The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-15
VERT TIRED OF THE TARIFF.
Merchants' Association of New York
 CIamors for Reciprocity Treaties.

| Merchants Association of New fOrk l Clamors for Reciprocity Treaties. I The Merchants Association of New York is sending out a circular from | which the following is an extract: Important changes have taken. or are I about to take place fin the tariff, systems of nearly all the continental nations of Europe which have adopted. or have under contemplation the adoption of, I high protective tariff duties on imports. ! Besides this very marked increase in | tarif duties~ adopted by European countries most of these have adopted e dual tariff system, under which they ap- ply maximum or general tartff on ordinary imports, minimum separate or commercial tariff duties to those nations which make reciprocal concessions in their rates of duty. the difference in the two rates of duty, of the maximum and the minimum tariff respectively, rum ming from 15 to 75 per cent
 The result of these new tariff systems adopted by the countries of Europe will be most disastrous upon the export trado of the United States. In addition to the high and prohibitive rates of duty imposed upon imports from tho United States our products vii meet with the severe competition of other nations to whom the minimum tariff rates are conceded.
 The very serious situation that con- fronts the export trade of the United States to Europe will be realized when it is considered that our total exports to Europe during tho fiscal year 1904 ex- ceeded tLe sum of $1,057. 100000. which was more than two-thirds of our total exports. The United Kingdom. which receives more than half of these ex- ports to Europe, under It's present tariff system will offer no barriers to our thade unless the agitation conducted by Mir. Chamberlain should be successful ~ our best customer.) which receives s215, 100000 of our exports, France $65,- 100000. Italy ss5.oo0,ooo. and Switzer- land. Russia, Austro-Hungary, and minor countries of the continent, will bar many of our exports through tho imposition of these high rates of duty.
 Our principal articles of export to the Continent or Europe are the following: wheat. rye, oats. barley. corn wheat flour. malt. potatoes. hops. dried apples, pears, apricots. peaches and prunes, fresh apples. cheese. fresh and canned beef, canned salmon. tobaccoT eEgs. oiemargarine, wood alcohol, cSws and oxens, horses. hogs, cotton, shoes. rough lumber. sewing machines, leather. elec- trical machinery, machine tools. tele- raph instruments, telephones. electric lighting and power apparatus. railways and street cars. motor cars and motor bicycles, machinery of various kinda,
 
 implements, petroleum, oils.
 All of these articles will be seriously affected by the proposed tariff changes In most of these Continental countries.
 The new tariff system of the Empire of Germany, which goes into effect dur ing the first half of the year 1906, not only doubles many of the rates of duty upon our chief articles of export, but also by the reciprocal treaties en- tered into by Germany with a number of European nations will place us at a still greater disadvantage.
 Tfre same condition will shortly meet us in Austro-Hungary, where the pro- posed new tariff is expected shortly to be adopted. As an instance of the disastrous effect of these new high tariff rates of duty upon the exports from the United States, 1t is sufficient to mention the article of cotton seed oil. the duty upon which will te quadru- pied. which will destroy our cotton seed Oil export trade to that country.
 Russia raised her rates of duty on our exports by from 50 per cent to 100 per cent in 1901 in retaliation for the coun- tervailing duty imposed by the United States on Russian sd gar and has now adopted @ maximum rates of duty. and which will no doubt entirly chsck our exp. Tt trade with that country. Our total exports to Russia in 1904 were $31- 200. 900 as against imports of $2.200,000.
 The Republic of France after the pas sage of the Mckinley Act, adopted a high protective maximum tariff and Q minimum tariff, with the result that during the last six years our exports to France have shown no increase except in a few limited articles on which France gave the United States reduction in duties in exchange for certain slight reductions granted by the Unitei States under the section of the Dingly Act. and 1t Is noteworthy that our exports to France by this reoipro- cal agreement have increased from 1898 to 1908 by 46 per cent.
 Italy granted us reduction under her minimum tariff on limited number of exports, with the same result as in the case of France, namely: that our ex- ports of the new articles on which Italy grants us her minimum rates have shown a very large increase. whereas our exports on such articles as are sub-