The National tribune., 1890-06-26
SECRETARY BLAINE ON TIE SUGAR
DUTIES.

publication Of a report of Secretary Blaine's
remarks before the Senate Committee on
Appropriations in opposition TO some parts
of the Mckinley Tariff bill. The report
was garbled one, containing many exag-
gerations and inaccuracies, and Mr.. Blaine
has since authorized statement OF what he
really did say. In the main these views
are directly in accordance with those THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE has constantly urged
as the proper policy Of the United States.
In the first place, he is opposed to the re-
moval of the duty OLE sugar. He points out
rs THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE has repeatedly
done, that when, in obedience to the dena-
gogic cry of 4" free brealiast-table for the
workingman," we took the duty off Coffee
Brazil Immediately clapt an export duty on
equal in amount, and from the proceeds
built her navy. The workingman did not
get his coffee cent cheaper, while many
million dollars were taken out of the Treas
ury of the United States and put into that
of Brazil. He says that if we had acted
shrewdly then, we would not have taken
the duty off coffee until we had got Brazil
to make us proper concessions by taking oil
the heavy duties she levies on our bread
stuils, meats and other provisions. This is
the policy he urges with regard to sugar.
The 100000 people living south Of the
Rio Grande, who were represented in the
Pan American Congress, are large sugar
growers, though little of their product
| reaches our markets. BY retaining the
duty on sugar, but offering to remit 1T
TO them in exchange for a remission OF
their duties on our products, we can make
a market for from $5O, 900, 600 TO $100O00,O00
worth annually of our flour, corn, corn-meal,
bacon, hams, lard, preserved meats and other
products AS il is, we are throwing away
all our advantages, leaving nothing to trade
on. Mr. Blaine said that if the Committee
wanted TO do something to benefit the
farmer they could do ii best by providing
| him with a profitable market for his surplus
products This was much more important
than to cheaper the price of his sugar one
cent pound. A farmers family use 100
| pounds OF sugar year, perhaps, on which
the reduction would amount TO 81. He
could afford to sacrifice that if the price OF
| wheat, corn and other agricultural products
could be advanced one cent bushel. But
| by the negotiation Of reciprocity treaties
both objects could be accomplished. The
duty on sugar could be removed, and an
enormous foreign demand for farm products
secured" Further on he said that if "Bugar
was placed upon the free list, the greatest
results sought for and expected from the In
ternational Conference would be sacrificed
In this position Mr.. Blaine will be sup
ported by all thinking men. To take the
duty of sugar would be an act Of the great
est folly. To-day we are taking 80 per cent
of the sugar production in Cuba. The
revenue derived from the duties on u amount
10 81 600, 900 a week, or s520O0,O00 n year
If we take the duty off we will merely en-
| rich TO that amount the palaee-ring a;
Madrid, which bleeds Cuba. They viii
advance the price OF sugar just as much
as We reduce the duties The people o.
Cuba will not spend the additional $52,
100000 they get from us in our prod
ucts, for the very excellent reason tha
the money viii not 20 into their pockets
They are comparatively few in numbers
very low in civilization, and have few want
that we can supply. There are only 1400,
900 of them in ali, Of whom nearly one-hal
are densely ignorant negroes, many bu
recently brought from Africa, or Chimes
coolies, who work on the plantations, gettinj
barely enough tosupport life. On an average
ii does not cost the plantation lords ms mucl
TO support one Of them year as it does al
American farmer 10 maintain good draft
horse One hundred thousand Of them vii
not buy as much of our goods as the peopl
Of little country school district, We shall
be arrant fools TO pay the men who virtual
own these chattels $50 100000 year NOR
than we do now. We should raise ever
pound of sugar We need al home. We shoul
do ms every other civilized nation has done
stop this immense drain Of money out {
the country for sweets, and put it into tn
pockets Of our own farmers. Until this ca
be done-and every patriot hopes that
: will be done in the shortest possible time
the next best thing TO do is 10 follow M
Blaine's plan: trade off the duties wit
South American countries which will tax
our products in exchange for the sugar "
buy Of them.
o
e The Legislature OF New York has don
d some very effective work In the interests
reform by bill making the Office Of Sheri
d of New York County a salaried one