The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-01-09

yitationS to the American republics
south of us to appoint delegates to a
conference to be held in Washington
in 1882. ''for the purpose of consider
ing and discussing methods of prevent
ing war between the nations of
America. The question of trade
relations was not mentioned. In
fact, the invitation stated: "The
President desires that the attention
of the congress shall be strictly con-
fined to this one great object" of
devislng plan to preserve peace on
the American continents. Soon after
these invitations had been issued Mr..
Blaine retired as secretary of state
and his successor Mr.. Frellnghuysen
recalled the invitations, on account of
the state of war which then existed
i'm Chile, Bolivia and Peru. President
Arthur, however, maintained his
interest in the question, and after the
termination of the war mentioned he
introduced into the original plan the
commercial feature which made the
question of reciprocity one of the most
important subjects discussed at the
conference. The delegates finally
met at Washington in October 1889,
and among other recommendations to
their governments they advised "the
negotiation Of reciprocity treaties for
the free interchange of the products
of the American nations, SO far as is
consistent with the raising of revenue
for the support of their governments. "
This recommendation was followed
out by the United States in the Nc
Kinley tariff law, which provided the
legislative machinery for the reciproc-
ity treaties of 1891 and 1892 with
Cuba and Central and South American
countries.
The most pressing need for reciproc-
ity in 1890 was to give the farmers
relief from the over production CT
agricultural products, which depress-
ed prices and made agriculture unpro-
fitable. The building of railways
through the west and the settlement
of the prairieS had progressed so rapid
" between 1870 and 1890 that con-
sumption had not kept pace with the
supply of agricultural products. The
result was long depression in prices,
which extended over period begin
ming in the eighties and continuing
almost to the close of the century. In
1870 the value of field products per
acre, as shown by the census returns,
averaged S12.96. So general and
severe had been the decline in prices
in twenty years that in 1890 the census
returns show an average value of only
s6.sS per acre.
President Harrison seems TO have
fully recognized the acuteness of this
depression in agriculture when he
stated to congress in his annual mes
sage in 1900:
From the time of my induction into
office the duty of using eviry power
and influence given by law to the
executive department for the develop
ment of larger markets for our pro-
ducts has been kept constantly in
mind and nv effort has been or will be
spared to promote that end
The reciprocity clause of the tariff
act wisely and effectively opens the
way to secure large reciprocal trade
in exchange for the free admission to
our ports of certain products.
Under the reciprocity clause in the
Mckinley law, Secretary Blaine
directed the negotiation of the follow
ing reciprocity treaties: with Spain
covering Cuba and Porto Rico, taking
effect September 1, 1891: with Brazil
April 1, 1891; with Germany February
1, 1892; with San Salvador, February l
1892; with Nicaragua, March II, 1892
with British Guiana, April l, 1892
with Honduras, May %, 1892; with
Austria Hungary, May 26, 1892; with
Guatemala May 80, 1892. All OF
these treaties continued in force unit
the Wilson tariff law went into effect
August 81, 1894.
In these treaties our agricultural
| products were especially favored
The Mckinley law provided for th'
free admission of sugar, coffee au(
other tropical products from sucf
countries as would join with us il
treaty in which they would give th'
like free admission TO our flour, pro
visions and other food products
Other articles like our manufactured
goods were either admitted free or a
a reduced rate of duties, but in near
ly all cases provision was made TO
placing our agricultural and food pro
ducts on the free list of the other par
ty to the treaty.
These treaties resulted in a consider
able enlargement of our markets il
the countries to the south of us. Th