New-York tribune., 1892-01-01
THE Trade OF A YEAR.
NEW MARKETS FOUND AND OLD ONES REL
GAINED.
THE BIGGEST FOREIGN TRADE IN THE COUNTRY >
H1sroRY-RAPIr PROGRESS OF RECIPROCITY
-BENEFYcTAL RESULTS ALREADY
vIsrBLE--FALsE PROPHECIES
OF FREE-TRADERS.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rnI

IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TkfBUSEI
Washington Dec. 21.-PIobably other year In
tho history of the United states has been marked by
so many important and beneficial incidents and
changes in respect to foreign trade and commerce rs
the year which expired to-day. Not only has the
amount Of imports and exports greatly exceeded that
Of any previous year and left heavier balance in
our favor than before, but the markets which had
long been shut against some Of the most important
American products have been reopened and markets
In which the sale OF American products had been
stfcted and made Improbable by heavy tariff duties,
which in several harshly Disseminated against
our producers and merchants, offer to them ad.
vantages which enjoyed by mo other competing
country. The efforts by which these grand results
have been achieved have been stubbornly opposed at
every step by the leaders and press OF great political
party, and the value OF the results themselves has
been denied apd misrepresented to an extent which
denoted blind, partisan magnity and dishonesty In
stead Of calm, decent criticism Of policy. Happily
for the country happily for the interests of truth and
decency, the results have already vindicated the
tight against the facts and figures instead Of against
theories OF policy, and some Of them have begun TO
realize the hOpelessness Of such a contest The
false prophets have not been stoned, bat their
prophecies longer excite any feeling one Of
derision and contempt; their absurd falsehoods and
misstatements no longer find believers among the
people whom they seek to deceive.
When the new Tariff law was enacted they declared
with al the emphasis of conviction that 1t would be
death-blUw to our foreign commerce; that retastory
legislation by European, countries would speedily fol
low; that imports would dwindle, and that Europe
would be both unwilling and unable to hy the surplus
products of the United States The third section Of
the law which provides for reciprocal trade agreements
between the United States and certain countries. they
drst hailed "freetradc idea' next denounced as
az humbug" and finally discovered to be gross and
wanton violation Of the Constitution OF the United
States. They opposed every step in the negotiation
Of reciprocity arrangements, and often was
concluded. either declared that it valeless to the
United States had been procured by fraud and mis-
representation the part of the Secretary Of state
After vainly opposing party in Congress and ont
of It, the enactment OF necessary legislation TO provide
for the inspection Of i've animals and meat products
designed for export in order to remove the last prote&
for the exclusion of those commodities by foresn coun
tas they shifted their ground and declared that no
European Government In view Of the enactment OF
tho hostile "infamous Mckinley" law. would reopen
itu ports to those products.
Well, reciprocity has not turned ont to be either q
froe trnde idea" or g humbug" The year ends with
srrangements concluded between the United states
and Brasil British Guiana and West Indies. Costa
Rica Germany, Guatemala, Salvador. Sar Domingo and
Spain and with negotiations pending, with promise Of
sn early and successful conclusion between the United
States and France and Mexico. In consideration OF
the free admission from those countries OF coffee,
ssess and hides, Of which is strictly non-cOmpet
ing product and the other two largely no, commercial
1Hvors Of Immense value have been and are 70 be
granted to the producers, merchants manufacturers
and shippers and carriers Of the United States Few
PERSONS comparatively, realize the extent to which our
commerce already been and in the future is TO be
affected BY these agreements and II Is pertinent here
to present the facts in such form that they may be
seen at ,lance. The following table shows First.
tho total value of sugar coffee and hides imported into
the United States from the countries and colonies
named during the year ended June 30, 1890: second,
the tota value the exports into the United states
from the same countries and colonies during he
year. The Kingdom of Hawaii Is included in this
table, because reciprocity treaty exists between the
Cnitcd States and that country.