The herald., 1897-07-19
THE COMMERCIAL DELEGATES
CONCLUDE THEIR TOUR OF
FORTY DAYS
A Final Meeting Held to Solve the
Great Questions of Interna-
tional Trade Relations
Associated Press Special Wire.

trail and South Am erica, who last night
returned from their forty days tour OF
the industrial centers Of the country,
assembled at the Philadelphia CONNER
cial museum and held symposium on
the subject of reciprocity. The meeting
was of parliamentary nature and
number Of speeches were made, come of
the delegates expressing decided views
on the tariff question. A general dis
cussion of the subject followed.
DR.. Gustave. Neiderlin, scientific di-
rector of the museum, presided By way
of introduction he said: THE United
States congress is now passing the tariff
bill and in the amendments special
power is given to the president to lower
the tariff quotations 20 per cent for each
article which can be included in the
treaties of reciprocity. The question
Of reciprocity is the most difficult in
the worlds economy and our institu-
tons have established with the aim to
come near the solution of this great
problem"
The most pronounced free trader of tho
party, Arthur S. Hitchings of Rio de
Janeiro, said: II beg first to pay my
sincere thanks for the extreme kindness
which I and the other delegates have met
with in all the cities we have visited in
this country. We have been received
in your chambers of commerce, your uni
versities, your clubs and your homes,
and on every occasion We have been
struck with the wonderful advancement
which every branch has shown us.
Reciprocity, If 1t were as easy be-
tween countries as between individuals,
would undoubtedly be a just definition
of fair and friendly trade, but circum-
stances often, almost always, create
difficulties which prevent a practical re-
alization of such a disposition. That
friendly countries should be inclined to
make it system Is natural, but do not
think it can exist without the free trade
and I would be wrong in holding out
prospects which would indicate any
treaty by which Brazil would bind itself
to favor one country more than others.
IT believe that the exceptional advan-
tagee Canada is giving Great Britain
are legislative blunders and that time
will prove 1t. They are opposed to the
broad and liberal laws which secured
to England her extensive foreign trade.
With this view cannot believe that
their reciprocity (for such it Isl will last
for long, and it will be still more difficult
to have exceptional laws favoring the
many nations on the American CONT
nent. The interests of these are not alike
nor can their produce or manufactures
find an outlet and consumption. within
their respective or united boundaries.
Europe must necessarily be sought after,
both by North and South America, and
1t would be inconsiderate to propose any
legislation that would exclude existing
equality whereby all-nations are treated
alike. Such legislation would interfere
with production, for it would lead to
surplus stock and exact quantities for
barter would be required instead of pro-
gressive increase, which only greater
and greater intercourse with the whole
world can foster and regulate.
Il have heard much of the Monroe
doctrine, but surely such ideas cannot
apply to trade. Let us. gentlemen, fore
go all petty notions that are not based
on sound reasoning and let us circum-
scribe our desires within a possibvle
scope. We have seen on our tour that
the United States produce machinery
and many articles which we import at
present from other countries, and, we
have noticed that these states also i'm
port many things similar to what we
buy in Europe. / must say, however,
that the majority of your manufactures
although in most ways fitted for our
markets, are too high-priced. and there
will be no increase in foreign trade un-
til there is a reduction in the general
scale of prices. You have to appreciate
your dollars which have hitherto been
SO easily earned you must make their
purchasing power greater SO that Cheap
er living will follow and more content
ment. But with protective duties and
inflated currency such results, cannot be
attained and 1T is my pleasure in the
intercourse with your courtrymen to
find that the majority agreed in the
belief that protection has concluded IFS
good work; that its permanence will be
effectively pernicious and that your cur
rency requires without delay TO he
placed beyond the reach of politics or
the msnipulation of silver tr,,sts
1--WE have seen how your factories en-
ploy most advanced machinery bnt
these machines are exported. coined
ard in some cases improved on: Others
are thereby enabled to compete WITH
you by using your own inventions, by