Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-20
CUSTOMS UNION.
Mr.. Blaine's Recommends
tiOns to Congress.
Supplemented by the Presi-
dents Views.
Reciprocity in Trade With the Latin
American Nations.
Cuba Must Give Free Access to Ameri-
can Breadstuffs in Exchange for
Free Sugar.
Associated Press Dispatches. |

WASHINGTON, June 19.-The president
has submitted to congress letters from
Secretary Blaine upon the subject of a
customs union, and recommendation in
respect thereof, by the Pan-American
conference. Blaine suggest an amend
ment to the tariff bill, authorizing the
president to declare the ports of the
United States free to the products of any
American nation upon which no export
duties are charged, as long as such ma
ton shall admit free to it's ports manu-
factures and products of the United
States.
The president in transmitting the COM
munication, says: 1t has been so often
and persistently stated that our tariff
laws offered an insurmountable barrier
to large exchange of products with the
Latin American nations, that l deem it
proper to call especial attention to the
fact that more than eight-seven per cent
of the products of those nations sent to
our ports, are now admitted free. Ii
sugar is placed upon the free list practi-
cally every import article exported from
those states will be given untaXed
access to our markets, except
wool. The real difficulty in the way OF
negotiating profitable reciprocity trea-
ties is that we have given freely so much
that would have had value in the mutual
concessions which such treaties imply.
l cannot doubt, however, that the pres
ent advantages which the products of
these near and friendly states enjoy in
our markets, though they are not by
law, exclusive, will, with other consid-
erations favorably dispose them to adopt
such measures, by treaty or otherwise,
as will tend to equalize and greatly en-
large our mutual exchanges. 1t will
certainly be time enough for us to con-
slider whether we must cheaper the cost
of production by cheapening labor, in
order to gain access to the South Amer
lean markets, when we have
fairly tried the effect of estab-
lished and reliable steam COM
munication, and convenient methods
of money exchanges. There can be no
doubt, think, that with these facilities
well established, and with a rebate OF
the duties upon imported raw materials
used in the manufacture of goods for
export, our merchants will be able to
compete in the ports of the Latin-Amer-
lean nations with those of any other
country. If, after congress shall have
acted upon the pending tariff legislation,
it shall appear that under the general
treaty-making power, or under any
special powers given by law, our trade
with the states represented in the con-
ference can be enlarged upon basis OF
mutual advantage, it will be promptly
done"
Secretary Blaine today received tele-
gram from the chairman of the national
millers' convention at Minneapolis, say
ing the millers were greatly agitated
over the report of the additional duty
of 80 cents per barrel to be imposed on
American flour in Cuba, thus prohibit
lug the American flour trade, and asking
information.
Secretary Blaine replied that he had
no official advice, but if correct the ad-
vance would make the duty $5.31
per barrel-evidently intended by
Spain to be prohibitory. He
added: "It has been constantly
said here for the last six months that
the western farmers demand an uncon-
ditional repeal of the sugar duty. 1t is
within the power ofthe western farmers
by encouraging the system of recip-
rocity, to secure in exchange for the re-
peal OF this duty, free admission fo1
their breadstuffs and provisions into the
markets of forty million people, includ-
ing Cuba. In my opinion, this is the
most profitable policy for the western
| farmer"