Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-23
FAVORS RECIPROCITY
Senator Washburn's Speech Against
the Wilson Bill.
BENEFITS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED
What the Abrogation Of Such
Treaties Will Result In.
NEED OF FOREIGN MARKETS

dressed the Senate, devoting his entire time
almost entirely to the proposition in the
tariff bill to repeal the reciprocity clause of
the Mckinley law. In his opening remarks
he said: "Mr. President, in all the legisla
ton that has come before Congress in the
history of the government there has been
none. probably, that has created so general
an interest and SO profoundly stirred the
public mind of the country, carrying appre-
hensiop and alarm, as the measure now un-
der consideration in the Senate, unless, per-
haps, We except the legislation between
1850 and the breaking out of the war in
1861. including the repeal of the Missouri
compromise in 1854, and that soon followed
1t. The questions considered during that
period, however, were more of sentiment
and morals than such as relate to the ma
teriai or economic interests of the coun-
try"
He then discussed some of the direct pro-
tective benefits which the northwestern
states had secured under the tariff of 1880,
and pointed out the disadvantages in the
present law and then took up the reciproc-
You will find, Mr.. President" he said.
that the abrogation of these arrange
OF legislation this Congress has enacted
or will enact, and that it will be resented
by the citizens of the southern republics
and colonies as well as by the people of
the United States.
Il have received information, Mr.. Presi-
dent, by means of which l am not per-
mitted to describe. that the governments
OF the other American republics regard
the proposed action of Congress on this
subject as an unwarranted and inexcus-
able exhibition of selfish indifference to
their friendship and their welfare. and
the passage OF this act will go very far to
destroy all the good effects that have follow
I ed the endeavors OF this government to pro-
mote closer social and commercial relations
an insult, but l warn this committee that
| they will enter a solemn protest against
| what they consider a breach Of faith on the
part OF the United States"
He declared that the only increase in our
| trade during the past year of hard times
was with the reciprocity countries, while
there had been a falling off in other coun-
| tries. Discussing the treaty with Brazil. he
| said that trade relations had been disturbed
| by the revolution, and this was not a time
| for fair test. He also referred to the ef-
| forts Austria was making to secure trade
relations with Brazil.
Senator Washburu gave a great deal of at
| tention to the results of the treaty with
Cuba, in the course (which he said:
THE most direct and profitable result that
has come from the reciprocity policy of the
last administration is found in the statistics
Of our trade with Cuba, for there, with the
| exception Of a decreased value of silver and
| the natural increase In the rate of ex-
| change, all conditions have been normal aud
| favorable for practical and fair test OF
1 its advantages to the agricultural and me-
chanical interests of the United States."
Speaking of his personal observations in
Cuba he continued: 'In conversation with
American merchants and others doing bus
| mess In Cuba I learned that the effect OF
the commercial relations created by this ar
| rangement had been really remarkable and
| increasing in importance and magnitude
| day by day. The Americans doing business
| there are more than satisfied with the re-
suits. The Cubans are satisfied, and every
| one Is satisfied excepting Spain itself and the
representatives of Germany. France and
other continental countries, who see the
| trade OF the islands gradually slipping
away from them and finding themselves
supplanted by the products of the American
| farmer and the wares of the American
workshop. saw upon every hand evi-
| dences Of this
He sketched with some detail the results
OF reciprocity with South American coun-
| tries and then turned his attention to the
German treaty, saying:
| The Treaty With Germany
'In many respects the most important of
the several commercial arrangements ne
gotiated by the last administration under
the authority of the reciprocity section of
the Mckinley act was that with the Ger
| man empire. BY this the embargo that had
been placed upon American pork products
in 1850 was removed. a number of agricul-
/ tural products were admitted free and
J many more at a greatly reduced rate of
| duty"
Reciprocity, said Mr.. Washburn, was the
popular policy of Europe,and Great Britain.
Germany and many other countries were
| endeavoring to extend their trade by this
| means. a ~
the treaties he said:
THE commercial arrangements which are
| entered into by the United States under
] the authority of section of what is famil-
| iarly known as the Mckinley law, are sell
| dom compacts between this and friendly
| nations which cannot be carelessly kicked
aside like memorial from legislature or
an appeal from some domestic industry
whose prosperity is threatened. They have
the sanctity Of formal treaties and il they
| are to be terminated II should be done
without national dishonor. There must be
| good reasons why this government desires
| TO withdraw from such compacts and asks
| TO be released from its obligations"
senator Washburn. in proving the popu-
Iarity OF reciprocity, quoted extracts from
many democratic papers commencing the
| proposition of Mr.. Blaine, also from a re.
pert made in the Fifty-second Congress
| by a democratic committee commencing
d pouSy which that party would how de-
| stroy. lie turned his attentions to the
| reason why there was no reciprocity with
Mexico, and said that the exclusion of wool
| and lead ore from the articles of reciprocity
! prevented the negotiation of a treaty The
advantage of reciprocal relations with Mex
| leo he discussed at considerable length He
also mentioned other countries with whom
| the commercial relations of the United
states might be improved, and dwelt es-
! pecially upon the trade which might be
| built up with Australia. He followed with
an argument Of some length in favor OF
| complete reciprocity arrangements with
| Canada.
mo government" he said in conclusion
lever threw away a greater opportunity to
| promote its foreign trade and secure com.
| mercial advantages for its citizens than is
| being sacrificed by the pending bill. Not
only are the reciprocity treaties that were
! made by the last administration to be ab-
| solutely and peremptorily revoked without
| consulting the rights and wishes of the
other parties to the agreements, but the
| duties upon long list of imported mer.
chandise are to be removed and reduced
| without even giving the countries which
! will enjoy the benefits a chance to offer US
| some concessions in return"