Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-11-01
Germany. Brazil. and Cuba Justly indignant

Germany. Brazil, and Cuba Justly indignant
Among the worst provisions of the Will
son bill, which Cleveland and large ma
iority of the Democrats favored, and OF the
G ,rman bill which finally became law by
the Democratic vote of the two branches OF
Congress and by the negative action OF the
President. after he had denounced it as a
measure of perfidy, are those which strike
down the Reciprocity treaties which had
been secured for the benefit of the Ameri-
can producers and American merchants and
shippers. Those treaties were negotiated
bv Secretary Blaine and President HarIi-
500, not for the special benefit OF any politi-
cal party or sectional faction, but in the name
and for the promotion of the interests OF the
whole country. Qllte as STRONGLY Is the
Republicans large number of Democrats
had professed for years to be in favor OF
Reciprocity in our commercial relations.
Therefore those who made the law providing
that such treaties mi ght be entered into, and
negotiated them, had the right to expect
that those national agreements would not
be ruthlessly destroyed in violation of
solemn national faith, and before their
practical working had been fairly tested.
Though the treaties had been in operation
but little while, American trade with Cuba,
%
able evidences of improvement. The enor-
nous embargo which Spain had kept on
American flour seeking entrance into the
Cuban markets, being largely taken off,
American trade increased in proportions
beyond sanguine expectations. The flour
producing sections of the United States felt
the impulse, and other trade with that
rich, populous island so close to our doors,
was largely increased. The same signs of
trade improve ment were being manifest
in our relations with Brazil, even though
that country was passing through the
severe trials and losses incident to prolong-
ed civil war With the establishment of peace
and the permanent security of that Republic
against foreign intrigue in the interests of
European commerce, there was every rea-
son to anticipate that the dimensions of our
trade would largely increase with Brazil I'M
der the Reciprocity arrangement. So with
Germany, our commercial relations were
liberaized and American farmers and
American merchants were obviously the
gamers. The prohibiting embargo on
American meats was removed and the cause
of cheap sugar TO the American consumers
promoted.
In petty partisan jealousy and spite, the
Democrats in Congress, led by Southern
Bourbons and egged on by the pig-headed Elk
ecutive ,recklessly struck down the Reciproc-
ity arrangements. 1t is no. strange that the
nations who so recently made solemn treat
les with us, should resent this striking and
summary violation of national honor and
mutual understanding. The officials of
old Spain, not wishing to have Cuba com
mercialy annexed to the United States, at
once improved their opportunity to regain
the trade of their own island dominion,
which they had long held by extreme tariff
restrictions. They had yielded to Reel
procity with the United States mainly to
save the island from revolt. They could
now throw the entire responsibility of re-
newing the regtrictc measures on the United
States. The flour monopolists of Spain
are but too glad to get back their old trade,
which the American officials at Washington
have cast aside as orthless. The Germans,
a proud and powerful nation of fifty mil
lions, are Justly incensed at the way they
have been treated by the American disre-
gard of an International agreement so re-
Gently made between them and the United
States.
Hence the embargo go summarily placed
on American meats and cattle by the Berlin
government and by the German municipal
bodies of the German chief commercial
cities. All this dishonor and shame to the
American government, and damage to
American producing and trading interests,
are the results of the doctrindire politics of
Prof. Wilson of Western Virginia, and of
the petty jealousy of Grover Cleveland and
the small potato statesmen who ere his fit
ting associates.