Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-19
Obstacles in the Way Of a Reciprocity
Treaty.
INDUSTRIES IN OPPOSITION
Would Fight Lower Duties on the
Things We import.
NATION" CLAUSE
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Mexico is one of the few countries in the
world of any Importance with which the
United States has no commercial treaty.
This is all the more remarkable circum-
stance in view of the fact that Mexico is
not only close neighbor, but country in
which Americans have found satisfactory
outlet for large amounts of money and a
country from which the people of the
United States secure very large amount
of goods peculiar to the tropics. The So
cial, political and commercial relations of
the two countries are of the closest and
yet no commercial agreement exists be-
tween them whereby concessions are made
one to the other. With our northern neigh
Dor, Canada, we have such an agreement,
and there is continual exchange of ideas
upon the subject.
No serious attempt has been made to con-
clude a commercial treaty with Mexico
since 1884 The subject was again agi-
tated to a slight degree about eight years
ago These latter negotiations were con-
Quoted in the City of Mexico and came to
naught, as the United States minister and
the Mexican minister of foreign relations
reached the conclusion that there Were Sc
rious obstacles in the path of a treaty
which would prove acceptable to the law
making power of both countries.
How a Treaty Failed.
The negotiations between the United
States and Mexico in 1884 form a unique
and remarkable episode in the history of
commercial relations A treaty was nego-
tiated between the Mexican ambassador
and the American Secretary of State Janu-
airy 20, 1883. This treaty was ratified by
the Senate March IL, 1884. 1t was signed
by the President of the United States May
20, 1884 and by the president of Mexico
May IA, 1884. The notifications were ex-
changed at Washington May 20, 1884 and
the treaty was proclaimed by both coun-
tries as being in effect June 2, 1884.
Unfortunately, both for Mexico and the
United States, especially for the United
States, article of this treaty provided that
1t should not In reality go into effect ''un-
til the laws and regulations that each shall
deem necessary to carry 1t into operation
shall have been passed by the government
of the United States of America and by
the government of the united Mexican
states, which shall take place within
twelve months from the date of exchange
of publications. This clause put this treaty
under the head of legislation, and the
House of Representatives refusing to en-
act the laws referred to, the treaty expired
by limitation without ever having become eff
fective. By the terms of this treaty it
was to continue in effect for six years from
the date of its ratification, and for much
longer thereafter as might be considered
desirable by both countries.
Under this treaty there were seventy
three articles of United States manufac-
ture to be admitted into Mexico free of
duty; and fully nine-tenths OF these articles
are now included among the important
items in the export trade Of the United
States. Under the present law Mexico adj
mits sixtyeight articles free of duty from
the United States, but very few of these are
of great Importance to the American for
eign trade. Since the making of this treaty
in 1884 a number of complications have
arisen which render If almost irnpoSGib1a n
outline practical basis for any reciprocity
between Mexico and the United States For
this reason there has been no revival of
the subject since the discussion of eight
years ago above referred to, and no negotia-
tons are now pending between the two
countries.