Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-21
TREATY WITH SPAIN.
Based Upon the Reciprocity Clause Of
the New Tariff Law.
WHAT WE GET FOR CONCESSIONS
Italians Still Complaining About Blaine's
Diplomatic Slowness.
PORTUGUESE IN TIE SOUTH OF AFRICA

MADRID, April 2o.-The reciprocity con-
yention between Spain and the United
States Ms 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 entry into
the United States of Antilles sugar. mo-
lssses, coffee and hides, and a reduction Of
the duty on tea, America will obtain e1-
emption from duties on most of her raw and
manufactured products. and a reduction of
tari # on cereals and -four. The negotia-
tions were protracted upon the question OF
the entire abolition OF tariff on cereals,
fours and oils, including petroleum and
lard.
The same question In regard to tobacco
was also raisei, 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 -four. Barcelona and San
tander traders, who are largely interested in
-four shipments, presented 80 protests, which
fortified the Minister in his indisposition to
accede to the American proposals. Eventu-
ally representations that American reci-
procity would be impossible without the
free admission of American cereals induced
Premier Canovas to assent to such a reduc-
ton of the tariff as will place American
-four upon a nearly equal footing with
Spanish -four. Santander merchants de-
clare that taking into consideration the cost
of the transportation of Costile grain, of
A. h,,ll fh II
can -four will crush out the Spanish producI
in the Spanish West Indies. Cuba now con-
sumes SOC, 900 barrels of -four yearly-chiehy
Spanish, which enters free of duty, and pays
Tor it $12 per barrel.
Trade in American -four, burdened with
an extra duty OF 20 percentage since 1889, has
been completely wiped out to the advantage
of the Spanish product. Under thes new
convention the entry of American -four
prac.ically free from duty, will lower the
price to abont S6 per barrel, and will eItin-'
suish the importation of Spanish -four,
while increasing the Cuban consumption to
1,U00, 600 barrels yearly, all of which will
be American product. If the pressure of
Spanish interests had not been counteracted
by the demands of the Cuban commission of
notables, who were determined to obtain re-
ciprocity with the United States, Premier
Canovas would have declined to make such
concessions.
The prospect oil dangerous tension Of the
relations of Spain with Cuba and Porto
Rico resulting possibly in civil war obliged
the Government to sacrifice home industries
to colonial interests. Under the new con-
vention America will obtain kind of zol-
verein with the Spanish Antilles. Her
wheat, beans, -four, lard, petroleum, manu-
factured products and machinery will enter
practically free of 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 advantages resulting to Cuba
will be great, but it is impossible to estimate
the injury to Spanish trade.