BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-11-01
SAN JUAN, NOVEMBER !
Editorial Comment.

The reports contained in the newspapers
brought down on the boat last night seem
to indicate that the reciprocity treat es are
doomed. Information from Washington
shows that the most persistent opposition to
them is that of the highly protected indus
tries, which quarrel with every suggestion
of tariff reduction on what they wonld call
principle. This principle, it should he
added is that of the steel men, 10 e. JOY a
prohibitory rate which enables them to m)
nopolize the home market and charge the
home buyer prices half greater tran those
they demand abroad. With a complacency
that is very easily understood, thfse people
urge that we should let well enough alone
and not tamper with single line Of a sane
titled schedule. They claim that the tariff
we needed SO badly few years ago is still
an absolute necessity, aud that ne new
annexation program has not altered the sit
uation In any respect. That the colonies
which are struggling to lift the load from
their backs are not entitled to any protection
other than the permission to buy their goods
Then there are others who are ours d vii
doubt Just because they don't see how reel
procity is going to work. II reciprocity
means that some other 70 l)w will consent
to reduction of the duty on his goods SO
that their goods may have the advantage OF
the German, French or Russian reduction a
great light would suddenly break in upon
their befuddIed minds, and they Weuld give
this pleasing and satisfactory reciprocity
treaty the gladdest of ssglad hands,. Bat II
they are to endure the reduction themselves
in order that the other fellow, who needs
foreign reduction, it is sarge tTefbufdeied
ssmarble hearln that they will give to reel
procity.
The old story of "whose bread is butteredn
or sswhose COW is killedv enters into the pro.
posed reciprocity treaties with more forcs
than many question that has agiteted the
public mind for some years. We had plenty
of instances of tariff refOrmers changing
their minds at later election, voting r
protection, and as the "bread aud but5el"
changed again to tariff reform they we're all
ready to take the stump and shout themsel-
YES hoarse for the opening Of our untry
to the competition OF the world.
To-day there is new factor to be con
,sidered in all public questions Of national po
n6y and program and that factor is the col
enist who has left his American home TO
hep in developing the new territories in
the same way that his fstherS developed TIE
home land Those cOlonlSts and the origi
nal inhabitants of these colonies must be
given every assistance that an organized
government can give. AS for Porto Rico
SO far this has been done, but the sqtashing
of the reciprocity idea is going to hurt this
island just as sure as bad law or the inf c.
ton of unjust penalties would.
There is great deal Of our produce and
manufacture that we cannot sell in the
United States. Our merchants have for a
century been dealing with Europe and COM
mercial and business relations exist that
cannot be broken off in a day What the
mother country will not consume we must
be given an opportunity to sell abroad jus the
same as cur home manufacturers and agr cul
turalists do, and the same protection and op
portunities for intercourse with Europe must
be given us. The passage of hyse fecproc
ity treaties means tnat European goods vi
he able to coms into tae Upited States at
Certaia reduced tariff rates, and in re;u,n
we shall have an opportunity of competing
with the agricuturalists Of the world 10 the
sale Of sugar, coffee, tobacco and the man
nfaciurer in the sale of our straw goods, our
cigars and the various industries, schlcn if
properly developed, would make this island
ismous and honored the world over.
Ofcourse there is chance tor several
thousand complications IN this scheme tor
swapping, but it offers the only alternative
10 general reduction, aud one or thu other
,f these TWO expedIents must be adopted.
II reciprocity is adopted changes can be
made where they will do no real harm to
my home producer, and yet in such way
hat they will increaee the foreign market
or other home products, and for The colonial
,utput that the States cannot use.
Th would be following out the idea o.
President Mckinley that if eoma Of our
ariffs are not needed for revenue or pfotec
ion they may be SO employed as to promo
'ur interests abroad. Added to tbs is the
Iew duties to colonies and the colonis'. Il +
j che duty Of our lawmakers to pass these
eciprocity treaties at the esrllest orpprtun 4
~, aud the President sill not allow person
l friendships aud the greed Of certain
lass Of merchants to blot from BIS view his 1
aty The "a ion and the struggling island
r who is trying 10 get rid ofthe '.hoev that
Q has carried for centuries.