The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-09-06

in consideration of agreements to
construct the shipS SO az to
adapt them for carrying an armament n
60 turn them over to the governments on
demand upon such specified terms 1t VIII
be plain to every IntelligentsAmerican that
II the United States would have such lines
q similar policy must be entered upon.
The tifty-first Congress enacted such q
law, and. under It's beneficent influence.
sixteen American steamships, of an aggre-
gate tonnage of 80. 400 tons. costing e1,4O0,-
0S0. have been built or contracted to be
built in American ship-yards. In addition
to this it 10 now practically certain that
We shall soon have under the American
flag one of the finest lines sail
Ing out of New York for any European
port. This contract will result in the con-
struction In American yards OF four new
passenger steamships of 1000 tons each.
costing about SS.O00.000 and Will add to our
naval reserve SIX steamships-the fastest
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 real
lied. attention has been called TO the ad-
vantages 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
ad vantages.
The Democratic party has found no place
y
subject and mas shown it's hostility TO the
general policy by refusing to extend an
appropriation maze during the last admin
istration for ocean mail contracts with
American lines. The patriotic people, the
wOrknlen In oar shops. the capitalists seek
ing new enterprises. must decide whether
the great ships owned by Americans. which
have sought American registry, shall again
humbly ask q place In the English navai
reserve, the great ships now on the de-
signers' tables go to foreign shops for con-
struction and the United states lose the
now Frightening opportunity of recover
ing a place commen Snrate with its wealth.
the skill pitts constructors and the courage
of It's sailors, in the carrying rad of all
the seas.
RECIPROCITY's GREAT BENEFITS.
Another related measure astonishing an
increased ocean traffic for our ships and of
great and permanent benefit to the farm
ers and manufacturers as we'll. is the reci-
| procity policy declared by Section 3 of
the tariff act Of 1890, and nov in practical
operation with five OF the nations of Gen.
trail and South America. San Domingo,
the Spanish and British West India islands
and with Germany and Austria, under spe-
clal trade arrangements with each.
The removal of the duty on sugar and the
continuance of coffee and tea on the free
list. while giving great relief TO our own
pOOpiO ~ ltttA ocS0 III
creasingly in every household. was also of
such enormous advantage to the countries
exporting the 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 ne pressed this view upon the
country We have only begun to realize
tie benefit of these trade arrangements.
The work of creating new agencies and OF
A0AnftnU nnr HnnhS tn nRW nlaFkafa hQA
necessarily taken time; but the results al
ready attained are such, / am sure. as TO
establish in popular favor the policy of re-
clprocal trade. based upon the free lnl-
portatiOn OF such articles as do not injuri-
Onsly compete with the products OF our
farms, mines or factOries.
The obvious efficacy of this policy In in
creasinR the foreign trade of the United
States at once attracted { Q attention of
European trade journals and boards of
trade. The British Board of Traue has
presented to that government . memorial
asking for the appointment of q commits
sion TO consider the beat means OF counter
acting what is called 'The commercial cru
sade of the United States" Alta meeting
held in March last of the associated cham
beers OF commerce of Great Britain the pres
idents represented that the expectation
from Great Britain TO the Latin-America
creased SIS. 75O.0 900 and that rhIs was not
due to temporary causes, but directly to
the reciprocity policy OF the United
States.G ermanyandF France have also shown
their startled appreciation of the fact that
anew and vigorous contestant has appeared
In the battle of the markets, and has al
ready secured important advantages. The
most convincing evidence of the tremen-
dous commercial strength of our position is
tonne IN the fact that Great Britain and
Spain have found 1t necessary to make
reciprocity treaty arrangements with Us
for their West India colonies. and that Ger
many and Austria have given us Important
CONCESSIONS in exchange for the continued
free Importation of their beet sugar.
THAT MEAN SOMETHING.
A few data 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 30, 1892, had
increased %. 7S per cent; with Brazil the
increase was nearly IL per cent; with
Cuba, during the trst ten months. our ex-
ports increased S., 7O2. 1873. or 54.s sc per cent,
and with Porto Rico "a per cent. The lib
eral participation of our farmers In the
benefits of this policy is shown by the fol-
lowing report from our consul general at
Havana. under date OF July 70 last:
During the first half year of 1891 Havana re-
ceived l40.O56 bags or Hour from Spain and
other ports of the island about an equal amount,
or approximately 250,1l2 bags. During the
same period Havana received 1876 bags OF
American NOur anu Othef ports approximately
an equal amount, making about $4,000 bags.
But for the first half of this year Spain has sent
less than 1000 bags TO the Whole island; and the
| United states has sent 70 Havana alone les, 4s7
bags and about an equal amount TO other ports
OF the island, making approximately 337 900
for the first half OF 1892.
Partly by reason of the reciprocal trade
agreement. but more largely by reason of
the removal of tho sanitary restrictions
upon American pork. our export of pork
products TO Germany increased during the
ten months ending June 80 last S2,025 ,074, or
about 81 per cent.
The British Trade Journal, of London. in
q recent lssue. speaking of the increase Of
| American coal ex ports. and OF the falling
Oft of tho English coal exports to Cuba,
says:
1t Is another case of American competition.
The United States now supplies Cuba with about
| 10000 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 devel-
reputation In the Spanish West Indies, and the
river and rail improvements OF the Southern
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
exporter even more effectively than the new lines
OF railways.
The Democratic platform promises q re-
peal of the tariff law containing this pro-
vision, and especially d%enounces AS 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 IL mo-
mentous Importance. Are the farmers of
the great grain-grOwIng States willing to