The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-15

Of the treaty Of reciprocity with Spain.
Upon the passage of the customs law
of 1894. which compelled the abrogation
of this treaty, Spain Immediately re-
ialiated by increasing the duty on -four
from 81 to s4.75 per 220 pounds. with
the result that the exports Of American
flour to Cuba fell to 379, $50 barrels in the
fiscal year ended June 30. 1895. So
great was the Outcry of the Cubans
against the enormous duty on Ameri-
can flour that the Spanish government
was forced to reduce the rate from $4.7S
to 81 per 30 pounds. still four times the
duty charged under the reciprocity
treaty.
/ / wish to give particular emphasis to
the importance of our relations with
Cuba under the reciprocal treaty, be-
cause that island is our nearest and
best customer to the southwark. Not
only has the abrOgation of the recip-
| rocity treaty caused great direct loss
| to this country. but it has imposed
great hardship upon the people of Cuba.
With the advantages enjoyed under re-
ciprocity treaty the United States was
assured the practical control of the
| Cuban trade and the conditions We're
| equally satisfactory to the people of
Cuba and this country. When Senator
| Washburn, Of Minnesota, went down
| to Havana for week in the early part
| of 1894, he found abundant evidence
| OF the satisfactory workings of the
treaty then In force. Speaking about
what he saw. Senator Washburn said:
I'm conversation with American mer-
| chants and others doing business in
Cuba / learned that the effects of the
commercial relations created by this
| arrangement had been really remark
able, and were increasing in Importance
and magnitude day by day. The Amer
| leans doing business there are more
| than satisfied with the results. The
Cubans are satisfied. and everyone is
| satisfied excepting Spain itself and the
representatives of Germany, France
| and other Continental countries. who
see the trade of the island gradually
| slipping away from them and finding
themselves supplanted by the products
of the American farmer and the wares
| of the American workshop"
WHAT CUBANS THINK.
For another view of the commercial
relations between Cuba and the United
States let me present these few lines
| from a memorial presented to the Span
ish parliament by the sugar manufac-
| turers and planters in Cuba on Septem-
1 ocI ~, loof, OiC ohtCi thC " ASoh
bill had become a law:
Upon the abrogation of the reciproc-
| ity treaty with the United States, the
monstrous tariff of the year 1892 was
| numerically renewed and applied to
| the imports from all foreign countries
one Of the first effects having been to
increase the price of provisions inn
ported from the United States, there
by raising the expense Of living on this
people. besides increasing the cOst-al-,
most to the point of prohibition-of the
importation of machinery and other
products Of foreign countries essential
| to the preservation and development of
it's industries, the effects of which are
shown in the increased cost of produc-
| tion, and in abandonment Of necessary
| repairs"
1t is not necessary to rehearse the
conditions under which reciprocity
| treaties were negotiated with other
countries. nor need I show what they
| accomplished, or how their abroga-
| tion has injured our foreign trade. I
desire only to point out few specific
| reasons for such legislative enactments
as will permit the restoration of trea-
ties of commercial reciprocity with
those nations with which they were es-
tablished under the act of 1890 and the
| negotiation of similar treaties with
other countries with which more free
dom in our trade relations Is desirable.
First-Reciprocity commends itself
| to business men who have given the
| subject careful consideration as a
sound and judicious business principle
| Second-As applied under the act Of
1890, reciprocity was thoroughly
American principle, inasmuch as it pro-
vided for the protection of our COM
nt0v fr,tA p1fNt nv,1Ny tNrrt
| abroad.
| Third-As principle that has been
| earnestly advocated by both Republi-
cans and Democrats, reciprocity ought
| to be considered upon a strictly nom
| partisan, non-pOlitical basis.
Fourth-The practical application Of
| reciprocity under the provisions of the
| act Of 1890 demonstrated beyond ques-
| tion the ability of such treaties to ex-
tend and enlarge our foreign trade un-
der exceedingly favorable conditions.
Fifth-Apart from those results
| which can be measured In money val
ues, the reciprocity treaties rendered
valuable service in effe,t'ng more cor
dial relations between the United
States and other nations.
Sixth-From prOtectionist stand
point, reciprocity is not open to objec-
tions, as 1t involves no sacrifice of the
principles Of protection. The treaties
which We're negotiated under the act
of 1890 added nothing to the free list
that was not already there.
Seventh-Those who advocate free
| trade ought not to object to reciprocal
commercial treaties, as their whole ef-
feet Is to lessen the restrictions upon
| international trade.
Eighth-Treaties OF commercial reci-
procity with other nations, particularly
the Latina American countries, are nec-
essary as a matter of protection,
for treaties Of this character are being
or have been negotiated between Euro
pean governments and nations to the
south of us to the detriment of our
commercial interests abroad.
In behalf of the enormous Industrial
interests represented by this associa-
tiOn, ! desire to urge with all possible
emphasis the necessity for such treaty
relations with foreign nations as shall
insure the utmost possible favor to
American products in the markets Of
the world.
WHAT RECIPROCITY DID.
| Under section of act of Oct. 1, 1890,
treaties Of commercial reciprocity were
negotiated with the following Latin
American countries. taking effect upon
the dates mentioned:
Brazil, April /, 1891.
Spain, for Cuba and Porto Rico, Sept. ],
1891.
Santo Domingo, Sept. /, 1891.
Salvador, Feb. /, 1892.
British West Indies and British Guiana,
Feb. !. 1892.
Nicaragua, March 12. 1892.
Honduras, May Is, 1892.
Guatemala, May 30, 1892.
The effect of these treaties may be
best judged, perhaps, by comparing the
trade between the United States and