Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-28
REAP|NG A HARVEST,
Fresh Trade Figures Show
Reciprocity Is Profit
ing Uncle Sam.
NEW TREATIES IN HAND.
William E. Curtis Recounts the His
tory of the Movement
GRANT TOOK THE FIRST STEPS.
The Story Of How Blaine Smashed His Hat
in Senate Room.
NEW TREATIES IN HAND.
GRANT TOOK THE FIRST STEPS.
DUTIES OF THE AMERICAN MERCHANTS

The following plain statement of fact con
cerning the reciprocity treaties contain
news of interest never heretofore published
It is officially authentic, having been pre-
pared at the State Department by Mr. Will
lam E. Curtis, Chief of the Bureau of tn,
American Republics, than whom nobody i
nearer Mr.. Blaine, and having then beer
submitted to Mr.. Blaine in person for hil
approval That approval makes it practi
cally his own utterance:
The present endeavor to extend the ex
port trade of the United States in the Latin.
American Republics and colonies BY mean.
of reciprocity treaties was inaugurated in
1852. Railway communication having been
opened with Mexico, it was believed tha.
the geographical and political relations be.
tween the two countries, as well as their
commercial welfare, justified mutual con.
cessions in customs duties General
Ulysses S. Grant and William Henry
Trescott, representing this Government, and
Mattas Romero and Enstanislao Canedo,
representing the Republic Of Mexico, nego-
chandise from the United States was to be
admitted free of duties into Mexico and GER
tain products of that country were to be ad-
mitted free into the United States. The
rsti6cations were exchanged en- MAY 20,
1884, and formal proclamation of that fact
made on June following, but although the
limit Of time was twice extended by diplo-
matte negotiations the Congress of the
United States failed to enact the legislation
necessary to carry it into effect, and the
treaty fell valueless upon May 20, 1887.
Two More Treaties Died in the Senate.
In 1884 John W. Foster, then Minister to
Spain, negotiated similar treaty with that
Government, acting in behalf of its Ameri-
can colonies, Cuba and Puerto Rico. A
third treaty was negotiated by Mr. Ere
linghuysen, then Secretary of State, with
Don Manuel j. Galvan, plenipotentiary ap-
pointed for that purpose by the Govern
ment of Santo Domingo. Both of these
treaties failed to receive the sanction of the
Senate of the United States
During the same year CSS4), under the
authority Of Congress, President Arthur ap-
pointed a commission ''to ascertain the best
modes of securing more intimate interna-
tional and commercial relations between the
United States and the several countries of
Central and South America" This COM
mission was composed of George b. Sharpe.
of New York, Thomas c. Reynolds, of Mis-
souri,, and Solon o. Thacher, of Kansas.
with William E Curtis as Secretary. Mr.
Sharpe having resigned in March, 1855, Mr..
Curtis was appointed by President Cleve-
land to succeed him. This commission
visited the several American republics with
instructions a. to ascertain by inquiry the
opinions Of merchants actually engaged in
trade concerning the most practicable means
Of promoting commerce with the United
States; ~ to confer with the several gov
ernments as to the advisability of holding
an international American conference. and
obtain their views as to what topics should
be discussed at such gathering, and 90 to
Initiate reciprocity treaties similar to those
already arranged with Mexico and Spain
with such of the American republics as de-
sired TO enter into negotiations for that
purpose.
The international Conference,
The commission returned to Washington
and made its report With a single ex-
ception the governments visited expressed
into reciprocal arrangements with the |
United States and in several cases definite |
understanding was reached and protocols |
exchanged. |
Ihe commission recommended that an in |
ternatlonal conference be held at Washing |
ton, to which all of the republics visited |
had consented to send delegates, and list |
OF topics for consideration was submitted. |
On the 10th of May, 1888, bill was passed |
by Congress to carry out that recommends |
tlon. Among the other topics announced |
Lor discussion was Measures toward the /
formation of an American Customs Union |
under which the trade of the Amer;c,n
nations with each other shall, so far as pos
slble and profitable, be promoted"
The conference was held, reciprocal trade
relations were proposed and a favorable ex-
preston obtained from Is of II. Chile
nno the Argentine insisted that the coarser
Wools De admitted free, and held out on
thst account. The public is familiar with
the communications incident to the presen-
tation OF the reciprocity amendment to the
tarln Dill, both from President Harrison
ana secretary Blaine. 1t was positive
proposltlon, making the removal of the
sugar auty and the retention of other
troplcal products upon the free list of our
1SrIu 1SI contlngent upon the granting of equiv
alent concessions in favor of the nrodncts
Of the United States. This amendment. not
having been accepted by the COMMITTEES on
ways and Means of the House of Repre-
sentatlVes, was afterward introduced in the
Senate by Mr.. Hale, of Maine. at the in
stance OF the Secretary of State, and referred
10 the Committee on Finance, when If re-
celVed more favorable consideration.
Secretary Blaine Was Angry.
On the 18th Of June occurred what was
sfterward widely advertised as sstbe hat
episode" in the room of the Com.
nittee on Appropriations of the Senat.
Mr.. Blaine appeared before the sub-com.
nittee in charge Of the diplomatic and con-
ular bill for the purpose of explaining tn.
,stimates for appropriations required IN ,
complete the work and carry out the recon-
nendations of the International American 4
Conference. There were present Mr.. ALL Y
on, Mr.. Hale, Mr.. Blackburn, who COM
'osed the subcommittee, and three or four !
ther gentlemen. His business with the
ommittee having been completed, Mr..
Elaine was about to leave, when some one
sked him what be expected to accomplish
y what is popularly known ss ''the Pan
American movement"
Turning impulsively he declared that
othing could be accomplished If Congress
insisted upon ignoring the grandest oppor- i
unity that was ever offered to extend the 4
xport trade of the United States; and then :
e proceeded to explain the folly of re- 4
loving the duty upon sugar without re- I
uiring corresponding concessions from the q
lgar growing nations in favor of the agri-i /
1itural and mechanical products of the )
tateS The duties upon coffee, rubber apd I