Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1891 — OUR TRADE WITH ARGENTINE. [ARTICLE]

OUR TRADE WITH ARGENTINE.

Europe Gets the Elon's Share—Reciprocity and Beta iatlon Hide® and Wool. The insignificance of our trade with the Argentine Republic is brought out by that country’s trade reports for last year. These reports show that European countries get the lion’s'share of the trade of Argentine. Argentine imports of all sorts were 149 millions, of which over 61 millions were from the United Kingdom, 20 millions from France, 12 millions from Germany, 11 millions from Belgium, and $9,307,315 from the United States, this country standing fifth in rank as respects imports. But the exports from the Argentine Republic wore in the aggregate over 105 millions, of which nearly 27 millions were to France, 21 millions to Great Britain, 12 millions to Belgium, over 11 millions to Germany, 10 millions to Brazil, 7 millions to Uruguay, and $6,066,063 to the United States, this country ranking seventh as respects the exports. Our principal imports from Argentine are hides and wool. According to the so-called reciprocity feature of the McKinley law, the President will have to impose a duty of one and one-half cents per pound on hides from all countries which do not give us reciprocity. By this method of taking vengeance on the Argentine Republic, by taxing our own people, our imports of hides from that country will be largely reduced, unless Mr. Blaine succeeds In securing a reciprocity treaty with that country. This, however, is extremely improbable, since the treasury of that unfortunate land is very much crippled by bad financial measures of the past four years, and the demand for revenue will hardly permit of a reduction of duties in our favor. If the President has the courage to obey the “reciprocity” clause of the McKinley law, impose a duty on Argentine hides, and stir up our leather and boot and shoe manufacturers, who made such a stern protest when McKinley proposed a year ago to tax hides, our imports to Buenos Ayres will be still further reduced. Another factor to reduce that trade is the senseless duty on carpet wools, of which we import about one and one-half million dollars’ worth a year. Our effort to keep out Argentine imports by taxation is entirely foolish, since the importation of goods from that country must increase the demand there for our goods. We do not import hides and carpet wool from Argentine with the benevolent intention of benefiting that country; it is to benefit ourselves. It would he as ridiculous, therefore, for us to try to punish that country by refusing to buy from it as it was for certain “patriotic” French women to try to wreak vengeance on the Germans by resolving that they would never dance with them again.