The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-31
A TWO EDGED SWORD.
RECIPROCITY VIOLATES OUR TREA-
TIES AND REACTS AGAINST US.

Former Friends-A Blot on Our Nation
nj Honor That Should BE Wiped Out.
1t is reported from Washington that a
movement is on foot looking to the with
drawal of Harrison's retaliatory procla-
nations against the commerce of Vene-
zuela, Colombia and Hayti and to the re-
peal of the Aldrich clauseNof the Mckinley
bill. under which reciprocity treaties with
South and Central American countries
were negotiated. This movement origi-
mated with the Venezuelan and Colom-
bian ministers, who have labored to
secure the cooperation of the state de-
partment in an attempt to induce con-
gress to take the action necessary to
place the commerce of all Latin America
on the same footing, and every effort is
being made to expedite action by the
state department, which has the subject
under serious consideration, in view of
the formulation of n new tariff bill. In
cidentally it is hoped to wipe out blot
on our national honor-the violation of
solemn treaty obligations we'll as to
avoid liability for claims based on lille
gally collected duties.
When President Harrison issued q
proclamation against Colombia, retain
ing high duties upon the exports of that
country while similar products from
other countries were admitted at lower
rates, there existed treaty between the
United States and Colombia containing
the following article:
mo higher or other duties shall be i'm
posed on the importation into the United
States of any articles the produce and
manufacture of the republic of New
Granada (Colombia), and no higher or
other duties shall be imposed on the i'm
portation into the republic of New Ora
NADIA of any articles the produce or man.
ufacture of the United States than are
or shall be payable on the like articles
being the produce or other manufactures
OF any other foreign country; nor shall
any higher or other duties or charges be
imposed i'll either of the two countries
on the expectation of any articles to the
United States or TO the republic of New
Granada respectively than such as are
payable on the expectation of the like
articles to any other foreign country:
nor shall any prohibition be imposed on
the expectation or importation of any
articles the produce and manufacture Of
the United States or of the republic of
New Granada to or from the territories
OF the United States or to or from the
territories of the republic of New Gra-
NADIA which shall not equally extend to
all other nations"
A provision almost identical with the
above article existed in the treaty be-
tween the United States and Hayti. A
similar treaty with Venezuela had been
abrogated i'll 1870. Senior Hurtado, the
Colombian minister, explained to Mr..
Blaine the reasons why Colombia could
not enter into reciprocity treaty with
the United States. The country was poor
and could not afford to lose the income
from customs duties, which would have
to be surrendered under the terms of a
reciprocity treaty. The government was
at that time engaged in building costly
railroad and needed all its revenues.
Senior Hurtado called Mr. Blaine's atten-
ton to the treaty between the United
States and Colombia and said very
pointedly that he could not believe that
the United States would violate its pro-
visions even with so weak Il power Mr..
Blaine replied that he hoped way out
OF the difficulty could be found. but
without any change in the status of
things President Harrison issued his re-
taliatory proclamation.
Fortunately we cannot ride rough shod
over our treaty obligations without oc-
casional reminders that even small coun
tries have rights and can retaliate. Dur
ing revolution on the isthmus of Pam
anna In 1855 much property owned by
citizens of the United States was de-
stroyed The claims Of our citizens
against Colombia were admitted TO be
just and We're about to be paid when
President Harrison hit Colombia with
the reciprocity club. Negotiations have
since been stopped because the Cololn-
blan government has been advised by
counsel that every dollar levied upon its
products, iii excess of rates collected
upon products of other countries has
been levied illegally, and the total levy
constitutes a just claim against the
United States which far more than off
sets the claims against Colombia.
a similar state of affairs exists be-
tween this country and Venezuela. The
retallatory proclamation has here proven
TO be stumbling block to prevent the
settlement of claims growing out of the
seizure of the Hancock, an American
vessel, by Venezuela Undoubtedly rec
iprocity of the love-me-or-I 'll-kill-you
brand has hurt our southern neighbors.
but where have we been benefited? It
has added several millions of dollars TO
our annual coffee bill and has made foot
balls of our citizens whenever they visit
these mistreated countries. Since the
revolution began, few weeks ago, in
Brazil coffee has gone up about 2 cents