The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-09-06


to their markets. Great credit is due to
Mr. Blaine for the Higor with which he
pressed this 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 to new markets has necessarily
taken time, but the results already at
tanned are such, l aln sure, as to establish
i'll popular favor the policy of reciprocal
trade based upon the free importation Of
such articles as do not injuriously COM
pete with tho products of our own farlns,
mines or factories, i'll exchange for the
free or favored Introduction of our pro-
ducts into other countries. The Obvious
efficacy of this policy in increasing the
foreign trade of the United States ut
once attracted the alarmed attention OF
European trade Journals and boards of
trade. The British Board of Trade has
presented to that Government a memo
rial asking for the appointment of a COM
mission to consider the hest means of
counteracting what is called the COM
mcrcial crusade of the United States. AT
a meeting held in March last of the AS
Eociated Chambers of Commerce of Great
Britain, the President reported that the
exports from Great Britain 10 the
Latin-American countries during the
last year had decreased $23, 150,0 900, and
that this was not due to tenn
porary causes but directly to the
reciprocity policy of the United States.
Germany and France have also shown
their startled appreciation Of the fact
that new and vigorous contestant has
appeared in the battle of tho markets
and has already secured important ad-
vantages. The most convincing evidence
of the tremendous commercial strength
of our position is found in the fact that
Great Britain and Spain have found it
necessary to make reciprocal trade agree
ments with us for their West India col
onies, and that Germany and Austria
have given US important concessions in
exchange for the continued free importa-
ton of their beet sugar. A few details
only as to the increase of our trade can
be given here. Taking all the countries
with which such arrangements have been
made our trade to June 30, 1892, had in
creased 23. 79 per cent.-with Brazil the
increase was nearly IL per cent; with
Cuba during the first ten months our ex-
ports increased S., 1893, or 54.S6 per
cent, and with Porto Rico $500, $50, 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 Havana under date
of July 20 last: During the first half
year Of 1891 Havana received 14O.056
bags of flour from Spain and other ports
of the island about an equal amount, or
approximately 2S0, 1l2 bags.
During the same period Havana re-
ceived 1876 bags of American flour
and other ports approximately an equal
amount, making about 2S,000 bags
But for the first half of this year Spain
has sent less than 900 bags to the whole
island, and the United States has sent
~, ,1D l,nf ,,l 1n,,
an equal amount to other ports of tho
island making approximately 331 900
for the first half of 1922"
Partly by reason of the reciprocal
trade agreement, but more largely by
reason Of the removal of the sanitary re-
strictions upon American pork our ex-
port of pork products to Germany in
creased during the ten months ending
Juno 30 last So 25,074, or about 80 per
cent "g.. ...
The British Trade Journal of London,
speaking of the increase of American
coal exports and of the falling off of the
English coal exports to Cuba, says:
+ 1T is another case of American COM
petition. The United States now supply
Cuba with about $50, 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 estates is
developed. Alabama coal especially is
securing a reputation in the Spanish
West Indies, and the river and rail i'm
provements of the southern states will
undoubtedly create an important gulf
trade. The new reciprocity policy by
which tho United States are enabled TO
import Cuban sugar will Of course assist
the American coal exporter even more
effectively than the new lines of rail-
way" z-
The Democratic platform promises a
repeal of the tariff law containing this
provision, and especially denounces MS n
"sham reciprocity" that section of the
law under which these trade arrange
ments have been made. If no other is
sue were involved in the campaign, this
alone would give it momentous impor-
tance. Are the farmers of the great
grain-growing States willing to surren-
der these new, large and increasing mar
kets for their surplus? 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
necessarily involves, with the added loss
of the new markets which have been
openedf AS | have shown, our CONNER
cial rivals in Europe do not regard this
reciprocity policy as a sham" but as a
serious threat TO trade supremacy they
have long enjoyed. They would rejoice,
and, if prudence did not restrain. would
illuminate their depressed manufacture
ing cities, over the news that the United
States had abandoned its system of pro-
lection and reciprocity. They see very
clearly that restriction of American
production and trade, and correspond
ing increase Of European production and
trade would follow and | will not be-
ieve that what is 80 plain to them can
be hidden from our own people. The
declaration of the platform in favor of
"the American doctrine of protection"
meets my most hearty approval. The
convention did not adopt schedule but
a principle that is TO control all tariff
schedules.
There may be differences of opinion
among proetctionists as to the rate upon
particular articles necessary to effect an
equalization between wages 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 q high and low protective
tariff-both parties expressing some So
hcitous regard for the wages Of our
pVOpip anu lDI lHG prosperity OI
our domestic industries. But under
more courageous leadership the Demo-
cratic party has now practically declared
that If given power it will enact tariff
law without any regard to its effect
upon wages or upon the capital invested
in our great industries. The majority
report of the committee on platform to
the Democratic national convention at
Chicago contained this clause:
THAT when custom house taxation is
levied upon articles of any kind pro-
duced in this country the difference be-
tween the cost of labor here and labor
abroad, when such difference exists,
fully measures amy possible benefits
TO labor and the enormous additional
-. g