The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-27

Washington, Dec 26.-Unless the Span
ish government within very snort
time indicates its purpose to remove the
restrictions now placed on American
comerce with the Spanish West Indies
by the imposition Of the maximum TAR
iff on American commodities, 1t is prop
able that the president VIII issue
proclamation imposing discriminating
flag duties upon Spanish, Cuban ana
Porto Rican imports into the United
States.
The intimation Of this purpose on the
part of the president is distinctly con-
veyed in a request received Dy the treas
ury department from the department OF
state to furnish it with detailed lnIor-
nation as to the amount OF sucn 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 to nave recourse
TO the power of prohibition or spanish
trade conveyed by the act Of 1890, but
as this mower has never been exercised
and as ii probably has been deemed
best to follow in the line OF precedent,
it is quite clar that the department mas
fallen back upon section 422S or the re,
Vised statutes, paragraph OF the oiu
Morrill, tariff act, which still STANDS on
per cent in addition to all other dutles
upon goods brought into the unitN
States in ships of foreign countries, I'M
less they are expressly relieved from
the additional duty by treaty.
HAS BEEN USED BEFORE
These are known as discriminating
flag duties section 1929 above referred
TO authorizing the president to suspend
the benefits conferred by the 'discrimi-
mating flag statute on being satisfied
that any country is discriminating
against the United States in the matter
of trade.
1t is a singular fact that the only
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 1886 our relations with Spain were
so strained that President Cleveland
issued a proclamation reciting that
Spain had failed to cary out the hrst
article of the commercial agreement
signed at Madrid, February 13, 1884,
which stipulated that the differential
flag duties should be removed at once
from the United States products enter
ing Cuba and Porto Rica. Being sat
isfied that higher and discriminating
customs duties imposed in the portion
of the United States upon Cuban ana
Port Rican products coming under the
Spanish flag The effect of this action
by the president was almost instanta-
neouS for in fourteen days thereafter ne
Issued another proclamation stating that
by an agreement entered into that day
October 81, 1869 Spain had removed
the source of our company ana ne
consequently again restored her to
treatment under the favored nation
clause OF our treaties.
COLONIES WOULD SUFFER.
Treasury officials at the request OF
the state department are engaged in
collecting statistics showing the vol
ume of the trade that would be affected
by 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 dur
ing the fiscal year ended June 80 last,
Cuba alone exported to the United
States goods of the aggregate value OF
s'f5, 1918, 261 and took from us goods to the
amount of only S19.S55, 231. Porto Rico
sent us in the same time goods valued
atS3 ,145.634 and received in return
goods to the amount of 81, 7o5, SAG. With
the direct trade with Spain the case
was reversed, for exports to that coun-
try were SIS, 1ef, e76 as against imports
amounting OF s4.255,S75.
The tariff differences between Spain
and the United States are being watch
ed with keen interest by other sugar
producing countries, particularly
Hawaii and Brazil, as the execution of
Secretary GreshamS threat to dis
criminate against Cuban products
will create a heavy demand for raw
sugar. now brought almost exclusively
from Cuba.
Mr.. Hastings, the charge d affaires
of the Hawaiian legation. is an inter-
ested spectator of the Spanish negotia-
lions. the Hawaiian sugar planters
having been giving close attention to
Cuba OF late. many of them visiting
the island and studying the Cuban pro-
cess of making sugar.
CUBAN METHODS OUT OF DATE.
One of them wrote MIR. Hastings re-
Gently OF he Anticipated methods pre-
Vailing and other Hawaiian planters
pointed out to him that the Cubans got
but twenty-five tons of cane and two
tons of actual sugar to the acre. The
HawaiianS thought that double this
yield could be obtained and that Cuban
plantations could not exist if cut off
from the United States market.
Being dependent upon this country
for their great product, Hawaii would
expect to benefit II Cuba Were shut out.
The Hawaiians expect soon TO conclude
European reaties. 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 Euro
pean countries for the purpose of in