BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-11-05
Reciprocity Problems.
Coming Convention In
Washington Welcomed.
Effect Of Annexation.

The decision Of the committee appointed |
by the National Manufacturers' Association |
to hold the proposed reciprocity convention |
in Washington on November 10. is much |
welcomed. Various reports and statistics |
bearing on reciprocity are more readily |
available there than anytChere else, and as
this convention is for the discussion Of rea
sons for and sgsinst, and not for the purpose
Of starting propaganda, it IL very fitting
that it should be held in city where politi.
cal forces are 80 soon to line up on the same
two Sides
The great argument Of those PROFESSIONALS
who dissent from the Kasson treaties is
that the principle underlying them is wrong.
They insist that we should grant tar.H CON
SESSIONS only on those things which we do
| not produce, instead Of lowering the rate,
even to small extent, on those things which
would come iu'o competition with our own
products. THIS view of what reciprocity
should be is now much in evidence. The
only trouble with it is that such reciprocity
| is practically impossible. No considerable
list exist of articles upon which we impose q
customs duty, and which are not to some
extent produced in this country.
:! With the widening Of our territory
through the acquisition Of tropical islands
} the reciprocity principle on articles which
are not to some extent produced in th'
United States is obviously becoming all th'
time more difficult Of application. Ooffs'
might have been cited, had it been dutiable
{ and had we not annexed Porto Rico-tw'
= rather valid objections. Sugar might b
such an article, but for Porto Rico, Hawaii
. and Louisiana. Every addition to our terri
( tory and every enlargement of our hom
:. industries, through internal dversification
I m axes less and less possible any reciprocit.
upon the basis which is proposed by tk,
opponents of the Kasson treaties.
Another dictum of the opponents Of -eci
procity is that no concession can be tolerate'
which will throw single American work
| in9man out Of employment, or disposses
from its field Of activity single dollar o
American capital. This il, Of course, an
tagonistic to the principle of the creates
good for the greatest number. Some yer,
worthy latos, customs, and institution
throw people out of employment, temporary
at least. Had this rule governed our in
dustrial development, we should still b
!, riding in stage coaches, reading by candle
j ii ,ht, and t0earing homespun. The histor
" story of throwing people out of employment
= and still they seem employed just the sam
at this late day, with the accumulation o
the labor saving devices of the most Won
derful century of the world. 1t is possibl
}, that broad lines of national policy, ssekin
y wider opportunities for general trade, an
: more regular employment for labor and cap
!. ital, might occasionally throw somebody ou
u Of work. 1t would be extraordinary t
y regard this as the acme Of iniquity.
|. It is customary in anti-reciprocity circle
to declare that Mr. Kasson was "buncoed
in most Of his negotiations, and that CON
u mon prudence dictated that We should rejec
: trades made SO bunglingly. The leadin
4 illustration OF this is the Jamaican treaty
which offends some gentlemen in Oalitorni
J scko believe that Eastern cities should b
dependent for certain of their fresh fruit
upon orchards 5000 miles distant by rail
instead Of gaining any advantage from th
tropical islands within easy reach by wate
0l transportation. 1t appears that somebod
U introduced bill, after Mr. Rasson's treat
was completed, lowering the general Jam
aican duties to about the figures that he ha
BEEN offered. Of course, the bill was neve
seriously considered; and although net on
!, per cent. OF the bills introduced at Washing
. ton ever become law, it has pleased some Q
the opponents of this particular treaty +
regard the introduction Of . bill ard th
passage OF law as absolute equivalents il
Jamaica.
1t is becoming increasingly evident tina
L there will be no ratification Of the Kassol
treaties this winter, and probably no reeip
0 rocity with Canada or Onba. It has beel
n suggested that combination might b
!. made Of the idea back Of the Babcock bill
= and that involved in reciprocity, by provid