Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-01-30
Reciprocal Trade with Other Nations.

The deliberations of the national
reciprocity convention in Washington
and the prospective congressional ac-
ton on the subject Of reciprocal trade
awaken special interest in the reel
proeity history of tho United Stntes.
The reciprocity treaties and agree
ments which this country has entered
Into or projected since 1850, when the
Idea of reciprocal trade was first en-
tertained. are:
First-An agreement made with Canada which
operated from 1865 to 1866. under which the Unit
ed States admitted free OF duty from Canada
breadstuffs provisions. live animals, fruits, poul-
try, hides, skins and furs, ores and metals, timber
and lumber, cotton, fax and hemp and unmanu-
Sactured tobacco, Canada also admitting the same
articles from the United States free Of duty.
Second-An agreement with the Hawaiian Is
lands existed from 1876 TO 1900 by which the Unit
I'd States admitted tree OF duty sugar and molasses
and other tropical products OF those islands, and
they admitted free OF duty breadstufis, provisions
and general merchandise from the United States.
Thrd-The treaties made In 1s9lo2 under the
act Of 1880 with Brazil-Span for Cuba and Porto
Rico, United Kingdom for the British West In
dies and British Guiana Dominican Republic,
Salvador Nicaragua and Guatemala in Central
America Under these the United States agreed
20 admit free OF duty sugar. molasses, coffee and
hides from the countries mentioned. and in eI-
change for that privilege those countries agreed
TO certain concessions goods from the United
States admitting free OF duty considerable
number Of articles and reducing the duty on
larger number, these articles being mainly manu-
Factured goods-machnery. farm implements,
naval stores and railway supplies and in some in
stances cereals and provisions. Under the same
act reciprocal trade relations entered into
with Germany. France and Austro-H Hungary, which
covered the free admission OF limited number
OF articles and the reduction OF the tariff on
considerable number Of others.
Fourth-Agrcement made in 1898 under the act
OF 1897 with France by which the United States
reduces the rate OF duty tartar, brandes, still
wines and paintings and France extends It's mini
mum tariff rates to canned and prepared meats;
also fruits hops timber and lumber in the United
States. Similar agreements were also made in
1900 with Germany, Portugal and Italy. ALI OF
the recent agreements with France. Germany,
Portugal and Italy are now In existence.
Fifth.-There pending and unratifed treaties
which provide for QO the reduction OF l2fa per
cent duty on sugar, molasses, fruits and asphalt
from the British West Indies and Guiana and the
removal or reduction OF the duty on q large list
OF agricultural products and manufactures enter
ing those colonies from the United States; ~ q
reduction OF 20 per cent In the duty on sugar,
hides and certain grades OF wool from Argentina
entering the United States and reduction In the
Argentina duty on large list Of ioodstuds and
manufactures from the United States; go re-
duction Of from to 20 per cent on certain manu-
iactures entering the United States from France
and the application OF the minimum tarin 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
It's views in 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 new depart
ment to be called "the department OF
commerce and industries" the head Of
which shall be a member OF the presi-
dents cabinet and one Of It's divisions
or bureaus 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."