The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-27
..Dfscriminating Flag Duties'- TO Bs
Our Trade with Cuba he Removed.
OLD STATUTE TO BE REVIVED
EMPLOYED ONCE BEFORE IN bring
ING THE sPANIARDs TO TINE.
Half the Democrats I'm the House OPP
BfII-Muncfe Postmastershfp.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2s.-Unlsss the
Spanish government within a very short
time indicates its purpose to remove the
restrictions now placed on American COM
merce with the Spanish West Indies by
the imposition OF the maximum tariff on
American commodities IL is probable that
the President will issue proclamation i'm
posing discriminating flag dudes'' on
Spanish, Cuban and Porto Rican imports
into the United States. The intimation OF
this purpose on the part or the President
is distinctly conveyed in a request re-
ceived by the Treasury Department from
the Department OF State to furnish ii with
detailed information as TO the amount OF
such imports and list of the vessels carry
ing the Spanish flag which trade with our
ports. It was the original intention OF the
State Department to have recourse TO the
power OF prohibition OF Spanish trade con-
veyed by the act OF 1890, but as this power
has never yet been exercised and as Il prob
ably has been deemed best to follow I'm
the line of precedent it is quite clear that
the department has fallen back on Section
i22S Of the Revised Statutes.
paragraph OF the old Morrill, tariff act.
which still stands on the statute books,
imposes a duty of 10 per cent in additiod
to all other duties on goods brought into the
United States in ships OF foreign countries
unless they are expressly relieved from the
additional duty by treaty. These are known
as discriminating flag duties" Section
422s. above referred 10, authorizes the Pres
ident. to suspend the benefits conferred by
the discriminating flag statute on being sat
sfied that any country Is discriminating
against the United States in the matter OF
- L.
country which has so far felt the force Of
this provision OF law is the very one against
which it is to be again used In 1885 our
relations with Spain were so strained that
President Cleveland issued proclamation
reciting that Spain had failed 10 carry out
the first article OF the commercial agree
sfipulated that the difrerentiai nag duties
| should be removed at once from the United
States products. entering Cuba , and Porto d,.'
eliminating duties had been imposed, ne
therefore revoked the suspension OF the
| the ports OF the United States on Cuban
| and Porto Rican products coming under the
| Spanish flag. The effect OF this action ~
| the President was almost instantaneous, Tor
| In fourteen days thereafter he issued an
other proclamation stating that by an
agreement entered into that day (Oct. q,
| 1867 Spain had removed the source or our
complaint and he consequently again re-
stored her to treatment under the favored
| nation clause or our treaties.
Treasury officials, at the request or the
| State Department, are engaged in collect
| ing statistics showing the volume of the
Of iai his '' action in 1855 by the president. IL
appears that the Spanish colonies would
| get much the worst of IL. The tables show
| that during the fiscal year ended June 30
last Cuba alone exported TO the United
| States goods of the aggregate value of 49,
| 67s, 261 and took from US goods TO the
| amount of only 1885, 237. Porto Rico sent
| us in the same time goods valued at So
135 634 and received In return goods 10 the
| amount of s., .646 With the direct trade
| ports TO that country amount>d to sl5.lll-
SIS.
| The tariff differences between Spain and
| the United States are being watched win
keen interest by other sugar producing
countries, particularly Hawaii and % Brazil:
/ threat to discriminate against Cuban
| products will create a heavy demand for
| raw sugar now brought almost exclusively
| from Cuba. Mr. Hastings. the charge OF
| the Hawaiian legation, is an interested OBJ
| server of the Spanish Negotiations. The
| Hawaiian sugar planters have been giving
| close attention to Cuba OF late many OF
| them visiting the island and studying the
1 Cuban processes OF making sugar. one or
| them wrote Mr.. Hastings recently OF the
| Hawaiian planter pointed out TO him that
the Cubans got but twenty-five tons OF cane
| The Hawaiians thought that double this
| yield should be obtained and that Cuban
| plantations could not exist IL cut of from
| the United States market. Being only one
| hundred miles from this country they de-
| pend entirely on IL for disposing of their
1 great product. Hawaii would expect to
| benefit If Cuba were shut out The Ha-
| waiians expect soon 10 conclude European
| treaties. Minister Thurston has written Mr..
| Hastings briefly from Lisbon TO the effect
| that his trip to Spain is proving entirely
| satisfactory. The minister has visited many
| European countries for the purpose or In
| ducing them to renew their treaties OF
4 commerce and amity with the new republic
| of the Pacific. He has also sought TO make
/ arrangements for immigration 10 Hawaii
| gives no exact details, the tenor Of his let
| ters indicates success. He will return TO
| Washington about Jan. u.