Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-09-29


costing about IS, 0000000, and will add to
our naval reserve six steamships, the fast
est upon the sea. A special interest has
Deen taken by me in the establishment of
| INES from our South Atlantic and gulf
ports; and, though my expectations have
not yet been realized, attention has been
calleu TO the advantages possessed by these
ports, and when their people are more fully
awe to their interests do not doubt that
they Will be able to secure the capital
needed to enable them to profit by their
great natural advantages. The Demo
cratic party has found no place in its plat
form for any reference to this subject and
mas shown its hostility to the general
pollcy by refusing to expend an appropria-
| tlon made during the last administration
| IOr ocean mail contracts with American
lines. The patriotic people, the workmen
| IN our shops, the capital seeking new en-
terprlses, must decide whether the great
| SHIPS owned by Americans which have
sought American registry shall again hum
| bly, ask place in the English naval re-
serve the great ships now on the design
ers' tables go to foreign shipyards for con-
structiOn and the United States lose the
now Frightening opportunity of recovering
| a place commensurate with its wealth. the
skill OF its constructors and the courage of
It's sailors in the carrying trade of the seas.
| RECIPROCITY TREATIES.
Another related measure, as furnishing
|
and OF great and permanent benefit to the
| farmers and manufacturers as we'll, is the
reciprocity policy declared by section of
the tariff act of 1890 and now in prac-
tical operation with five OF the nations
OF Central and South America, with San
Domingo, the Spanish and British w est
India Islands, and with Germany and Aus
| tria, 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 cheapening
articles used increasingly in every house
hold, was also of such enormous advantage
| to the countries exporting these articles as
to suggest that in consideration thereof re-
clprOcal favors should be shown in their tar
| ifs to articles exported by us to their mar
kets. 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 those trade arrange
ments. The work of creating new agen-
ces and of adapting our goods to new mar
kets has necessarily taken time, but the
| results already attained are such, | am
sure. as to establish in popular favor the
policy of reciprocal trade, based upon the
tree importation. of such articles as do not
injuriousiy compete with the products of
| our own farms, mines or factories, in eX-
change for the free or favored introduction
OF our produce IN other countries.
EUROPE FEARS OUR RECIPROCITY.
| The obvious efficacy of this policy in in
creaSing the foreign trade of the United
States at once attracted the alarmed at
tention OF European trade journals and
boards OF trade. The British board OF
| trade has presented to that government a
memorial asking for the appointment OF
commission TO consider the best means of
counteracting what is called ''the CONNER
cial crusade of the United States" At
meeting held in March last OF the Asso-
Glazed Chambers OF Commerce of Great
Britain, the president reported that the
American countries during the last year
had decreased $685. $50, 900, and that this
was not due to temporary causes but dl-
rectly 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 for the markets
| and has already secured important advan-
tages. The most convincing evidence OF
| the tremendous commercial strength OF our
| position is found in the fact that Great
| Britain and Spain have found 1T necessary
| to make reciprocal trade agreements with
| us tor their West India colonies and that
Germany and Austria have given us i'm
pOrtant concessions in exchange tOr 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 countries with which arrangements
have been made. our trade to June ~, 1892,
had increased 1918 per cent. With Brazil
the increase was nearly III per cent; with
Cuba during the first ten months, our eX-
ports increased SIS, 702. 1913 or 81. ST per cent,
and with Porto Rico $500, 500 or 81 per
cent The liberal participation OF our far
mers in the benefits OF this policy is shown
by the following report from our consul
general at Havana under date of July 26
~ 1Nnri nr
Havana received 140O56 bags of flour from
Spain and other ports OF the island about
an equal amount, or approximately zoO,l12
bags. During the same period Havana re-
ceived 1895 bags OF American hour and
other ports approximately an equal
amount, making about q, 900 bags. But for
the first half of this year Spain has sent
less than 600 bags to the whole Island and
the United States has sent to Havana alone
1913, 487 bags and about an equal amount TO
other ports of the island, making approx
matcly 337, 900 for the first half OF 1872"
AMERICAN PORK.
Partly by reason of the reciprocal trade
agreement but more largely by reason Of
the removal of the sanitary restrictions up
on American pork. our export OF pork pro-
duets to Germany increased during the ten
months ending June 80 last S2,O25.Ol4 or
about 50 per cent. The British Trade Jour
nal of London, IN recent issue, speaking
norts and of the falling Off OF the English
coal exports says: lit is another case of
American competition. The United States
now supplies Cuba with about l5O,oOo
tons of coal annually. and there is every
nrosnect 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 espe-
cially is securing reputation in the Span
lsh West Indies and the river ana ran I'M
movements of the Southern states will I'M
doubtedly make an important gulf trade.
The new reciprocity policy by which the
United States IS enabled TO import Cuban
sugar will, of course, assist the American
coal exporters even more enecti'els tnan
the new lines of railway"
DEMOCRATS PROMISE NO PROTECTION.
The Democratic platform promises
reneaI of the tariff law containing this pro-
vision and especially denounce as sham
reciprocity that section of the law under