New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-25
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE RECIPROCITY POLICY.
SPLENDID WORK OF PRESIDENT HARRISON.
ZEAL WITH WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION HAS
PUSHED THE NEGOTAuoNs-How FOREIGN
TRADE HAS BEEN EXTENDED.
,sr TELEGRAPH TO TIE rk,HuNE.,


TRADE HAS BEEN EXTENDED.
,Br TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE,
| Washington, May 24.-Thc reciprocity agree
| ment between the United States and the Republic
| of Honduras, which was proclaimed by President
Harrison April %, will go into effect tomorrow.
| and the agreement with Guatemala, which was
proclaimed May Is, will become operative on
May 30. The agreement with Costa Rico. which
was concluded some time ago, will he proclaimed
official notice of it's ratification by tho
Congress of that Republic has been received Like
agreements have already been proclaimed between
the United States and the other Central American
States-Salvador and Nicaragua. The agreement
with Salvador has been in force since February
and that with Nicaragua since April is.
These facts show that there has been abate-
ment Of the energy and zeal with which President
Harrison and his Administration entered upon the
work authorized by the reciprocity provision of the
Tariff act of October /, 1890. That work was
promptly begun, and within three months after
the approval of the act Brazil had sgniled her
willingness to enter into reciprocity agreement.
which went into effect April /, 1891, only six
months from the date of the act. Since that time
agreements have been concluded not only with all
the Central American States, but with Spain.
covering the trade with Cuba and Porto Rico:
with the Dominican Republic with Germany:
with Great Britain for the British West Indies
and British Gniana and with France, although
the agreement with the country last named has
not yet been proclaimed.
Each and all Of these agreements have re-
moved obstacles which had seriously hindered
and. in the case of some countries prevented the
/ extension of the export trade of the United
States in agricultural and other products. This
is especially true of the British and Spanish West
India colonies where the discrimination against this
country was most harsh and burdensomc. TIE
negotiation of these agreements has involved not
only vast amount of labor in arranging details,
but the consideration and solution Of many grave
and perpexins questions Of general nature
questions which complicated and affected
by treaty and commercial relations between the
countries with which agreements made and
other countries. As we'll as by the revenue require
mcnts and necessities of the former 1t is well
known that the President has evinced an active
interest in these difficult questions from the be-
ginning, and that fair and satisfactory solu-
tion Of them. in many cases, has been due, in
large degree, to his firmncss and sagacity. This
much it is due to President Harrison to say, and
it he said without dsparagcment to others
who have contributed much to the success OF
the policy of reciprocity
Never before in the history of the Nation has
y
period The policy was initiated less than twenty
months ago. and already its benefits are felt and
realized by all the people of the United States,
as well 4, by the people of the countries which have
accepted its conditions 1t is already so firmly es-
| tablishcd TO he beyond the danger Of partisan
assault, and it is becoming more firmly and deeply
| rooted day by day. Six months ago Democrats in
Congress were fierce to attack it, They are not
quick to learn. but most of them have already
discovered that discretion is the better part Of vaor
| in this case They realize that it is too late to
| cheat the people with false assertions and cheap
| rhetoric after the truth has become known. When
many shiploads Of American corn, wheat. -four,
pork and other products are sent to any country
where only one shpload sent before, that fact
controls opinioa and even partisan demagogues in
| Congress are silcnced, ii not convinced.
| Facts of that sort are coming to the surface
| every day Here is one. The reciprocity agree
mont between the United States and Germany
has been in force since February L. 1t covers
! articles the exports Of which from the United
| States to Germany in twelve months ended June
so, 1891, amounted to $5,79l 900. In the first
two months after the reciprocity agreement went
into efrcct-February and March, ls92-the eX-
ports of four articles covered by the arrangement
corn. wheat, wheat-hour and pork-amounted to
| 81, 900, O0O or only IL per cent less than tho
| exports Of all the articles included IN II duin9
| an entire year prior t. the agreement IL Is true
| that ii increase in the exports oi pork was due
! in par, 10 the removal of the prohibition against
that product, hut the total exports OF the other
| three articles named amounted, for the months
! of FEBRUARY and March, 1892, to the snug sum OF
S45l I. .OOO which was only Si,274,0oo less than
| the total exports of all articles included in the
reciprocity asrecmcnt during the year ended June
| 80. 1891 Moreover the increase in the exports
| of corn, wheat and wheat-fiour during FEBRUARY
and March 1892, as compared with the correspond
| ING months Of 1891 amounted TO 81. 265,00
| iIere is another fact. Under the reciprocity
agreement with Cuba. the rates of duty on wheat,
flour corn, corpmeal, refined petroleum, butter,
| cheese and boots and shoes produced in and
exported from the United States were reduced
| from and after January l. 1892. In the first
| three months after this reduction became opera
| five the exports of wheat -four and corn from
the United States TO Cuba amounted TO 81 ,O64,-
| SOL as compared with $3l 6,65l for the CORES
| ponding period Of 1891. This was an increase
| in three months Of S147,9l0. or more than 300
rcr cent at the Of about 50, ,00O, 900 year
| on two agricultural product, alone.
In the face of facts like these, IL is IDLE for
| Democrats longer to denounce what they havo
been fond of trying to stigmatize as "humbug
reciprocity Indeed. signs are not wanting that
| many of the Democrats realize that they were
| guilty. Of folly in doing aud they prefer to
drop the subject at least until after the adjourn
ment of Congress