The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1901-12-27


The deliberations of the national
reciprocity convention In Washington
and the prospective congressional ac-
tion on the subject Of reciprocal trade
awaken SPECIAL interest in the recl-
procity history of the United States.
The reciprocity treaties and agree
nlents which this country has entered
into or projected since 1880 when the
idea OF reciprocal trade was first en-
tertained. are:
First An agreement made with csnads which
operated tTom ls55 TO ls66. under which the Unit
60 states admitted tree OF duty from Can y
brescstufs. provisions. live animals truiis nlui
try. hides. skins and furs and meta : tfntr
snd lumber. cotton. dsx and hemp ami Gnn.suu
sactured tobacco. Csnasa also admitting the
articles from the United States free u duts
Second.-An agreement with the Hawaiian Is
lands existed from Is76 to 1870 by winch the init
ed States admitted tree Of duty sugar ard uo.asss
and other tropical products of those Islands. and
they admitted free Of duty brsadstufs. provisions
and general merchandise from the United States
Third.-The tresties made in lssl-a2 un1er the
act Of 1880 with Brszil-spain for Cuba sns Porto
Rico. United Kingdom ior the British West In
Salvador. Nicaragua and cuatemsls IN Central
America tnder these the United States arrr 4
TO admit tree Of cuty sugar. molasses. rofes and
hides from the countries mentioned and in
change Tor that privilege thcse countries agreed
to certain concessions goods from the United
States admitting tree Of duty a considerable
number Of articles and reducing the duty on
larger number. these articles being mainly manu-
fsctured go0ds-machinery. farm mplements
naval stores and railway supplies and In som in
stances cereals and provisions Under the same
act reciprocal trade relations were entered i.sso
with Germany. France and Austro- Hungary. vhien
covered the free admission Of q limited number
Of articles and the reduction OF the tariH on
considerable number Of others
Fourth.-Agrrernent made in ISIS under the act
OF 1857 with France by which the Cuited States
reduces the Of duty tartar. hrandies. sill
wines and paintings and France EXTENDS its mini
mum tariff rates to canned and prepared meats;
also fruits hops. timber and lumber in the United
States Similar agreements also made in
1900 with Germany. Portugal and Italy. AL OF
the recent agreements with France. Germany.
Portugal and Italy in existence
Fifth.-There pending and unratined treaties
which provide for CD the reduction Of l2i1 per
cent duty on sugar. moassrs fruits and asphalt
from the British West Indies and Guiana and the
removal reduction OF the duty on large list
Of agricultural products and manufactures enter
ing those COLONIES from the United States; tsl
reduction Of % per cent in the duty sugar.
hides and certain grades Of wool from Argentina
entering the United States and a reduction in the
Argentina duty on q large list Of foodstuts and
manufactures from the United States. tD re-
duction Of from S to 20 per cent certain manu-
factures entering the United States from France
and the application Of the minimum tarid Of
France to most Of the articles entering that coun-
Try from the United States. In addition to these
there are pending treaties with Nicaragua. Ecua-
DOR the Danish West Indies and the Dominican
Republic. from which the injunction Of secrecy
has not yet been removed
The reciprocity convention embodied
its views In a resolution recommend
ing to congress ''the maintenance OF
the principle Of protection for the home
market and to open up by reciprocity
opportunities for increased foreign
trade by special modification Of the
tariff In special cases" 1t also recon-
mended the creation Of q new depart
ment to be called "the department Of
commerce and industries" the head Of
which shall be member Of the presi-
dents cabinet and one OF its divisions
or bureaus a permanent reciprocity
commission charged with the duty Of
Investigating the conditions Of any
industry and reporting the same to the
president and congress for guidance In
negotiating reciprocal trade agree
mentS~