BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-01-11
Endangering Our Export
Trade.

The emphatic vote Of the New York
Chamber OF Commerce, on the resolutions
about treaties of reciprocity, is really an
alarm sounded by the closest and most in
terssted observers of our foreign trade.
They are active business men who, in their
federated capacity, know no politics and
swear by no economic theories. Their
only concern is to promote the coCn.
try commerce. They might, as logic
ians, condemn the self contradictory resol-
YES of the Reciprocity Convention at Wash.
lngton, but it is really in the guise Of mer.
chants that they speek their minds on that
subject. WHAT they say is that reciprocity
which is terrorised by protection is not only
a soundinh brass and tinkIing cymbal, but
is an immediate peril to our export trade.
For these clear sighted watchmen on the
soalls plainly perceive that the great indus.
trial and commercial need of this nation is
''new and wider markets for our products",
and that the failure TO secure them by reci.
procsl trade arrangements means not only
that we shall get no added openings, but
that we shall lose those we already have.
The course of the head-in-th sand proteo
tioniStS Sand of the reciprocity advocates who
take away with one hand what they
give with the other is, asserts the Chamber
of Commerce, "likely to invite hostile legis.
lation on the part of other nations against
this country, to the great detriment Of its
commercial interests"
Such hostile legislation is not merely in.
victed. 1t is openly advocated abroad. 1t
is, in at least one important case, already
formulsted. The new German tariff, il
enacted, will deal heavy blowto the agri-
cultural export Of the United States. Crush.
ingly high duties will be laid on wheat and
ueef and pork products. Tne present duty
on wheat is 81 marks the metric cwt. of 220
pounds; the proposed duty is 81 marks. On
bacon the increase 10 i f0fa . b 70 81 @afks
on pork from IL 20 30 marks, and of
meats from 15 to 80. Noso, in 190C(
sold to Germany SO 495 900 worth Of wheat
and $1,000 600 of s0heat fur; over $1,000.
OCO of bacon and ham, and as much more OF
pork and other meats. Oar cotton exports
to Germany were, in the same year, of o
value greater than 463. .OOO, 900. How much
zoe ought to dread hostile legislation affect.
ing this important export trade is obvious
at a glance. What will Western and South.
ern Congressmen have to say to their CON.
stitusnts, what will the President have to
say to the country, If supineness or sullsn
greed is allowed to lmpsrIl our foreign ex.
port trades
The thing to keep clearly in mind is that
hostile German legislation has not, 80 far,
passed from threats to actu Al blows. The
contingent aim Of the> higher duties was
most distinctly set forth by the OnsncslIor
in his speech to the Reichstag, when lay
ing the bill for the new tariff before it. Won
Bilow said in 30 many words: "The new
tariff is intended to supply better weapon
for conducting the negotiations for future
treaties Of c0mMerce with other States" 1t
did not mean, he asserted, the "absndon-
ment Of the policy Of commercial treasies.n
Ii must be, he affirmed, "the most earnest
endesvor Of any responsible statesman to
arrange treaties Of commerce on acceptable
conditionsn But IL treaties could NOT be
arranged, why, there were the high du.ies
for the products Of foreign countries which
stubbornly maintained high duties against
German goods. Bismarck himself could
not havs been more explicit In laying dowa
. policy Of do wt des.
The danger 70 cur trade In Germany is|
only . ltsle more evldent than IN other
countries. AEstna will undsuotedly enact
tanf against 10, as soon - the Rsieksrath
can pull itself together 70 pass any u % at
all. France knows the trlck Of g aam
tarifls, aud 10 ready 10 uss them a.. us. IA
AZ Tor Canada, her statesmen are Tspldly
passing over 10 the positioa TIA, it must Be
siihsr . treaty % reciprocity viva NE Unltsd
States, 90 hostile t4rid mas WI, eat our
sIpolts IN tHo. AZ the Hoo. JoA1 u4Eiroa,
n. r, writes In tns January Fsrnm;
sUaasd& c4a siss - tas UaIisd States
kiud q rscipfocsy tnas viii maks tbs
volnms ef inpsfss fFom tkxl eoaasEy nssr- |
v 90 lean s9d aasEy se y ne pssssns seals /
e q s.gsr....sa = e xas sI.Pis ssasIs