The record-union., 1894-12-27
of the Spanish Colors.
Special to the RECoED-UNIox.

OF the Spanish CoIors,
Special to the RECoRD-UNIox.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2G. - Unless the
Spanish Government within a very short
time Indicates its purpose to remove the
restrictions now placed on American
commerce with the Spanish West Indies
by the imposition OF the maximum tariff
on American commodities, it is probable
that the President Will issue a procla-
nation imposing discriminating flag
duties" upon Spanish, Cuban and Porto
RIcan imports into the United States.
The Intimation of this purpose on the
part of the President IS distinctively
conveyed IN request received by the
Treasury Department from the Depart
ment OF State to furnish il with detailed
information as to the amount of such i'm
ports, and list of the vessels carrying
the Spanish flag which trade with our
ports.
1t was the original intention of the
State Department 10 have recourse to the
power OF prohibition Of Spanish trade
conveyed by the Act of 1890, but as this
power has never been exercised, and as it
precedent, 1t is quite clear that the De-
partment has fallen back upon Section
422S OF the Revised Statutes. A para
graph of the OId Morrill, Tariff Act, which
still stands on the statute books, imposes
duty OF 10 per cent. in addition to all
other duties upon goods brought into the
United States IN ships OffOreign countries,
unless they are expressly relieved from
the additional duty by treaty. These are
known as discriminating flag duUies,"
Section 422S above referred 30, authoriz-
ing the President to suspend the benefits
conferred by the discriminating flag stat
ute, on being satisfied that any country
Is discriminating against the United States
In the matter OF trade.
1t IS singular fact that the only coun-
try which has so far felt the force of this
revision OF the law is the only one against
Whom 1t Is TO be again used. In 1856 our
relations with Spain were so strained
that President Cleveland issued a pro-
cIamation reciting that Spain had failed
10 carry out the first article Of the COM
mercIal treaty signed at Madrid Febru-
airy IL, 1888, which stipulated that the diff
ierentIaI flag duties should be relieved at
once from United States products enter
ing Cuba and Porto Rico. Being salts
tied tnat higher and discriminating duties
had been imposed, he revoked the sus-
pension of the discriminating customs
duties imposed in the ports OF The Uuitad
States upon Cuban and Porto Rican pro-
ducts coming under the Spanish FLAG.
The effect Of this action by the President
was almost instantaneous, for in fourteen
days thereafter he issued a proclamation
stating that by an agreement entered into
October q, 1856, Spain had removed tho
source OF our complaint, and ne CDnse-
quently again restored her to treatment
under the favored nation clause OF our
treaties.
Treasury officials, at the request of tho
State Department, are engaged in collect
ing statistics showing the volume of trade
that would be affected by a repetition OF
his action in 1886 by the President. 1t
appears that the Spanish colonies would
get much the worst Of it. The tables
show that during the fiscal year ended
June 3Oth last Cuba alone exported to the
United States goods to the aggregate
value of $40, 5,67S, 26I, and took from us
goods to the amount of only SIS, ,S52 236.
Porto Rico sent us in the same time goods
valued at IS, l56, ,044, and received in re-
turn goods to the amount of s., 7O5, ,646.
With the direct trade with Spain the case
was reversed, for the exports to that
country were Sl3, ,l04,016, as against i'm
ports amounting to 81, ,255, 075.
The tariff differences between Spain
and the United States are being watched
with keen interest by other sugar export
ing countries, particularly hawaii and
| Brazil, as the execution OF Secretary
| Gresham's threat to discriminate against
| Cuban products will create heavy de-
| mand for raw sugar, now brought almost
| exclusively from Cuba. Mr. Hastings
| the Charge d' 'Afaires of the Hawaiian
! Legation, is an interested observer OF the
| Spanish negotiations. the Hawaiian
sugar planters have been giving close at
! tentiOn to CUBA OF LATE, many OF them
! visiting the island and studying the
! Cuban processes Of making sugar. one
| of them wrote Mr. Hastings recently of
| the antiquated methods prevailing, and
| other Hawaiian planters pointed out to
| him that the Cubans got but twenty-five
! tons of cane or twenty-five tons of
| actual sugar TO the acre. the Hawaiians
| thought it doubtful ii this yield could he
| obtained, and the Cuban plantations could
| not exist ii cut off from the United States
| markets. Being dependent upon this
| country for the products OF their country,
| Hawaii would expect to benefit il Cuba
was shut out.
The Hawaiians expect soon to conclude
| has written to MIR. Hastings briefly from
| Lisbon to the effect that his trip To Spain
! is proving entirely satisfactory. The
| Minister has visited many European
countries tor the purpose Of inducing
| them to renew their treaties of commerce
| and aInity with the new republic of the
| Pacific. He has also sought TO make ar
/ rangements for immigration to Hawaii of
! the better classes oil laborers. While he
| gives no exact details, the tenor of his
| letter indicates success. He will return
to Washington about January 10Th.