The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-12-18
A WAX ON NED8ISI-G
Importa&cas from Spain May be
Wholly Prohibited,
SPANISH GOVERNMENT WARNED.

sition in Fixing the Maximum Rate ON 7
Our Products the President May Take ]
Radical Action by Way of Retaliation.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-The action Of
the state department. in warning the Span
ish government of its intention to retail
late should Spain continue it's present pol !
icy with respect to American exports TO
Cuba will doubtless have the effect to
bring at once to u focus the long drawn
out negotiations which have been in pro
gress, with results very unsatisfactory Go
our government. For several years this
government has been urging the claims OF
American exporters for restitution of
heavy fines and excessive tariff taxes,
amounting to about $4,000 These
taxes and fines were imposed by the Cuban
customs officers in direct violation of all
treaties, and absolutely without any other
warrant than existing necessity for funus'
The Spanish government practically adj
mitted the justice of our claims, but has
failed to make restitution.
Then there was the old Mora claim
against Spain-a veteran of many years
already admitted by the Spanish govern
ment, but impossible Of collection. Efforts
had been made to get the first class OF
claims before an arbitration, but these Of
forts have so far failed because Of the in
sistance Of the Spanish government that
the Mora claim, already decided in our
favor. should be included in the matters
submitted to the tribunal And while
these matters were langushing under the
Il 70 nj
there followed the last action of the Span
ish government, which promises to pre-
cipitate tariff war unless Spain comes to
terms. This was the imposition of the
maximum tariff on American exports to
Cuba, probably in retaliation for the can
collation. Of The reciprocity agreement en-
tered into under the terms of the Mckinley
act.
The Spanish government has two tariff
schedules-one the minimum tariff per
mitted to countries with which Spain is
upon amcable trade relations, the other
the maximum tariff imposed upon coun
tries which do not yield to Spain's de
mands in the matter of duties. The max
imum tariff being imposed upon Ameri-
can exports had the effect TO almost en-
tirely cut them off, and so exactly fulfilled
its purpose. We had supplied for years
the Spanish West Indies with flour, but
the duty upon this product was actually
prohibitOry. To make the situation more
| unbearable the Canadians were favored
with the minimum tariff, and in an in
| credibly short space Of time assumed the
| entire flour trade with Cuba, which had so
| long been enjoyed by our own millers.
Having reasoned in vain with the Span
ish minister at Washington and through
| Minister Taylor, with the Spanish foreign
| office, Secretary Gresham, in casting about
| for a remedy, hit upon the act Of Aug, 80,
| 1890. This act, while primarily intended
| to provide for the inspection of meats for
| expectation and prevent the importation
| of harmful articles of food, included in it's
| fifth section grant of power to the presi-
| dent unequalled in extent by any leg
| islation in the history of congress. Plainly
| stated it authorizes an actual embargo tC
be declared at the discretion of the presi-
| dent.
Here are the terms of this remarkable
section "That whenever the president
shall be satisfied that unjust discrimina-
tions are being made by or under the au-
thority Of any foreign state against the
importation or sale in such foreign state
of any product of the United States, he
may direct that such products of such for
eign state, so discriminating against any
product of the United States, as he may
deem proper, shall be excluded from i'm
portation to the United States The pres
ident may at any time revoke, modify
terminate or renew any such direction as
in his opinion, the public interests may re
quire."
The secretary Of state has refrained from
the assertion Of the power of retaliation
conferred by this law as long as there was
reasonable expectation that the Spanish
government would yield to the ordinary
methods of diplomacy. But our commerce
is being menaced in Il new quarter
namely, Germany, where the government
has begun the imposition of system o
most CALLING restrictions upon American
imports that can scarcely be longer toler
ated, and it is felt to be necessary to begiI
the assertion Of the reserve power of retail
iation lodged in the president, and o
course this necessitates beginning witt
Spaiu, the first offender