Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-07-11
Reciprocity.

Reciprocity.
1t is noticeable that, while grasping a
every straw and drawing encourage
ment rather from the fact that an in
dustry isn't ruined than from It's steady
| by the Democratic editor to the destruc
tion of reciprocity. At the begin
ming few feeble attempts were made tt
demonstrate that the reciprocal policy
which Mr.. Blaine labored so hard to es
tablish, had been failure; but these at
tempts proved futile with thinking peo
pie. When trade which under that polio,
had sprung up with those countries thai
we had been trying for years to reach, fel
off with the destruction of reciprocity,
even the average Democrat didn't have
the audacity to indulge in bluff. At first
however, they contended that the increase
In trade under the reciprocal arrange
ments had been grossly over estimated
that in reality 1t didn't amount to much.
Then as facts became more apparent they
hurricdly dropped the matter.
In connection with this subject the
Washington correspondent of the New
York Press has collected some valuable
| material. He says:
"It is only necessary for illustration
| tn alyn the inrrpaGn pf
from 1891 and including 1898 with
Cuba. Bread and biscuits increased
| from S17, 900 to s31 GOO year, nearly 100
per cent. Corn shipments grew from sl20,
| 900 to $685. 600, more than 400 per cent.
| while wheat flour increased nearly 500 per
cent. from S591, 900. Carriages and horse
cars, manufactures of copper. cotton goods,
builders hardware, machinery, locomotive
engines, paint ard painters colors in
| creased 100 per cent. each, while beef pro
ducts grew from 81 900 worth in 1891 to
$50, 600 in 1898, an increase of 500 per
cent. The export of bacon to Cuba In
creased 60 per cent, hams more than 200
per cent, and lard 100 per cent The ag-
gregate shows that our exports to Cuba
increased under reciprocity from S11 900,
900 in 1891 to $24 900, 900 in 1898, showing
an average increase on all exports Of more
than 100 per cent.
"Now, in order to discover how much
our exports to Cuba have fallen off since
reciprocity ceased, calculation can be
made from the report Of the bureau of sta
tistics for the ten months of the fiscal year
just ended. The aggregate export to Cuba
from the United States was $40, S63, 3l6.
At this ratio the export trade between the
United States and Cuba for the year ended
June 30, 1895, would have been Sl2,024,
OOS
"This shows that the abolition of the
reciprocity treaties has undone all the
work accomplished by their negotiation,
ana that our trade with Cuba has already
relapsed to the condition which prevailed
previous to 1891. In other words, the
benefits which We're disseminated broad
cast throughout the United States to
manufacturers and miners and farmers
and laborers in all the great branches of
American industry have been ruthlessly
torn down.
The conditions in Brazil did not
furnish fair test of the value of
reciprocity with that country, and
the Democrats have been very active
III llIDblIS IitsuISS otl JUL tAthC WIN uIstV
country TO prove that reciprocity was not
a success. Our trade with Brazil did not
increase as largely as with other countries
because Of the war there Trade ceased
for at least two and half years, and the
wonder is that any business remained be-
tween Brazil and the United States what
ever. In spite of the rebellion in Brazil,
the exports, which in 1890 were s11, 90a, :
496. increased in 1898 to Sl2, 339 5S4.
"It will be remembered that in the year
1898 the depression in Brazil was greatest
and her harbors were blockaded. 1t Is
perfectly natural therefore, that since
peace was declared the exports of the
United States to Brazil should show an
increase That increase, however, for the
past year. reckoning on the ratio for the
first ten months, was only to SIS, 937, BIO
Had it not been for the abolition of the
reciprocity treaty our exports would have
doubled in the same time.
Now in regard to Germany. The of
fetal table is remarkable. Wheat exports
TO Germany in 1891 were valued at s295,
953: in 1898 they had grown to 81, $50, 26l,
while wheat flour jumped from S4l, 900 in
1891 TO over million dollars in 1898. In
fertilizers alone the increased value of ex-
ports under reciprocity was more than a
million dollars The same is true with re-
gard to oil cake, while cotton seed oil grew
from Sl6s, coo to nearly four times that
amount. Canned beef was almost doubled
In expectation, bacon and hams showed
an improvement of over 80 per cent, and
distilled spirits bounded from s1S9, 900 in
1891 to 81, 500, 600 in 1S93.
lone more item will illustrate the benc.
fits of reciprocity. Manufactured tobacco
grew in export from So, 757, 900 to 81, 694.-
900. Germany was in such condition in
1890 the United States could make a salts.
factory arrangement with her She had
an overproduction of best sugar. The
! United States took of this increased pro-
duct in one year nearly GOO, o00 pounds.
and IN return for that trade this country
got an agreement which Disseminated in
/ our favor.
fhe Frankfort Zeitung, an authority in
1erman business circles. used the follow
ing language in discussing the American
iaea Oh reciprocity: Mr.. Blaine's idea