The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1894-12-28
81 AIN 'STIRS,I COLUMN,
The United States Objects to Being
Placed There and Will Retail
late at Once
UNLESS THE BAN Is REMOVED
The Result Would Be to Shut Out
Raw Sugar From Cuba, Send
ing Up the Price.

WASHINGTON. Dec. a6.-Interestine
developments are expected at an early
DAY as result of the strained relations
between the United States and Spain.
over the tariff. Spain has already
placed the United States .,in the first
column" and Secretary Gresham has
reJoined by directing Minister Taylor
at Madrid to notify the Spanish gov
ernment that il the United States is
not removed from 'the first column"
this country will retalate.
In official circles it is not believed
Spain will yield to the protest of Sec
retary Gresham. In that event, if the
secretary carries his threat out of re-
taliation, President Cleveland will is
sue a proclamation closing American
ports to the products of Spain.
What the Effect Would BE.
The first effect of this will be to
shut ont the enormous shipments of
raw sugar, which Cuba sends to this
country. III official circles it is said
Cuba furnishes seven-eights of all the
raw sugar used i'll American refneries.
the otker eighth comes from Louisiana
and Hawaii, but it is said that it would
be impossible to make up this seven
eighths now drawn from Cuba. 1tis as
serted, therefore, by those in no way
identified with, or partial to the sugar
refineries, that the retaliation would
cut them off from their supplies and
close them up, throwing 10000 en-
ployes out of work. The statement
was made by high official, who has
had much to do with the negotiations,
and who is very apprehensive of its
result. He added that the ultimate
effect of the warfare would be to
Advance the Price of Sugar
from to 6 cents per pound, thus max
ing the public bear the burden. In
levying duties, Spain arranges coun-
tries in two columns. The first in
cludes countries who have not entered
into satisfactory treaty arrangements
with Spain. Until recently Brazil was
the only country on the globe which
Spain had put in this column, all other
countries being put i'll the second col
umn, which includes all countries hav-
ing satisfactory treaties The United
States now joins Brazil in Spain's "first
column" and thus stands apart from
all other countries in the commercial
benefits which Spain grants. The i'm
mediate effect Of Spain's action has al
ready been proven disastrous to! the
American trade in -four and this trade
has passed almost exclusively into the
hands Of Canada. Under the old re-
ciprocity arrangement with Spain
American -four was shipped to Cuba in
great ouar titles. But when the United
States tariff raised the duty on Cuban
sugar, Spain responded by raising the
duty on American -four. The "first
column" duty on -four 1s s4.75, while
the .ssecond column" is $4.00. 1t is
understood from authoritative sources
that a question has been raised as to
the right of the president to issue re-
taliatory proclamation against Spain,
such as Secretary Gresham has theat'
ened. This proclamation, if made,
would be under law Of 1890, which
Authorizes Retaliation
| against countries making unjust dis
ordinations against the United States.
But Spain claims she if making no un'
lust discrimination; she arranges hel
tariff in two columns, according to
whether countries are friendly or un
friendly to her, and leaves the coun,
| tries to choose their own place. The
recent American tariff putting sugar
IN the dutiable list, had the effect o.
placing this country in Spain's frs
column, without any intentional dis
crimination on her part. The contend
ing views are now being urged betweeI e
Minister Taylor and members OF the
Spanish cabinet, and definite results
are expected this week