New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-10
prcTppocTTY and FREE TRADE.

For a week "The Wortd- has been asking
questions like this: "Are foreigners better
than Americans that they should be untaxed
and our own people left burdened ~ IL
the tariff he not a tax on consumers, why are
these foreign people congratulated on getting
American products free of duty Z III IL DC
benefit, as all concede that 1t Is, 10 relieve
South American and Spanish American peopie
from tariff taxes on universal necesSarleS. ~
would be a boon to the people OF the ohi'eu
States to relieve them OF similar burdens DIS
these treaties do not" "The placing OF coal upon
orr free list would without doubt have an I'M
portant effect upon the manufactures In New
England that are being forced to the wall oy
the tax-enhanced cost of their fuel ana IA"
materials"
The common answer to all these questions
;s that the tariffs in Spanish-America are not
protective but revenue tariffs. Take, 1or OK
ample, coal in Cuba. There are no coal mines
in the island there is no industry, as there Is
in the United States that las been protected p9
the duty f; it has been revenue tax lmpoSeu III
the interest of the Spanish administrators LII
the same manner the heavy import duties Oh
flour have not been levied in the interest OF the
agricultural classes of the island. There is no
wheat raised in Cuba. 1t is country wnicn
produces sugar, tobacco, conee ana "oPi0ai
fruits When wheat flour has been ta1eu'
has been for revenue purposes, but not III Une
interest of protection of home industries Inc
same remarks apply to all the South American
tariffs Not one of them is protective anu oaSeu
unon the principles of our own economic system
All these tariffs are modelled after the spanish
svstem Of taxation and are designed to produce
revenue. and very largely from the taxation OF
food nroducts Venezuela, for example, taxes
flour over 100 per cent, and does 1t Tor revenue
only. without protecting in the least It's agri-
cultural population.
When. therefore, our inquisitive Free-Tradc
neighbor asks such questions as we nave quo'eu
II leaves Protection out of the case. lake the
Reciprocity offer in detail and what 90 we
find? The abolition Of revenue taxes on arncies
of common consumption which cannot be pro-
duced in the United States. If coffee and sugar
wer, taxed. no home industries would be bene-
flied. These sources of revenue are given up
for the sake of cheapening the necessities Oh
life. In return. Brazil Cuba and Santo Domingo
place OH the free list io5u products which are
necessary there but cannot be raised by nome
industry. Reciprocity in the main involves an
exchange of non competing products at loss
of revenue on each side, but without sacrifice OF
the principle of Protection as it is understood
in the United States. Such manufactures as
are included in the free lists and reduced
schedules obtained in payment for free sugar
and free coTee are those which are not carried
nm in Southern countries. The revenue tariffs
are ;oweree.. but nome industries and productive
| interests are not sacrificed either North or
South.
We are glad that "The World" is TAX
ing the line that it does respecting RECIPROCITY.
| Il is bringing out in the strongest way the
| Free-Tfade tendencies of the Democratic party.
The Republican party in its tariff legislation
and Reciprocity policy does not stand for revenue
taxation. but for the development OF National
industries and the employment OF nome LABOR
II is not asking Southern countries to do more
| than the United States is doing, and that is to
give I'D for TIE benefit of consumers purely
| revenue taxation on non-competing products.
When Democrats find fault with Reciprocity be-
cause it is not English free-trade, they show
what it is they really want, and why they are
hostile to the system of Protection under which
American prosperity has become the marvel OF
the modern world. Our neighDor is forcing the
Free-Trade issue. Republicans are ready for It,
Nv all means let it be made the decisive issue
of the next Presidential canvass.