Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-09

The Senate Likely to BE Called UpoI
to Consider the Matter-How 1t Oper
ates in Hamburg, Germany.
WASHINGTON, April 9--It is probabl,
that either Senator Sherman or Senator
Chandler will introduce in the senate
! proposition which will, if it becomes
law, reyolutionize manufacturing inter
ests in this country. The suggestion
was first made to Secretary Foster last
fall by Mr.. Rosewater, editor of the
Omaha Bee. 1t is the free port privi
leges which pertain at Hamburg, Ger
many.
How 1t Works at Hamburg.
Germany has the same protective
tariff laws that the United States has. BY
a special act of the reichstag, a portion
of Hamburg was set apart from the city
proper. into which ships might come and
go at will, bringing raw materials to be
manufactured, and carrying out the
manufactured articles; into which
machinery could also come at free will,
all free of duty, and the commercial
interests of the city in general,
or that part of it set aside as a
free port, would be as free from
import duties and commercial laws of
the country as if they were conducted
on the banks of England's Clyde. A
canal marked that line, upon one side Of
which the customs duties, etc, were
effective, while upon the other they
were as free as could be imagined
The operation of Hamburgs free port
has been very satisfactory. The city
has grown immensely A very large
foreign trade has been cultivated. The
raw materials come in free and also
machinery for the manufacture. The
work is done by natives who spend most
of their money for articles which pay
duties.
The operatives and proprietors live
mostly in the protective part Of the city,
pay taxes, and are subject to the laws of
Germany, The civil authorities control
the free port portion Of Hamburg the
same as the other portion,
Whenever it is desired to sell any of
the articles manufactured at the free
port they go through the hands of the
customs officers the same as if they had
been imported. A wall or canal sur
rounds all of that portion of the free port
not exposed to navigation, so that it is
no easier to smuggle than it would be at
any other port.
What 1t is Proposed to Do.
1t is proposed to pass law by con-
gress which will establish certain condi-
tions precedent TO the location of free
port at any point in this country. At
first it was thought that the provision
in the federal constitution which pro-
vides that no privilege in commerce
shall be given one city, state or section
which is denied other cities or sections
would bar out this scheme, for it was
thought to be necessary to name the
cities i'll the law which should be free
ports if they wished.
But it has been decided that general
law may be passed, setting up general
conditions and requirements which any
city-probably only those having nayi-
cation leading to the ocean-Can com
ply with and become free port for
manufacturing purposes, 1t would, of
course cost a great deal of money to
make Preparations for free port, and
only few cities would take advantage
of the opportunity,
1t may be asked why, if a single free
port would be good for a city or the
country, it would not be good to make
all cities free ports, or make the entire
country free port? The proposition to
make few cities free ports or as many
as want them, is to utilize our resources
in the way of labor and materials in
manufacturing for foreign markets.
These free ports would, presumably, be
devoted to the manufacture Of goods for
foreign markets.
If any Of their products were con-
sumed in this country, as they would
be, they would pay duties as now and
we would be having the advantage of
the low prices without lowering the
standard Of wages, At present we buy
imported articles made by hands not fed
in this country, which owe no allegiance
to our flag, and we have no control over
the production. Under the free port
system there would be no free trade !
whenever the trade was to be with our
country.
So long as the trade was conducted /
with articles made from imported !
materials in the free port or in part of |
our products there would be no restric- |
tons, In short, every trade advantage |
would be on our side. With free trade /!
articles manufactured in foreign coun- |
tries, by pauper labor, often, would be |
shipped here free of duty to take the |
place of articles produced i'll whole by |
our labor.
With free port we would furnish all |
the labor, great deal of raw material, |
and yet none of the products made from |
free materials imported would be sold |
in competition to those produced in |
whole in this country unless they paid |
the duties now imposed.
Regarded with Suspicion Mt First
When the proposition was first made |
at the treasury department it was re-
ceived with suspicious. Then it perco- |
lated the official heads, and was SO well I
regarded that 1t was believed that Secre- |
tary Foster would recommend 1t in his .
annual report. There We're many other .
important subjects occupying his atteu- /
ton and it went over. A number of .
leading senators have been investigating .
the subject and recognize its merits. One |
of them will introduce it soon.
1t would have appeared earlier in this .
session, but no one had it in definite /
shape and no one appeared to have the .
genius or the time TO formulate the bill. .
1t is not believed there would be many |
free ports opened under the bill, but .
enough to demand an enormous increase |
of our raw material output and make .
heavy drafts upon our labor,
New York, Boston, Baltimore, Char .
lesion. New Orleans. San Francisco. Du- .
luth, Chicago and possibly few other +.
cities situated on the coast or having .
lake connections with The ocean. would F.
comply with the requirements and un-
dertake the mauufa"tare Of goods for .
foreign markets, with the advantage Of .
free materials from abroad whenever |
needed.
The idea is - make the incoming and .
Fl ,.Ii,,z or,1 eavAnpg N frap I