Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1891 — TRADE WITH VENEZUELA. [ARTICLE]

TRADE WITH VENEZUELA.

Reciprocity Proclamation to Be lisuod by the Preaident. A Washington special on the 12th says: It is understood that the President has ready for announcement a proclamation of reciprocity with Venezuela similar in terms to the agreemen t just reached with Brazil. This agreement has been reached by the exercise of the powers conferred by theleglslation ofthe last session of Congress and will take effect according to re* port, about the same time as the agreement with Brazil. The figures prepare* l for the State department have been under consideration for some time, and estimates have been made as carefully as thj imperfect figures procurable concerning the Venezuelan trade would permit as to the benefits to be obtained by both countries. While the commerce of Venezuela is not so large as that of Brazil, the United States have for several years enjoyed a much larger proportion of the importing business than any other nation dealing with the Venezuelans. The total exports of Venezuela in 1880 were a little more than 111,000,000, and their imports were about $9.001),000. Of this amount the Venezuelans took from us more than $2,000,000 in 1886, and in 1888 that country took from the United States products to the amount of $3,000,000. This included about $600,000 worth of bread* stuffs, principally wheat flour, aooutssoo,* 000 worth of cloths, $400,000 worth of man* ufactures of iron and steel, and more than $500,000 worth of provisions and dairy products. The latest figures procurable of our imports from Venezuela are those of 1888. In that year we imported a little more than $10,000,000 altogether, made up of about $28,000 worth of chemical and dye woods drugs and medicines; nearly $8,000,000 worth of coffee, about $200,000

worth of cocoa, $1,000,000 worth of hides and skins and SIOO,OOO worth of other articles. Theimports had increased from about $2,000,000 in 1870 to more than $6,000,C00 in 1880, and the increase from* 1880 to 1888 was about $4,000,000. While the United States sends more products to Venezuela than any other foreign nation, the import of the United Kingdom, France and Ger* many together are larger than those of the. United States, and the imports are, in extent, in the order respectively of the na* tions mentioned. The proclamation of the President would have been made a week or two ago, as i was expected the agreement of Venezuela to the propositions of the United States would be received by the last steamer The papers are on the way, however, an will arrive by the steamer due in New York on February 28, or thereabouts.