Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-20
ss- The BUSINESS OFFICE Of THE DIS
PATCH has been removed to Corner Of
Smithssid and Diamond Streets.
THE WAY TO no 1T.

The proposition of Secretary Blaine that
the removal of the sugar duties should be
used to secure free admission for the
products of the United States to Cuba and
South America, has aroused a good deal of
discussion. The fairness and wisdom of
the policy in the main must be generally
conceded. But the approval of the Secre-
tary's proposition has so far utterly failed
TO bring out any reason for believing that
progress to the desired end would be Sc
cured by the course which Secretary Blaine
and his supporters appear to indicate, name
ly, to leave the sugar duties as they are for
the present.
o Two purposes are very important in con-
nectIon with the sugar question. One and
the chief purpose is to take advantage of the
revision of the tariff to secure reduction of
the cost OF sugar to the consumers of this
nation. The other is to secure from the
sugar producing countries reduction of the
duties against such products as -four and
provisions. As Cuba and Porto Rico are at
once the largest sources Of sugar supply for
the United States and the points where the
most extreme duties are levied against our
food products, the question really is the ex-
change of free sugar in the United States
for free -four in the Spanish West Indies
If the two purposes can be served in har-
mony, no one will deny that it should be
done. II, not the relative Importance the
two purposes can be seen from the fact that
the sugar consumption of the United States
is about $3.50, ,OOO 900 while the total exports
to the Spanish West Indies from the United
States are S11,0O0,OO Taking the agri-
cultural interests alone, in whose behalf the
reciprocity idea is urged, the increased cost
of its sugar supply by reason of the sugar
duties is over twice the amount that
could be gained by the opening of the
Spanish West Indian market to the -four
and pork of the United States.
1t is quite possible that these two pur-
poses can be served together; but it ought to
be nlaiR that neither of them will be served
by arresting the reduction of the sugar
duties proposed in the tariff bill No in
terest would gain anything by keeping up
She sugar duties except the Sugar Trust.
The country would have to keep on paying
high prices for sugar. The Treasury wouldre-
ceiYe revenue which it is desirable to cut
of. No advance would be made toward
reciprocity, for it would continue the duties
under which Spain has imposed the exces-
sire duties on our -four. In short, to post
pone the sugar reduction for the sake of
reciprocity, would not only defeat the in
ternal benefits to be secured by cheaper
Iugsr, but it would postpone the attainment
Of reciprocity itself.
II is plain that SO long as we impose high
duties on all sugars imported into the
United States, Spain will not be induced to
reduce the duties on our shipments to Cuba,
-1o- ii is exactly under that condition that
the Cuban market is closed to our shippers.
The only way to bring Spain to terms is to
reduce the sugar duties as a whole, and then
to impose retaliatory duties on the sugar of
countries which levy discriminating duties
on our products. If Spain saw the sugar
trade of the United States transferred to
South America or the British West Indies
she might come to terms; but no progress in
that direction would be made by the defeat
of the reduction proposed in the Mckinley
bill. Progress would be made either by
reducing the duties and after the lapse of
year imposing retaliaory duty on Cuban
sugar il Spain keeps her duties on -four, or by
provisO to the present bill to the effect that
she reduction of the sugar duties shall not
60 into effect on the sugar Of countries that
impose discriminating or prohlbitive duties
on American -four and provisions.
Either of these measures would open our
ports TO cheap sugars and hold out the
strongest inducements to Spain to abandon
her stupid tariff on our -four. But to prevent
the reduction proposed in the pending bill
would be simply to perpetuate the era of
high-priced sugars and to maintain the con-
dition Of things under which our flour is
excluded from Havana. The Secretary's
reciprocity idea is strong one; but the idea
OF keeping up the sugar duties on account
Of tits decided aoa seqHitar.