The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-07-26
MR. BLAINE'S VIEWS
On the Important Question Of
Reciprocity
EXPRESSED IN A LETTEB
To Senator Frye-The Proper Mode OF En-.
couraging Trade-There MIST Be An
Exchange of Products.

WASHINGTON, July Ex-senator Frye has
to-day received letter from secretary
Blaine in reply to his OF recent date Mr.
Blaine says, in part: ''You ask me what
assurance have as to Spain's willingness
to enter into reciprocal arrangements of
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 QUE
markets of 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, an admirable treaty of reciprocity was
negotiated by General Grant and Mr.. Tres.
cot as United States commissioners
with the republic of Mexico The
treaty was well considered in all
It's parts and ali its details, and the results;
would, believe, have proved highly ad-
vantageous to both countries In view of
tue someWA at singular circumstances that
| both these treaties failed to secure the ap-
proval of Congress and failed for the ex-
press reason that both provided for the free
ADMISSION OF sugar, Congress would not
then allow single pound of sugar to come
| In Tree or duty under any circum-
stances 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
II we cannot make better trade by which
| we may pay for at least part of the sugar
| IN products OF American farms and shops
| Our change of opinion certainly has
| been remarkable in so brief a period in
deed. The only danger of our not securing
advantageous treaties of reciprocity now is
| hi hnli Of
countries that we are anxious for free
sugar; that by patient waiting they can
secure all they desire without money and
without aprice. Fearing that result,
| sought an interview with eight
Republican members of the committee on
ways and means more than five months
] ago. | endeavored to convince them if
would be expedient and wise to leave the
President an opportunity to see what ad-
vantageouS arrangements of reciprocal
trade could be effected. / was unable to
persuade the committee to take my view
1T is, L think, very grave mistake to
oppose this reciprocal proposition touching
sugar from fear that it may conflict in some
way with the policy of protection. The
danger is, think, wholly In the opposite
direction. The value of the sugar we an
nually consume is enormous. Shall we
pay for it all in cash or shall we seek recip-
rocal arrangements by which a large part
of it may be paid for in pork
and flour, in lumber and in salt and iron.
in shoes and calico and furniture and
thousands of other things! 1 think the
later mode is the highest form of pretec-
ton and the best way to promote trade.
| When shall we enlarge our commercial
intercourse with that great continent of
Sonth America if 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, hides and rubber, and
get nothing in exchange which
shall be profitable to the farm or factory
in the United States, what shall be our
justification for the policy.
you have recently received congratula-
tons, in which cordially join, in carrying
; the shipping bill through the Senate. Do
you not think line of ships generously
aided by the government will have better
prospect for profit and permanence if we
can give to them outward cargoes from the
United States and not confine them to in
ward cargoes from South America