The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-06

balance of trade which the treasury book.
show is largely reduced by the tribute
| which we pay for freight and passage
money.
The great ships, the fastest upon the
SEAS which now in peace are probing by
our trade are in sense warships of their
respective governments, and in time o1
war would, under existing contracts with
those governments, speedily take on guns
| for which their decks are already prepared
| and enter with terrible efficiency upon the
| work of destroying osr commerce. The
undisputed fact is that the great steam
| ship lines of Europe were built up and are
government aid, the latter taking the
| form of liberal pay for earring the mails
| or an annual bonus given IN consideration
| OF agreements TO so construct the ships Tor
carrying armament and to turn them
over to the government on demand upon
| specified terms.
1t was plain to every intelligent Ameri-
can that if the United States would have
| such lines similar policy must be entered
upon. The Fifty-frst congress enacted
such law, and under its beneficent inf1u-
ence sixteen American steamships of an
aggregate tonnage of 57,40O tons and
costing 81 400, 600 have been built or con-
tracted to be built in American ship yards.
In addition to this, 1t is now practically
certain that we shall soon have under the
American flag one Of the finest lines OF
steamships sailing out OF New York for
any foreign port This contract will re-
suit in the construction in American yards
of four new passenger steamships costing
about IS, 000, ,000 and will add to our naval
reserve six steamships, the best upon the
sea- Special interest has been taken by
me in the establishment of lines from our
south Atlantic and gulf ports, and,
though my expectations have not yet been
realized, attention has been called TO the
advantages possessed by these ports
When their people are more fully alive to
their interests | do not doubt that they
viii be able to raise the capital needed to
enable them to profit by their great
natural advantages.
The Democratic party has found no place
in its platform for any reference TO this
subject, and has shown its hostility to
the general policy bysrefusing to eXpend
the appropriation made under the last ad-
ministration for ocean mail contracts with
American lines. A patriotic people, work
men in our shipyards and capitalists seek
ing new enterprises, must decide whether
the great ships owned by Americans which
have sought American registry shall again
humbly ask place in the English naval
reserve. The great ships now on the de-
signers' tables will 90 to foreign sbip-yards
for construction, and the United States
will lose the now Frightening opportunity
Of recovering a place commensuratewith its
wealth, the skill of its constructors and the
courage of its Sailors in the carrying trade.
RECIPROCITY.
OF all these as another related measure
in the furnishing of increased ocean traffic
for the ships and of great and permanent
benefit to farmers and man nufacCurers as
well, is the reciprocity policy declared by
% E@l. s Il
in practical operation with five OF the
nations of Central and South America
San Domingo, the Spanish and British
West Indies-and with Germany and
Austria, under special trade arrangements
with BOTH The removal of the duty on
sugar and the continuance of coffee and
tea upon the free list, while giving great
relief to our own people by cheapening
articles used increasingly in every house
hold, was also Of such enormous advantage
TO the countries exporting those articles
as to suggest that, i'll consequence thereof,
reciprocal favors should be shown in their
tariffs to articles secured as TO their
markets.
Great credit is due to Mr.. Blaine for the
vigor with which be impressed that view
upon the country. We have only begun
to realize the benefit of these trade
arrangements. The work of creating new
agencies and of adapting our goods 10 new
markets has necessarily taken time; but
the results already attained are such, am
sure. as to establish in particular favor the
policy of reciprocal trade based upon the
free importation of such articles do not
injuriously compete with the products of
our own farms, mines or factories, in eX-
change for the free or favored inLroduc.
tion of our products into other countries.
The obvious efficacy OF this policy in in
creaslng the foreign trade of the United
States at once attracted the alarm and at
tention of European trade journals and
boards of trade. The British board o.
trade presented to that government me-
mortal asking for the appointment OF a
to consider the best means of
what is called "the COM
mercial crusade of the United States" At
Il meeting held in March last of the associ-
ated chamber of commerce of Great Brit
ain the president reported that the exports
from Great Britain to the LatinAmerican
during the last year had de-
creased SOB, 750, ,000 and that this was not
due to temporary causes, but directly to !
the reciprocity policy of the United States. |
Germany and France have also shown |
their startled appreciation of the fact that |
a new and vigorous contestant has aD-
peared in the battle of markets and has |
already secured important advantages.
The most convincing evidence of the |
position is found in the fact that Great |
Britain and Spain have found it necessary
TO make reciprocal trade agreements with |
us for their West Indian colonies, and |
that Germany and Austria have given US
important conces sions in exchange for the
free importation of their beet
sugar. Taking ali countries with which |
arrangements have been made, our trade
to June 80, 1892, had increased 237 per
cent. With Brazil the increase was nearly
IL per cent; with Cuba, during the first
ten months our exports increased s., 102,-
l23. or 81 50 per cent, and with Porto Rico
$3.50 500, or "a per cent The liberal par
ticipatlon OF our farmers in the benefits of |
this policy Is shown by the following re-
port from our consul general at Havanr,
under date of July 80, last:
During the first half of the year 1891
Havana received 10000 bags of -four from
spain and the other ports of the island
about an equal amount, or approx
mately, 2S0,ll2 bags. During the same
period Havana received 1896 bags of
American flour and other ports approxi-
matelY an equal amount, making about
,, 600 bags. But for the first half of this
year Spain has sent less than 1000 bags to
the whole island, while the United States
has sent TO Havana alone los, ,4S7 bags and |
about an equal amount to the other ports
Of the island. making the approximated
amount $4,000 bags for the first half of
1892"
Partly by reason of the reciprocal trade
agreement, but more largely by reason of |
the removal OF the sanitary restrictions
upon American pork. our exports of pork
products to Germany increased during the
ten months ending June 90 last s., OPS, ,074,
Or about b per cent
The British Trade Journal of London, in
a recent issue. speaking of the Increase Of |
American coal exports and the falling of
ot English coal exports to Cuba, SAYS that
Is h..- If A