, 1890-07-26
Mr.. BLAINE EXPLAINS
The Secretary's Second Letter
tC Senator FRYE,
Spain Anxious to Trade With
the United States.
Shall Sugar be Paid For in
Cash or Home Products

WASHINGTON. July Ex-senator Frye
has today received a letter from Secretary
Blaine in reply To his of recent date.
Blaine says in part: You ask me what
assurance l have as to SPANS Willingness
to enter into reciprocal arrangements of
trade with the United States. Your
question SURPRISES me-, for you cannot
have forgotten that only. six years ago
the prime minister OF Spain. in his
anxiety to secure free admission to our
markets for the sugar of Cuba and Porto
Rico, agreed to a very extensive treaty OF
reciprocity with Mr.. Foster, then our
minister at Madrid.
The year before, In 1888, a very ad-
mirable treaty of reciprocity was nego-
tiated by Gen. Grant and Mr.. Tresch, as
United States commissioners, with the re-
public of Mexico-a treaty we'll consid
cred In all its parts and all its details,
whose results would, | believe, have
proved highly advantageous to both
countries.
Congress would not then allow a single
pound of Sugar to come in free of duly
under any circumstances whatever, and
now the proposition is to open our ports
free to everybody's sugar, and to do it
with such rapidity that we are not to
have a moments time to see if We can
not make a better trade-a trade by which
we may pay for at least a part of the
sugar in the products of American farms
and shops.
Our change of opinion has certainly
been remarkable in SO brief a period. In
deed, the only danger of our not securing
/ the advantap aoua treaties of raciprocity
now is the possible belief on the part Of
these countries that we are anxious for
free sugar, and hat by patient waiting
they can secure all they desire without
money and without price. Fearing that
result, | sought an interview with eight
Republican members of the committee
on ways n means more than five
months ago. L endeavored to convince
them it would be expedient and wise to
leave to the president the opportunity 20
see what advantageous arrangements of
reciprocal trade could be effected. | was
unable to persuade the committee TO take
my view of the matter.
1t is, L think. a very grave mistake to
oppose this reciprocal proposition touch
ing sugar, from the fear that it may con-
flict in some way with the policy of pro-
lection. The danger is, l think, wholly
in the opposite direction. The value of
the sugar we consume is enormous. Shall
we pay for it all in cash. or shall we seek
reciprocal arrangements by which a large
part Of it may be paid in pork and beef
and -four, in lumber and in salt and iron,
in shoes and calico and furniture. and a
thousand other things? | think the latter
mode rs the highest form of protection
and the bes. way to promote trade. When
shall We enlarge Jul commercial inter
course with that great continent, South
America, If we do not now make the be-
ginning? If we now give away the
duty on sugar Jas we already have given
away the duties on coffee, hides and rub
ber) and get nothing in exchange which
shall be profitable to the farmer and
factory in the United States, what shall
be our justification TO. the policy.
You have recently received congratula-
tons in which | cordially join on carrying
the shipping bill through the senate. Do
you not think a line OF ships generously
aided BY the government will nave a better
prospect for profit and permanence if we
can give to them outward cargoes from
the United States and not %confine them to
inward cargoes from Latin-America?