The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-01-03
RETALIATION THREATENED.
American Ports May be Closed to the
Products of Spain.

WASHINGTON, December 27.-Interest-
ing developments are expected as re-
suit of the strained relations between
the United States and Spain over the
tariff. Secretary Gresham has directed
Minister Taylor at Madrid to notify the
Spanish government that, if the United
States is not removed from the list of
countries not having satisfactory treaties,
this country will retaliate. 1t is not be-
lieved Spain will yield to the protest of
Secretary Gresham. In that event Pres
ident Cleveland will probably issue
proclamation closing American ports to
the products of Spain. The first effect
of this will be to shut out enormous
shipments of raw sugar, which come to
this country, and cause q sharp advance
in price, besides closing refneries and
throwing out of work many thousands.
In official circles it said Cuba furnishes
seven-eighths of all the sugar, and Lou
isiana and Hawaii the remainder; but
it is said that it would be impossible to
make up this seven-eighths now drawn
from Cuba. It is also asserted, there
fore, by those in no way identified with
or partial to the sugar refneries that the
action would cut them off from their
supplies and close them up, throwing
10000 employees out of work. This state
ment was made by high official, who
had much to do with the negotiations,
and who is very apprehensive of it's re-
suits. He added that the ultimate effect
of the war would be to advance the price
of sugar from to 6 per cent per pound,
thus making the public bear the burden.
In levying duties Spain arranges the
countries in two columns. The first COL
umn includes those who have not entered
into satisfactory treaty arrangement
with her. Until recently Brazil was the
only ore on the globe which Spain had put
in this column, all other countries being
in the second column" which includes
those having satisfactory treaties. The
United States now joins Brazil in SPANS
IS first column" and thus stands apart
from all other countries in the common
benefits Spain grants.
The immediate effects of SPANS ac-
ton has already proven disastrous to the
American trade in -four, and this trade
has passed almost exclusively into the
hands of Canada. Under the old reci-
procity arrangement with Spain Ameri-
can flour was shipped to Cuba in great
quantities. But when the new United
States tariff raised the duty on Cuban
sugar Spain responded by raising the
duty on American -four. The duty on
flour is $475 in the first column, while
in the second column it is 81. AS Can
ada is in the second column, she enjoys
an advantage of IS cents a barrel on
-four, and this has proved ample to allow
Canada to wrest the Cuban -four trade
away from the United States.
1t is understood from authoritative
sources that question has been raised
as to the right of the President to issue
a retaliatory proclamation against Spain,
such as Secretary Gresham has threat
ened. This proclamation, if made, would
be under a law of 1890, which author
ICES retaliation against countries making
unjust determinations against the
United States. But Spain claims she is
making no unjust discrimination if she
arranges her tariff in two columns ac-
cording to whether countries are friendly
or unfriendly to her and leaves the coun-
tries to choose their own place. The re-
cent American tariff putting sugar on
the dutiable list had the effect OF placing
this country in SPANS first column
without any intentional discrimination
on her part. Under this circumstance
it is urged that Secretary Gresham has
no authority to invoke the retallatory
law of 1890. These contendlng views
are now being urged between our MIN
lister and the members OF the Spanish
Cabinet, and definite results are expected