Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-08-01
Mr.. BLAINE'S SECOND LETTER.

WASHINGTON, July Ex-senator
Frye today received the following
etter from Secretary Blaine in
further calculation of the reciprOc-
ily question
"Bar Harbor, Maine, July %,
lS90.-Dear Mr.. Frye : [ have your
reply 10 my letter and am glad
that the essential part of it has
been given to the press.
"You ask me what assurance |
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, ia his anxiety to secure free
admission to our market tor the
sugar of Cuba and Porto Rico,
agreed to very extensive treaty
of reciprocity with Mr.. John w.
Foster, then our minister at Madrid
ga year before, in 1888, a very
admirable treaty Ofreclprocity was
nego lated by Gen, Grant and Mr..
William II. Trescot, as United
States commissioners, with the re-
public of Mexico, a treaty well con
sldcred IN all its parts and details,
whose results have, | believe prov
ed highly advantageous to both
countries.
SIN view of tie pending discus.
sion, 1t is somewhat singular cir
cnmstance that both these treaties
of reciprocity failed to secure ex.
press reason that both provided
for the free admission OF sugar.
Congress wonld not then allow a
single pound of sugar to come IN
tree of duty under any circum.
stances whatever.
"And now the proposition is tn
open our ports free to everybOdy's
sugar, and to do 1t with such rapid
ity that we are not to have a mo-
ment's time 10 see il We cannot
make better trade-a trade 10y
which we may pay for at least a
part of the sugar IN the products oil
American farms and shops.
"Our change OF opinion has Ger
tainly been remarkable in so brief a
period. Indeed the only danger OIL
our not securing advantageous
treaties of reciprocity now is the
possible belief on the part of those
countries that we are so anxious
for tree sugar that by patient wait
ing they can secure all they desire
without money aud without price.
"Fearlug that result sought an
interview with the eight Repnbi
can members Of committee on ways
and means more than five months
agO-tO be exact, on the 10th day
of last February. [ endeaveTed 10
convince them that it wOulG be ex.
pedlent aud wise to leave 10 the
President, as the treaty making
power, an opportunity to see what
advantageous Arrangement OF re-
ciprocll trade could be effected. !
was unable u persuade the con-.
mlttee to take my view. | mention
this circumstance now because i
has been charged in many quarters
that The SnggeS ton for reciprocity
cane too late. In fac', my effort wa
made before The tariff bill was re.
ported to the llOasr, or even fran.
ed IN committee.
at Is, think, a very grave mis-.
take to oppose this reciprocal
proposition touching sugar from
the tear that it NAY conflict in
some way with the policy of pro.
lection. The danger is, l think,
wholly in the OppD'i;e direction.
Let us see what is proposed: Our
government has heretofore collect.
ed a heavy daty from sugar
amounting in one year in the ag.
gregate 10 fit, eight millions Of
dollars (5S, 000,0O0) and averaging
fifty millions per annum for a con-
siderable Period. We wish nov to
cheaper sugar by TemQ7lng the
duty.
1.-THE value CT the sugar We an.
nually consume 10 enormous. Shall
we paw for 1t all in cash, or shall
WE seek reciprocal arrangement
by which a large part of il may be
paid for in pork and beef and flour,
In lumber and salt and iron, IN
shoes and calico and furniture, and
a thousand other things? In short,
shall we pay tor it all in cash or
try friendly barter in part : | think
the latter mode Is the highest form
of protection and the best way to
promote trade.
81 address this note 10 you, as |
did my first, because you have
taken an active and most intelli.
gent interest IN the increase OF our
trade with Sonth America. When
shall we enlarge our commercial in.
tercourse with that great continent
il We do not now make a beginning?
If we now give away the duty on
sugar, as we already have given
away the duties on coffee and hides
and rubber and get nothing in ex-
change which shall be profitable to
the farm or the factory in h e
United States, what shall be our
justification for the policy
"YOu have recently received con.
gratulations--in which l cordially
ioin-On carrying the shipping bill
through the Senate. Do you not
think thai line of ships generous.
ly aided by the government will
have better prospect for profit
and for permauence if we can give
them outward cargOes from the
United States, and not cOnfne
them TO inward cargOes from Latin