New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-30
RECIPROCITY At CHICAGO.

The permanent RECIPROCITY treaty WIN Spa'n'
which will 60 into effect tomorrow, reduces
to absurdity tho declaration OF the Chicago
platform on this subject. In return for the
free market offered for the sugar and molasscs
of Cuba and Porto Rico there are heavy re-
auctions of duty on American food products,
agricultural staples and manufactures While
the transitOry schedule has been in force since
September 1, 1891, there has been material
increase in every class of exports from the
United States favored with reduction or re-
peal. The permanent treaty enlarges both the
free list and the schedules Of reduced duties.
II will involve material increase of American
trade with the Spanish West Indies, especially
as the advantages secured by treaty will be
exclusive after tomorrow, other commercial
conventions having been abrogated.
Now, what has the Democracy to say respect
ing Reciprocity? II begins by declaring that
trade interchange on the basis OF reciprocal
advantages to the countries participating is a
me-honored doctrine of the Democratic faith"
1t cannot be disputed that so far as Cuba and
the United States are concerned, the new con-
venton offers reciprocal advantages in a large
increase of trade on each side. This applies to
all the other conventions. Why, then, was not
Reciprocity accepted at Chicago as ga time
honored doctrine OF the Democratic faith?
The platform tries to explain the mystery.
eve denounce," it says, "the sham keci
procity- which juggles with the peoples desire
for enlarged foreign markets and frecr ex-
changes by pretending to establish closer trade
relations for country whose articles of export
are almost exclusively agricultural products
with other countries whose articles of export
arc also agricultural" We hope that Amcri-
can farmers will pay heed to this. The De-
mocracy objects to kind of Reciprocity which
benefits American agricultural interests. 1t
considers it sham Reciprocity to promote
the sale of American pork and wheat, butter
and cheese, breadstuffs and meat products, in
exchange for free market for the chief agri
cultural staple Of Cuba. There is too much
hayseed in this kind of Reciprocity to please
the Democracy Farmers and planters on
each side make too much out of it
But let us allow the Democracy to explain
why it disikes Reciprocity which favors agri-
cultural interests. 1t considers the policy a
sham because it is only good for farmers
"while erecting a custom house barrier OF pro-
tective tariff taxes against the richest coun-
tries in the world that stand ready to take our
entire surplus of products and to exchange
therefor commodities which are necessaries and
comforts of life among our own people" As
the list of countries with which Reciprocity
treaties have been negotiated includes Ger
many, France, Austria Hungary, Spain, Bra
zil, Central America, the British West Indies
and San Domingo, and correspondence is pend
ing with a number of other Governments, the
Democracy's limitations are easily understood.
Reciprocity it considers sham because it helps
farmers and is confined to "poor countries
like those named, and is not extended to rich
country like England which stands ready to
dump all its manufactures in the American
market! What the Democracy regards as
genuine Reciprocity is "a tariff for revenue
only" under which every industry now pro-
tected will be exposed to competition from
England.
Nevertheless, men and brethren, it would
be utterly impossible under "a tariff for reve-
nue. only" to maintain the treaty with Spain
or any other Reciprocity convention which
benefits American farmers and manufacturers
For proof we refer you to Lord Salisbury's
recent confession that England with its pres.
ent tariff cannot enter into Reciprocity engage
nents in any quarter of the world. What you