204 



CONGRESS. (THE TARIFF MEASURE.) 



between Havre and Buenos Ayres, and as a direct 

 and natural result, her exports increased from 

 872 in 1880 to $22,996,000 in 1888. 



The experience of Germany furnishes an even more 

 striking example. In 1880 the exports from Ger- 

 many to the Argentine Republic were only $2,365,- 

 152. In 1888 they were $13,310,000. " This result," 

 writes Mr. Baker, our most useful and intelligent con- 

 sul at Buenos Ayres, " is due, first, to the establish- 

 ment of quick and regular steam communication be- 

 tween the two countries; second, to the establish- 

 ment of branch houses by German merchants and 

 manufacturers ; and third, to the opening of a Ger- 

 man Argentine bank to facilitate exchange." 



There is no direct steamship communication what- 

 ever between the United States and the Arge'ntine Re- 

 public ; and there are no direct banking facilities. 

 The International American Conference has earnestly 

 recommended the establishment of both ; but recip- 

 rocal exchanges of tariff concessions will be equally 

 effective in stimulating commerce and in increasing 

 the export of the products of which we have the 

 largest surplus not only to the progressive republic 

 named, but to all the other American nations. 



The conference believed that while great profit 

 would come to all the countries if reciprocity treaties 

 should be adopted, the United States would be by far 

 the greatest gainer. Nearly all the articles we ex*port 

 to our neighbors are subjected to heavy customs taxes ; 



so heavy, in many cases, as to prohibit their consump- 

 tion by the masses of the people. On the other hand, 

 more than 87 per cent, of our imports from Latin Am- 

 erica are admitted free, leaving but 12 per cent, upon 

 which duties may still be removed. But mindful of 

 the fact that the United States has, from time to time, 

 removed the duties from coffee, cocoa, India-rubber, 

 hides, cinchona bark, dye and cabinet woods, and 

 other Latin-American products, our Government may 

 confidently ask the concession suggested. 



The increased exports would be drawn alike from 

 our farms, our factories, and our forests. None of 

 the Latin- American countries produce building lum- 

 ber : the most of them are dependent upon foreign 

 markets for their breadstuff's and provisions ; and in 

 few is there any opportunity or inclination for me- 

 chanical industry. 



The effect of such reciprocity would be felt in 

 every portion of the land. Not long ago the Brazilian 

 Mail Steamship Company took the trouble to trace 

 to its origin every article that composed the cargo car- 

 ried by one of its steamers to Rio de Janeiro, and the 

 investigation disclosed the fact that thirty-six States 

 and Territories contributed to the total, as follows : 



st ests, enlarge their purchasing power, and tend to pro- 

 - mote friendly sentiments and intercourse. 



The wool-growing nations are Chili, Uruguay, and 

 the Argentine Republic, and from them our manu- 

 facturers of carpets receive a great portion of their 

 supply. It was most strongly urged by the delegates 

 who had carefully studied this subject that the free 

 admission of coarse wools from these countries could 

 not prove injurious to the wool growers of the United 

 States, because the greater profit derived by them 

 from the higher grades discourages, if it does not ac- 

 tually prohibit, their production. On the contrary, 

 they maintained that the free importation of the coarse 

 wool would result in a large reduction in the cost of 

 the cheaper grades of carpets, and enable the manu- 

 facturers of the United States to secure an enormous 

 export trade in these fabrics. It was also suggested 

 that the use of the coarse wools for the purpose of 

 adulteration in the manufacture of clothing might he 

 prevented by requiring that imports withdrawn for 

 the manufacture of carpets should be so designated to 

 exempt them from customs dues, and the existing duty 

 retained upon those used for other purposes. 



The wool growers of the Argentine Republic pro- 

 test against what they consider a serious discrimina- 

 tion against their products in the tariff laws of the 

 United States, which impose a duty upon the gross 

 weight instead of the value of the article. 



The Argentine wools are much heavier in grease 

 and dirt than those from Australia and New Zealand, 

 which is said to be due to unavoidable climatic con- 

 ditions, and sell at a lower price. But the imports 

 from the three countries are subject to the same duty. 

 This fact was very strongly urged, to the end that at 

 least equal advantages should be given to the prod- 

 ucts of a friendly country with which we are endeav- 

 oring to build up a trade. 



The Argentines desire the free admission of their 

 coarse wool, and other Latin- American states desire 

 the free admission of their sugar to the ports of this 

 country, with the undcrstan dinar that our peculiar 

 products shall, in turn, be admitted free into their 

 ports. At present, by reason of the high duties levied 

 by them, the chief articles of our production are be- 

 yond the purchasing power of the great mass of the 

 people in those countries, and are luxuries which only 

 the wealthy can enjoy. 



Excepting raw cotton, our four largest exports dur- 

 ing the last fiscal year were breadstuffs, provisions, 

 refined petroleum, and lumber. 



The following statement shows the total exports of 

 each of said articles in 1889, and the proportion ex- 

 ported to Latin America: 



The 12 per cent, of our imports from Latin America 

 upon which duties are still assessed consists only of 

 raw sugar and the coarse grades of wool used in the 

 manufacture of carpets. 



The sugar-growing nations comprise four fifths or 

 forty millions, of Latin America; but with geographi- 

 cal conditions against them, their free labor can not 

 successfully compete with the coolie labor of the Eu- 

 ropean colonies. A slight discrimination in their 

 favor would greatly stimulate their agricultural inter- 



These figures should be closely studied. It would 

 be difficult to understand, but for the explanations 

 given in the conference, why, out of the three hundred 

 millions of staples exported from this country, only 

 fifteen millions should be consumed in all Latin 

 America with its population of 50,000,000 people, 

 when the United States is the only source of supply 

 for those articles which are regarded by us as the ne- 

 cessaries of life. 



The foreign delegates all agreed that this proportion 

 could be increased many fold by extending to their 

 people the ability to purchase, and the ability to pur- 

 chase rests, in their opinion, upon reciprocal con- 

 cessions. 



Attached hereto is a statement showing the duties 

 charged by the South American countries of tl 

 largest commerce upon the articles which they import 

 chiefly from the United States, and also a statemer 

 showing the meager amounts of our peculiar exporta- 



