The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-04-16
THE HOPKINS RECIPROCITY BILL

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trade Of the United States with foreign
nations by negotiations OF reciprocal
commercial arrangements" which was in
trodueed a few days ago by Congress
man Hopkins, is a Measure which has
been prepared with great care, and
which. II adopted. will swell the volume
Of the agricultural and manufacturing
exports OF the United States.
The thorough inquiries made by the
committee on ways and means have
shown beyond all question that the reci-
procity provisions OF the tariff act OF
1850, limited though their cope was, were
OF great alu to the producers OF this
country. whether on the farm or cattle
range or in the factory. The committee
has. aseertained also hat the producing
classes have great faith in the reciprocity
principle and want to see Il reintroduced
On 4 broader scale than before.
The law of 1880 simply provided that
sugar, molasses. coffee, tea, and hides,
the product OF countries which imposed
unequal and unreasonable duties on
American exports. must pay a duty. while
those articles when coming from IA
tries not discriminating against the
United states were admitted free. Yet.
with this limited stock in trade, Mr..
Blaine was able to negotiate agreements
with American and European countries
which were OF the greatest benefit to the
OF the United States end help
I'd to turn the balance of trade in its
favor.
The Hopkins bill goes farther. 1t con-
templates the negotiation with certain
ten countries OF commercial agree
ments In which reciprocal and equivalent
concessions may be secured in favor of
the products Of the farm. fisheries, mines,
and manufactures OF the United States.
The countries in question are divided into
five classes. as follows:
Those which export more to us than
We send to them; those whose chief ex-.
ports are admitted free of duty here;
those whose exports are admitted into
tho United States at a lower average rate
than they impose on our exports TO them;
those that impose higher duties on our
products than they impose on those OF
like character coming from other coun-
tries, and those that impose unjust, ex-
e~essive. and obstructive restriction upon
imports from the United States.
It appears that there are thirty-two for
eigR countries from which the United
ststes takes annually a3 ,lilli ms of dol
bars worth Of merchandise, while the
Anierfcan exports to those countries are
worth only 21 millions. Here is an ad-
verse balance of trade OF 22 millions.
OF the imports from the thirty-two
countries nearly Is per cent com in duty
free
The necessity for a change in this one
sided state OF affairs was apparent to
Nj. Blaine, and he did VIA he could
70 remedy it. II this bill should pass
stu more Will be accomplished, for it
provides a way in which countries not
willing to deal fairly with the United
States can be forced to do so.
II amy nation declines m will not
make an arrangement to equalize trade
and give TO American products In its
markets the same advantages that the
products Of that country enjoy here, then
he president is to announce the fact by
proclamation, and thereupon the highest
rates of duty found in any tariff act
since 1870 will be imposed On the products
Of that country. A everything was
dauahle during the war no product will
come In free. This bin should become
e law but there is 10 reason 10 believe
a. utn When IL reaches the senate the
nem6erats viii vote against u, because
Jtsy pot % tand foyIish'y against reci-
pr e.:y, and hey have more consistency
{ AH IT,. L4 71--non sense Senator
Nitetell and If, nee silver - sociates
wtn rsfuss 70 supDor; the ill unless a
nc coinage aiGendmenl is 'ack-d On 1t
so the mines can make more money and
dishonest debtors have O-cent dollars to
cheat their creditors with. AS no meas
Ure can be passed which Democrats and
free silver Republicans oppose. the pre-
sumption is hat no reciprocity measure
will be adopted by this congress.