Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-08-04
RECIPROCITY
FOR AMERICA
A Subject Of the Most Vital I'M
portarce Forms waterfall for a
Letter from Chicago Associa-
ton. How We Stand with Ger
many and Switzerland.
New York. July 20, 1905,

Gcntlemen;-
Important changes have taken. or
afe about TO take, place in the tariff
systems Of nearly all the continental
1, systems OF Europe which have adopt.
ed or have under contemplation the
adoption Of, high protective tariff
duties on imports, Besides this very
marked increase of tariff duties adopt.
ed by European countries. most Of
these nations have adopted. a dual
tariff system, under which they apply
q maximum or general tariff on ordi.
nary imports. and minimum, separate,
Or conventional tariff duties to those
nations which make reciprocal conces.
sions In their rates of duty. the diff
ference In the two rates of duty of the
maximum and the minimum tariff re.
spectively, running from Is per cent
to IS per cent.
The result Of these new tariff sys.
TENS adopted by the countries Of
Europe will be most disastrous upon
the export trade of the United States.
In addition to the high and prohibitive
rates Of duty imposed upon exports
from the United States our products
| will meet with the evere competition
OF other nations to whom the mini.
mum tariff rates are conceded.
The very serious situation that con-
fronts the export trade of the United
States to Europe will he realized when
liz IS considered that our total exports
to Europe during the fiscal year 1904
exceeded the sum of n billion fifty
seven million dollars. which was more
than two-thirds of our total exports.
The United Kingdom, which receives
more than half Of these exports to
Europe, under its present tariff sys-
Items will offer no barriers to our
trade unless the agitation conducted
bv Mr.. Chamberlain should be sue
cessful. Germany latter the United
Kingdom our best customer). which
receives 1918. 00O. 900 of our exports,
France s65. 900, 900, Italy, S35,00O. 600
and Switzerland, Russia. Austro-Hun-
gary, and minor countries Of the con
l%tinent, will bar many of our exports
through the imposition of these high
lrates of duty.
Cur principal articles of eyport to
the continent Of Europe are the fol
flowing
Wheat. barley, malt, dried apples
%lnears. a%pricots. fresh apples, sailed
meats. fresh and canned beef. eggs
itows and oxen, cotton. shoes. leather
electrical machinery, telephones, rail
way and street cars. machinery o.
various kinds, agricultural imnle
ments, rye, corn. potatoes. peaches
ard prunes, sausages, butter, cannef
salmon, oleomargarine, horses. 1unl
her, rough. machine tools. electric
lighting and power apparatus. mOtoI
|cars and motor BICYCLES. typewriters
oats, wheat flour, hops, lard, cheese
tobacco, wood alcohol, hogs, sewins
raachines, telegraph instruments. ia
val stores. petroleum. oils.
All of these articles will he ser
iously affected by the proposed tariff
changes in most Of these continental
countries. $500 -A-'ss eef -
The new tariff system Of the EN-
lpire of Germany. which goes into ct
feet during the first half OF the yea
1906, not only doubles many OF IN
rates of duty unon chief article
of export, but also by the reciprocal
treaties entered into by Germany Wit
la number of European nations VII
lpiace us at a still greater disadvan'
age.
The same condition will shortl
meet rs in Austro-H Hungary, wher
the proposed new tariff is expecte'
shortly to be adopted. AS an II
I~stance Of the disastrous effect OF tines
lnew high tariff rates of duty upo
the exports from the United States.
lis sufficient to mention the article 9
lection seed oil. the duty upon whic
will be quadrupled, which will destro
our cotton seed oil export trade
that country.
Russia raised her rates of duty Q
our exports by from 50 to 100 per Ger
) in 1901 in retaliation for the counte'