Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-22
OUR FOREIGN TRADE
Attention Called to Barriers
Raised Abroad.
IN GRE ASE IN RATES
APPEAL OF MERCHANTS ASSo-
CIATIoN OF NEW YORK.
Importance of Negotiating Reciprocity
Treaties With the Countries of
Europe Pointed Out.
INCREASE IN RATES

Two recent events have served to fan the
| flames of tariff revision discussion and at
present the protectionists and the revision
lists are at 1t. hammer and tongs Indica-
tions are that by the time Congress meets
| the country will be thoroughly aroused as
result OF the renewed talk. and the sub
ject will come up for early Congressional
| consideration.
In fact, the revisionists are eager to raise
such a furor that sentiment may be cre-
| ated favorable TO extra session Of Con-
gress. They much prefer to have an extra
session, holding the opinion that If the ques-
ton goes over until the regular session the
| stand patters" will win again. The pro-
| tectionists have hitherto deprecated discuss
sion. but now are being forced into it.
| The two events which have aroused re-
| newed interest are, first, the call for the
reciprocity conference 10 be held at Chi
| cago nexth month. and second. the circular
of the Merchants Association Of New York
demanding reciprocity treaties While recf-
procity is the subject matter. It is recog-
nized that tariff revision will inevitably
| come to the fore
| The call for the reciprocity conference,
| which was published in The Star a few
| days ago, was signed principally by agri-
| cultural and stock-raising interests The
! circular of the Merchants Association OF
| New York brings the case into the realms
! or general commerce and therefore is re-
garded as being of Importance.
Menace to Foreign Trade
The full text of that significant document
is as follows:
Important changes have taken or are
about to take place in the tariff systems OF
nearly all the continental nations of Europe
which have adopted or have under con-
templat ton the adoption of. gh protective
tariff duties on imports. Besides this very
marked Increase In tariff duties adopted by
European countries. most of these nations
have adopted a dual tariff system. under
which they apply a maximum or general
| tariff on ordinary imports, and minimum
| separate or conventional tariff duties to
| those nations which make reciprocal con-
ceSSions In their rates of duty, the differ
| ence in the two rates of duty of the MAXI
mum and the minimum tariff. respectively,
running from 10 to 75 per cent.
The result of these tariff systems
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
imports from the United States our prod
ucts viii meet with the severe competition
of other nations to whom the minimum
tariff rates are conceded.
Our Exports to Europe.
fronts the export trade of the United
States to Europe will be realized when
II is considered that our total exports to
Europe during the fiscal year 1904 ex-
ceeded the sum of 81 1,057 900 000 which
was more than two-thirds of our total
exports. The united kingdom, which re-
ceives more than half of these exports to
Europe under its present tariff system,
will offer no barriers to our trade unless
the agitation conducted by Mr. Chamber
lain should be successful. Germany (after
the united kingdom our best customer),
which receives S215000.00 of our ex-
ports; France. S65 900, 900: Italy. S35000,-
600, and Switzerland. Russia, Austro-
Hungary and minor countries of the con-
tinent, will bar many of our exports
through the imposition of these high
rates of duty"
The circular recites the principal ar
ticles of export and goes on to say:
Germany's New Tariff.
"AIl of these articles will be seriously af-
fected by the proposed tariff changes in
most of these continental countries. The
new tariff system of the empire OF Ger
many which goes into effect during the
first half of the year 1906, not only doubles
many of the rates of duty upon chief
articles of export, but also by the recip-
rocal treaties entered into by Germany with
a number of European nations will place
us al still greater disadvantage.
THE same condition will shortly meet US
in Austro- Hungary, where the proposed
new tariff is expected shortly to be adopt
ed AS an instance of the disastrous effect
Of these new high tariff rates of duty upon
the exports from the United States, II is
sufficient to mention the article OF cotton
seed OIL the duty upon which will be quad
rupled which will destroy our cotton seed
oil export trade to that country.
Russia raised her rates of duty on our
exports by from so to 100 per cent In 1901
in retaliation for the countervailng duty
byrt he
sugar, and has now adopted a maximum
tariff which increases these retaliatory
rates of duty. and which will no doubt ems
tirely check export trade with that
country. Our total exports to Russia in
1904 were $31 100000 as against Imports
CT $2.2O0,OO0.
Experience With Reciprocity.
'1The republic of France. after the pas
sage of the Mckinley act, adopted a high
protective maximum tariff and a minimum
tariff, with the result that during the last
six years our exports to France have shown
no increase except in few limited articles
on which France gave the United States re-
ductions in duties in exchange for certain
slight reductions granted by the United
States under section OF the Dingley act.
and ii is noteworthy that our exports 10
France covered by this reciprocal agree
ment have increased from 1888 to 1903 oy
36 per cent.
Italy granted us reductions under her
minimum tarlH on a limited VI "a
ports, with the same result as In the case
of France-namely. that our exports of the
few articles on which Italy grants us her
minimum rates have shown very large
increase, whereas our exports OF such art-
cles as are subject to the maximum rates
have not increased materially.
an Switzerland which republic has al
ways been a good customer of the United
States we shall be subjected to the maxi
mum rates of duty under the new Swiss
tariff shortly to be put in force.
'sThe Merchants Association OF New
York after carefully considering the con-
ditions with which trade is threatened.
has adopted the subjoined resolutions.
which we commend to your serious consid-
GRAFTON.
Adoption of Reciprocity Urged.
1T appears to us that the time has now
come when the United States should adopt
a policy OF reciprocal trade agreements in
accordance with the last words of ex-
President Mckinley. for the purpose OF
extandin9 o,rr