Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-03-09
FIGURES COMPARED.
THEY PROVE THAT RECIPROCITY
DICkERlNG is A FAILURE.

Thiohe commerce w III iahe ShTe OF ltsett.
The report of the treasury bureau of
statistics on the foreign commerce of the
country for the last fiscal year has Just
been Q blished 1t is largely compila-
ton of facts which have already been
given to the public in the various
monthly reports, but it contains some
comparisons which are of interest as
bearing upon the commercial policyof
the United States. These are of special
Importance at this time, when we are
about to adopt a policy very different
from that which has been pursued.
For instance, it appears not only that
the people of Europe are our best Gus
toners, but that they are relatively bet
ter customers than they were under the
Walker free trade tariff, for in 1899
they took $3.50 per cent. of our domestic
exports, whereas in 1860 they took only
1928 per cent. Five Of those countries
Great Britain, Germany, France, Bel
GUM and the Netherlands-took ~ 40
per cent. of our exports last year, or
more than three-fourths, while Great
Britain alono took 4S.62 per cent, or
nearly one-half. The five countries
named took $7S7, 5000 in round fig
ures out of a total of $1,015, ZOO, 600 ex-
ported.
And yet the Republican tariff sched-
ules from beginning to end are con-
structed in spirit of hostility to those
countries whose "pauper laborers' buy
much the greater part of what we have
to sell. Last year we imported from
30 H. e
S329, 100000, OF nearly $65,000,o00 less
than one-half the value of the COM
modities they bought from us. Our ex-
ports to them exceeded our imports from
them by $45S, 100000 We sold them
S160, 800, 900 worth more last year than
we did the year before, but bought from
them $59, 400, 900 less. The chief of the
bureau of statistics seems to delight in
this showing, because perhaps it is an
outcome of the Republican policy of
reciprocity"
Speaking of reciprocity, Chief Brock
devotes considerable space to the sub
ject. He gives table to begin with,
showing the changes in our trade with
the countries south of us in 1892 as COM
pared with 1891 and 1890. This table
shows an excess of imports from all
those countries over exports of $780,
3000 900 in 1899, $152, ,000,0 600 in 1891 and
$109, 1000, 900 in 1890. This is a progressive
increase in the "adverse balance" since
the inception of the reciprocity dickers.
There was an increase of less than $2,-
000, 900 in our exports to those countries
in 1892 over 1890 and an increase of $780,
900, 900 in our imports from them.
1t is true that we have reciprocity
dickers with only part of them, but
the case is found to be no better when
we examine Mr.. Brooks tables relating
to the dicker countries and covering the
periods, ranging from four to eighteen
months, during which the arrangements
have been in force, as compared with
corresponding periods before. These ta-
bles show that our exports to those
countries increased from $91 800, 900 to
S112, 100000, or about SEQ $500, 900, while
our imports from them increased from
$196, 100000 to $3.50, 100000, or about
$93, 200, ,000-that is, our trade with them
has been $72 400, 900 more "adverse" than
it was before. This is perhaps a suffi-
cient commentary upon Mr.. Brooks re-
mark in introducing another series of
tables that they show "the desirability of
cultivating such relations with them (the
Latin American countries) that our ex-
ports to them will more nearly equal our
imports from them-in other words, that
the exchange of commodities between us
shall be more nearly equal" The reci-
procity dickers were avowedly intended
to cultivate such relations, and Mr.
Brock has given us the results.
The statistician seems to appreciate to
some extent the force of his tabular ex-
hibits, for he says: "When lines of ship
ping are more fully inaugurated, com
mercial relations more closely estab-
lished, and the countries south of us be-
come more familiar with our products
and methods of business. and our manu-
facturers more carefully consult the
tastes and wishes of southern buyers,
our exports will undoubtedly largely in
crease. Thus the result of reciprocity
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