The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-09
SHE WANTS RECIPROCITY.
Argentina VIII Ask the United
States to Make Concessions in
Return for Favors shown


WASHINGTON. Sept. s.-senor NJ. Gar
Cha Merou, the Argentine minister, has not
yet received official notice of the message
sent 70 the Argentine congress by Presi-
Gent Uruibaya, suggesting either recipro-
cal treaties with the United States or re-
taiiatory tariff legislation. If the United
states declines 10 make treaty, but he Is
familiar with its purport, as il is in line
with the negotiations he has conducted for
some time with the state department. He
Is expecting information from his govern
ment.
Inc present action In Argentina was fore
swallowed by Senior Merou In an official
note Whicn he sent to Secretary Sherman
some time ago. In thfs the minister re-
ferred TO the painful surprise of his gov
eminent on hearing Of the practically pro-
hioltory rate Of duty which threatened
Argentine wool. He also presented a eta.e.
ment OF the trade between the two coun-
tries. which, he said. showed that the main
articles sent by Argentina TO the United
states are wool, hides, goat skins and brs-
ties. In 1896 the shipments of wool to the
United States were o. 736 s51 pounds. val
ued at s., SIS. PSI. Argentina also furnished
zl.s per cent. of all the hides brought into
me country, coming next to the United
hlngdom: IL per cent. OF all the goat skins
ana 10 per cent. of all bristles The new
tarin law. the minister said, fixed prac-
ucally prohioitive rates on wool and hides
The wool schedule he represented to be
peculiarly hurdensome as the Argentine
woods have moro shrinkage than Austria
han woods. thus permitting the latter to
have an advantage. He then pointed out
tAat Argentina had made heavy tariff con-
cessions 10 the United States. specifying
as follows:
We have on the free list, besides
other articles, mowers. reapers. threshers
raw petroleum. coal, coke, locomotives
nails and sleepers we have reduced tho
duty on lumber yellow pine and oak).
on canned goods, on petroleum, on cotton
goods, and we are levying moderate
duty on all other American products i'm
ported there's per cent ad valorem on
plows, machines and motors of all kinds
for agricultural purposes. sewing ma
chimes. rosin, wire forceps, fences. etc"
The value OF mowers and reapers ship
ped from the United States to Argentina.
he said was $7,s17,4l5 for the year ending
July ]. 1925. while the shipments Of min
erai oil, lumber. tools all kinds OF instru-
ments. railroad equipmentss etc. also
were large. This document he followed
up with a more recent statement. IN
which he showed by official statistics that
for period OF ten years. 1887 10 1897 In
elusive the trade OF the two countries
has almost balanced. the shipments from
Argentina 70 the United States being ST.
7sS. and those from the United States
to Argentina, t5T1Si. COS.
President Uruibaya's plan contemplates
that the Argentina tariff rates shall be
remodeled so as 10 provide a maximum
tariff ana a minlmum tariff. similar to the
plan OF European countries. The adj
vantage of the minimum rates wifi then
be accorded 10 the United States II
reciprocity treaty Is negotiated which
will give concessions to Argentine goods.
Argentina will urge that a treaty be ne
gotiated by which the president grants
% per cent reduction in the duties on
such goods as may be agreed on. The
agreed negotiations will not be open IN
Ill. however. Senior Merou receives ex-
pllcit instructions from his government.