Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-09-06
NEW HAVEN. CONN. MORNING, SEPTEMBER 1892.
courage of its sailors, in the carrying trade
of all the seas
RECIPROCAL TRADE.

courage of its sailors, in the carrying trade
of all the seas.
RECIPROCAL TRADE.
Another related measure, as furnishing
an increased ocean traffic for our ships,
and of great and permanent benefit to the
reciprocity declared by section 8 of the
tariff act of 1890 and now in practical
operation with five of the nations of Cen
trail and South America, San Domingo, the
Spanish and British India Islands and with
Germany and Austria, 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 chespening articles
used increasingly in every household was
also of such enormous advantage to the
countries exporting these articles, as to
suggest that in consideration thereof
reciprocal favors should be shown In their
tariffs to articles exported by us to their
markets. 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 these
trade arrangements. The work Of Great
luR ucT hkohClce hnu VI dPtlpk ouE
goods to new markets has necessarily
taken time; but the results already attained
are such, I am sure, as to establish in
popular favor the policy of reciprocal
trade, based upon the free importation Of
such articles as do not ipjuriuusly COM
pete with the products of our
own farms, mines or factories
in exchange for the free or favored intro
duction of our products into other coun-
tries. The obvious efficacy of this policy
in increasing the foreign trade of tine
United States at once attracted the alarmed
attention of European trade journals and
boards of trade The British board of
trade has presented to that government q
memorial asking for the appointment of a
commission to consider the best means of
counteraoting what is called ''the CONNER
cial crusade of the United States"
At meeting held in March last of the
associated chambers of commerce of Great
Britain the president reported that the ex-
ports from Great Britain to the Latin
American countries during the last year
had decreased $23, 750, 900, and that this
was not due to temporary causee, but di-
rectly to the reciprocity policy of the United
States. Germany and France have
afso shown their statistic appreciation
of the fact that a new and vigorous con-
testsnt has appeared in the battle of the
markets, and has already secured import
ant advantages. The most convincing
evidence of the tremendous CONNER
cial strength of our position Is found
in the fact that Great Britain and Spain
have found it necessary to make reciprocal
trade arrangements with us for their West
India colonies, and that Germany and
Austria have given us important con-
cessions in exchange for the continued free
importation of their beet sugar. A few
details only as to the increase of our trade
can be given here. Taking all the coun-
tries with which arraue ements have been
made, our trade to June 80, 1892, has in
creased 1888 per cent. With Brazil the
increase was nearly II per cent, with
Cuba, during the first ten months,
our exports increased $5. 702, 1893
or 54.S6, and with Porto Rico $500, 500
or "a per cent. The liberal participation
of our farmers in the benefits of this policy
is shown by the following report from our
consul general at Havsns, u der date July
26 last: During the fret half year of '91
Havana received 140, ,056 bags of flour from
Spain and other ports uf the island about
an equal amount, or approximately $780,
112 bags and during the same period
Havana received 1895 bags of American
-four, aud other ports an equal amount,
making about $4,000 bags" For the first
half of this year Spain has sent less than
1000 bags to the whole island, and the
United States has sent to Havana alone
1853, 4S7 bags, and about an equal amount
to other ports of the island, max
ing approximately 337, 900 for the
frst half of 1S91-1S92. Partly by
reason of the reciprocal trade
agreement but more largely by reason of
the removal of the sanitary restrictions
upon American pork our export of pork
products to Germany increased during the
ten months ending June 80 last 81, OPS, ,074,
or about 80 per cent.
The British Trade Journal of London in
recent issue speaking of the increase of
American coal exports and of the falling
off of the English coal exports to Cuba
says: "It Ia another case of American COM
petition. The United States now supply
Cuba with about 100, 900 tons of coal an
nually, and there is every prospect of this
trade increasing as the forests of the Island
become exhausted and the use of steam
machinery on the sugar isles is developed.
Alabama coal especially is securing repu-
tation in the Spanish West Indies, and the
river and rail improvements of the south
ern states will undoubtedly create
an important gulf trade. The new
reciprocity policy by which the United
States are enabled to import Cuban sugar
will of course assist the American coal ex
porters even more effectively than the new
lines of railway"
The democratic platform promises re-
peal of ths tariff law containing this pro-
vision, and especially denounces es a sham
reciprocity, that section of the law under
which these trade arrangements have been
made. If no other issue were involved in
the campaign this alone would give it
momentous Importance. Are the farmers
of the great growing states willing to sur
render these new, large and increasing
markets for their surplusl are We to have
nothing in exchange for the free impor-
tation of sugar and coffee and at the
same time to destroy the sugar planters of
the south and the beet sugar industry of
the northwest and of the Pacific COAST Or
are we to have the taxed sugar and coffee
which tariff for revenue only" necessa-
rily involves, with the added loss of the
new markets which have been openedi As
I have shown, our commercial rivals in
Europe do not regard this reciprocity pol
icy as a ''shame," but as q serious threat
to trade supremacy they have long en-
joyed. They would rejoice-and if pru-
dence did not restrain would illuminate
their depressed manufacturing cities
over the news that the United
States had abandoned its system
of protection and reciprocity. They
see very clearly that restriction of Ameri-
can products and a corresponding increase
of European production and trade would
follow and will not believe that what is
so plain to them can be hidden from eur
own people. The declaration of the plat
form in favor of "the American doctrine
of protection" meets my most hearty ap-
proval. The convention did not adopt q
schedule but principle that is to control
all tariff schedules. There may be differ
the rate upon particular articles necessary
abroad and at home. In some not remote
national campaigns the issue has been-or
more correctly, has been made to appear
to be - between a high and a
low protective tariff, both par
ties expressing some solicitious regard
for the wages of our working people and
for the prosperity of our domestic indus
tries. But, under n more courageous lead
ership, the the democratic party has now
practically declared that, If given power,
It will enact q tariff law without any re-
gard to its effect upon wages or upon
the capital invested in our great indus
tries. The majority report of the COM
mittee on platform to the democratic ma
tional convention at Chicago contained
this clause: "That when custom house
taxation is levied upon articles of any kind
produced in this country, the difference
between the cost of labor here and labor
abroad, when such difference exists, fully
measures any possible benefits to labor,
ond tho apormoua additional imnnsitiOna