Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1892 — Coffee Taxed. [ARTICLE]

Coffee Taxed.

The proclamation of the President imposing the duties fixed by the “reciprocity” section of the McKinley tariff, which was foreshadowed by the notice given on Jan. 8 last, has been issued, to take effect immediately. It applies to the products of Colombia, Hayti, and Venezuela only. It is the belief of the merchants interested that it will seriously affect our trade with these countries. The only products really affected are coffee and hides, on which duties of 3 and 31j cents per pound respectively are imposed. Our imports of these articles from the above countries amounted to 815,295,628 of coffee and $1,690,204 of hides in 1891, or 15.9 and 6 per cent, respectively of the total imports. Venezuela coffee is unlike that of any other country and generally commands a higher price In the United States than in England. The only effects of this will be to compel the American consumers of coffee to pay the duty. No good results are possible from this use of the “reciprocity club.” Its only Affect will be to engender hatred against

us. In fact, It Is probable that tho President would never have exercised his authority to Impose these duties had not the exigencies of politics made It necessary. But. why select these insignificant countries? Could not the reason advanced for not including the Argentine and Uruguay in the list, to the effect that their present poverty and financial distress precluded any arrangement with them, be stretched to apply to Venezuela, Hayti and Colombia also? The very fact that these countries have not been included will have the effect of still further increasing the prejudice against us. It will be hard to find any justifleatiop whatever for this new restriction of trade.' *