Evening journal., 1897-06-29
A TARIFF COMPLAINT
A Prominent Argentine Republic
Citizen Makes q Protest.
SAYS THEY ARE UNFAIRLY TREATED.
Shows How England and European Coun-
tries Allow Argentine Goods to BE
Admitted Frce-says Our Trade
VIII BE Greatly Injured.

Cincinnati, June 29.-The most signlfi-
cant feature of the tour of the pam
American commercial men thus far was
he expression on the tariff question
made by one of the foreigners. The
speaker was Carlos Lix Klett of the
Argentine Republic, editor of the most
prominent newspaper in his country and
a specialist in wool. hides and skins.
The place where he voiced his views
was the chamber Of commerce. What
he said follows in part:
The United States have never had a
better opportunity to extend their COM
mercial relations than this one offered
by the Philadelphia museums I'm as
sembling noted business men Of Latin
America, as my colleagues are. / am
perfectly sure that all of the delegates
are inspired with the best wishes I'm re-
gard to closer relations with the United
States, and / should feel very glad IL
the Argentine Republic should find her
self in the same position, but unfortu-
nately our visit TO the United States
and our good win are put aside by the
tariff bill that is now passing in your
congress- and whose result VIII render
difficult the realization Of closer COM
mercial relations with Latin America.
THE two princs)al products that we
export to the United States are wool
and hides We have ovT 1 900, 600 sheep,
which produce every year about 250,
200 klos of wool, and this article
has always been imported into the
United States free of duty the same as
we import free of duty your machinery
and your petroleum.
But now the new tariff bill has inn
posed a prohibitive tax upon our wool.
We have been exporting TO your coun7
try our hides during the past % years
free Of duty. but now you have taxed
them with ~ cents per pound. You
may consider how much this duty will
affect our trade when you think that
we have over 22.O00O00 Of oxen.
Treated In an Unfriendly Manner.
I'VE have been treated in an un-
friendly manner and at the same time
you submit TO - the idea of reel
procity treaty. sam very sorry to say
that under the circumstances the
statesmen Of the Argentine Republic
viii not accept any kind OF treaties, not
only for certain reasons that you can
easily understand, but because our
products are exported free of duty to
England. France. Germany. Belgium
and Italy, and we receive from Europe
all the goods we require all the capital
that we need for our commercial devel-
oPmeilt and all the immigratisn neces-
sary la populate our extended territory.
LAS we find no compensation or. any
reason to tie ourselves. TO the United
States under the present circumstances,
we think that. taking into considera-
ton the protectionist doctrine of this
country. we have nothing to do but 20
use the same principle in our own de-
fense and impose prohibitive duties up
on all the American goods that may be
imported into Argentine Republic
I'VE regret very much to take such
action. but we will be compelled to do
so. and 1t is convenient TO note that
Europe is trying by all means TO hold
the Latin-American markets and Is
sending to all of the republics to study
the resources, the commerce and the
financial state of each.
II think I am right when I call your
attention to the opportunity that is
offered to you to control the markets
Of Latin-America, which offer a most
extensive field for the consumption Of
your manufactured products. All you
have 20 do is to put TO one side the OBJ
stacles that have noted, so that the
way Will be completely open, and the
commercial relations with the country
Of Washington can be easily extended" "