The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-09-28

y
port. This contract will result In the con-
structi0D In American yards OF four new
passenger steamships of 10,000 tons each
costing about SS,000,0 5000, and will add TO
our naval reserve six steamships. the fast
est upon the sea. A 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
calico TO the advantages possessed by these
ports, and when their people are more fully
alive to their interests l do not doubt that
they will be able to secure the capital
needed to enable them TO profit by their
great natural advantages. The Demo-
cratic party has found no place in its plat
form for any reference TO this subject and
has shown its hostility to the general
policy by refusing TO eSpend an appropria-
zion made during the last administration
for ocean mail contracts with American
lines. The patriotic people, the workmen
IN Our shops, the capital seeking new en-
terprises, must decide whether the great
ships owned by Americans which have
sought American registry shall again hum
bly, ask place IN the English naval re-
serve the great ships now on the design
ers' tables 90 To foreign shipyards for con-
structiOn and the United States lose the
now Frightening opportunity ofrecOvering
place commensurate with its wealth, the
skill of its constructors and the courage of
its sailors in the carrying trade of the seas.
RECIPROCITY TREATIES.
Another related measure, as furnishing
an increased ocean traffic for our ships.
and of great and permanent benefit TO the
farmers and manufacturers as well, is the
reciprocity policy declared by section of
the tariff act of 1890 and now In prac-
teal operation with five OF the nations
of Central and South America, with san
Domingo, the Spanish and British Vest
India Islands, and with Germany and Aus
tria, under special trade arrangements
with each. 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 these articles as
10 suggest that in consideration thereof re-
clprOcal favorS should be shown in their tar
IFS to articles exported by us TO their mar
ketS. Great credit is due to Mr.. Blaine for
the vigor with which he pressed this view
upon the country. We have only begun to
realize the benefit of those trade arrange
ments. The work of creating new agen-
cies and of adapting our goods to new mar
kets has necessarily taken time, but the
results already attained are such, l am
sure. as TO establish in popular favor the
policy of reciprocal trade. based upon the
free importation of such articles as do not
lnjuriousy compete with the products of
our own farms, mines or factories, in eX-
change for the fee or favored introduction
of our produce IN ether countries.
EUROPE FEARS OUR RECIPROCITY.
The obvious efficacy of this policy in in =
creasing the foreign trade of the United
States at once attracted the alarmed at
tention of European trade journals and
boards OF trade. The British board OF
hos nracnntnA N TINT IN. MT n
memorial asking tor the appointment OF a
com mssion 70 consider the best means OF
counteracting what is called The CONNER
clal crusade of the United States" At q
meeting held in March last of the ASso-
Glazed Chambers OF Commerce of Great
Britain, the president reported that the
exports from Great Britain to the Latin
American countries during the last year
had decreased S23. 100000, and that this
was not due TO temporary causes but di-
rectly TO the reciprocity policy of tho
United States Germany and France have
also shown their startled appreciation of
the fact that new and vigorous contestant
has appeared III the battle Tor the markets
and has already secured important advan-
tages. The most convincing evidence of
the tremendous commercial strength OF our
position is found in the fact that Great
Britain and Spain have found ii necessary
TO make reciprocal trade agreements with
us tor their West india colonies and that
Germany and Austria have given us inn
portant concessions in exchange Cor the
continued free importation of their beet
sugar.
A few details only as to the increase of
our trade can be gwen here. Taking all
the countries with which arrangements
have been made. our trade to June 81, 1892
had increased 23.7S per cent. With Brazil
the increase was nearly III per cent; with
Cuba, during the first ten months, our eX-
ports increased So, 702. 1913 or 5l.S6 per cent,
and with Porto Rico S5y0,5y9 or 81 per
cent. The liberal participation of our far
merS in the benefits OF this policy is shown
by the following report from our consul
general at Havana under date of July 70
last: 'During the first half year of '91
Havana received l40,U56 bags of flour from
Spain and other ports of the island about
an equal amount, or approximately 2S0, III
bags. During the same period Havana re-
celved Is, 976 bags of American flour and
other ports approximately an equal
amount, making atout $4,000 bags. But for
the first half OF this year Spain has sent
less than Loo bags to the whole island and
the United States has sent to Havana alone
16S, 4S7 bags and about an equal amount to
other ports of the island, making approx
matcly 337, 900 for the first half or 1892"
AMERICAN PORK.
Partly by reason of the reciprocal trade
agreement but more largely by reason of
the removal of the sanitary restrictions up
on American pork. our export Of pork pro-
duets TO Germany increased during the ten
months ending juno 80 last $2,025.074 or
about 81 per cent. The British Trade Jour
nal of London, III q recent issue, speaking
of the increase of the American coal eX-
ports and of the falling Off OF the English
coal exports, says: ut is another case OF
American competition. The United States
now supplies Cuba with about 100000
tons of coal annually, and there is every
prospect of this trade increasing as the
forests of the island become exhausted and
the use of steam machinery OH the sugar
estates is developed. Alabama coal espe-
cially is securing reputation in the Span
lsh West Indies and the river and rail inn
provcmentS of the Southern states Will UNI
dou5tcdly make an important gulf trade.
The new reciprocity policy by which the
United States is enabled Ia import Cuban
sugar Will, of course, asslst the American
coal exporters even more effectively than
the new lines of railway"
DEMOCRATS PROMISE NO PROTECTION.
The Democratic platform promises q
repeal OF the tariff law containing this pro-
vision and especially denonnce as q sham
reciprocity that section of the law under
which these trade arrangements have been
made. Ii no other issue were involved in