wheats, and much more eco
! nomical water-power. will, we think, inevl-
tably restore the trade to its former vol
ume. if not largely surpass It,"
| THE BRAZILIAN WHEAT SUPPLY.
There is no native wheat in Brazil, and
| the Rio mills draw their supplies largely
| from the La Platte country (Argentine Re-
public), from Australia, India, perhaps,
and the Pacific Coast. The Pacific-Coast
| wheat is not as strong as the eastern
| wheats and the yield in flour is not as
! large. The Rio mills have no water-power,
are without home supplies of fuel, and are
compelled to use coal which, we understand,
is imported at a cost of from s. to $40 per
ton. Again, Brazil being grazing country
| there is very poor demand for mill-ofal,
which fact means another great advantage
| for the American miller. We believe also
| that the general effect of this reciprocal
| treaty Will be to stimulate and increase
the trade between the two countries"
Mr.. BLAINE CONGRATULATED.
Mr.. Todd's remarks bore principally on
| the millers of the United States at largeln
| the treaty, but he considered that Rich
mond and Virginia would take largely of
the benefits to be derived therefrom, as is
shown by the following telegram he sent
| to Mr. Blaine:
RICHMOND. VA, February G, 1891.
"Hon. james G. Blaine, Secretary Of state, Wash
fngtOn, ID. c.:
Accept our heartiest congratulations on the
| magnificent success OF your truly statesman
like policy in securing reciprocity trade rela-
tions with Brazil. Its ehects must largely In
crease the consumption Of American -four and
prove beneficial 10 every wheat-grower Ia Viz
gInia.
"Presldent Of the Gallego Mills Company"
Mr.. Todd seemed satisfied that the treaty
would benefit the wheat-growers by crea-
ting better markets for their wheat.
CAPTAIN HAxALL's OPINION.
Captain Philip Haxall, of the Haxall-
Crenshaw Company, said: " | think it only
fair TO conclude that as the increase of duty
on flour and the removal of duty on wheat
some time ago injured the flour trade with
Brazil. the taking off of the duty on flour
ought to restore the trade of the country
to its former position. The treaty comes
at q most opportune time, because since the
change of form of government in Brazil
emigration TO that country has largely In
creased, and along with increase of popu..
lation must be increased consumption OF
-four.
THE LIFE OF TIE RIO MILLS.
1.-THE life of the four-mills constructed
at Rio has been dependent upon their
getting wheat from all parts of the world
free of duty, while flour imported had to
pay heavy duty, and although they may
continue to secure their wheat free OF
duty. as the cost Of manufacture there Is
infinitely greater than anywhere IN the
United States, we cannot see how they
can make flour at price to compete with
the -four of this country"
Mr.. Moore, of the Dunlop Mills, ex-
pressed the opinion that the treaty would
be of great benefit to the -four trade of
this country, and conceded generally IN
his views with those of the gentlemen
quoted above above.
OTHER RESULTS OF THE TREATY.
Mr.. Junius A. Morris, of the firm Of Da-
venport & Morris, who are large dealers in
sugars and coffees, said he thought that
the treaty would have good effect on the
trade of this country generally. 1t would
stimulate importation and give an outlet
for our manufactures. As one of the re-
suits, he said, he expected TO see sugars
very cheap.
THE IRON INTEREST.
Mr.. Arthur B. Clarke, president of the
Old Dominion Iron and Nail-Works Com
pany, said that as he understood the treaty
It would be godsend to this country. 1t
would, he thought, be of decided advan-
tage to the iron trade and the trade in
machinery" This country" he continued,
"is like boiler full Of steam. IT is replete
with manufactures whose products need
morket. The next step now should
be the passage by Congress of the
tonnage bill, which would stimulate
the running of fast steamships to the Bra
lillian ports i'll place of slow sailing yes
sells"
To sum up it seems to be thought in
trade circles that the treaty promises, as
far as its details are known, to build up
Richmond's importing interests, and thus
utilize TO the best advantage the facilities
of the city for receiving from Brazil and
distributing South many products of that
country that enter largely into the whole
sale business.
If the Brazilian export duty on coffee
should be taken off, and there seems to be
a question on that point, what with our
milling interest there appears in the minds
of some TO be no reason why there should
not be such coffee sales here as frequently
took place before the war and which at
tracted buyers from all over the country.
THE LADIES ARE THANKFUL.