New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-26
INTER-AMERICAN TRADE.
A REPLY TO STRUCTURES UPON SECRETARY
BLAINE'S POLICY.
WHAT THAT POLICY IS AND WHY 1T SHOULD m
SUPPORTED BY AMERICAN PROTECTION.
IsTS-ILLUSIONS ABOUT SUGAR
AND WOOL

TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
| Sir: There are some cratic ministers who give
out an impressive text with grand flourish and
then preach for half an hour without ever coming
! back TO it, w. NJ Gs7 method is similar in
his article on nter-American Trade in to-days
Tribune. lie opens with a comprehensive sum.
mary Of Secretary Baine's views in five lines:
Secretary Blaine does not oppose free sugar. but
desires that this country shall obtain in exchange
free access to the markets Of sugar producing
countries of this hemisphere for the products OF
its farms and factories mines and mills That
is good text, but it is not followed up with dis
cussion in line with it. Having stated the Secre-
tary's policy, lie apparently shirks the response
bility Of considering it, for he proceeds 10 demon
strate that the Iatn-Amcrcan countries produce
less than one-sXth of the sugar imported by the
United States and consequently that sugar
not he cheapened by reciprocity. Well, this may
be true, but the Secretary's policy has not been
touched
The Secretarys chief aim is not 10 cheaper the
price of sugar. but to open foreign markets for
American produce and manufactures In the aI-
thorized version of his views he is represented as
cndeav0ring TO convince the committee that II
they wanted to do something to benefit the farmer
they could do it best by providing him a profit
aDle mdrkct lOr MS surplus pIOuicto lhlo vs.
much more important than cheaper the price
Of sugar l cent pound When w. NJ e.
succeeds in demonstrating that the export trade
Of the United States cannot be largely increased
to the advantage of the country by reciprocity
arrangements based upon free sugar, he will de-
molish Mr. Blane's argument; but statistics
showing that sugar will not be materially cheap
ened by reciprocity with Brazil. Peru and Mexico
are not destructive 1t is long-ranG firing and
does not hit the mark.
It is an open question whether the removal OF
duties on raw sugar by the Mckinley bill will
cheaper the price of refined sugar 10 the con-
sumer Secretary Blaine apprehends that tie
public will remain at the mercy OF the Sugar Trust
and monopOlists, and that domestic manufact-
urers, while getting cheaper raw material, Will
be in a position to increase the price OF lelnei
sugar The effects Of a sweeping removal Of the
duties are at least probematical: and this IS
strong reason for making reciprocity bargains
when the American market is opened without re-
striction 10 foreign producers. This IS Secretary
Blaine's idea lie does rot oppose free sugar, Dut
he believes in obtaining substantial concessions
in the interest Of American export trade in return
for making it free. The sugar-ralslng countries
represented AT the Pan-American Conference
united in urging reciprocity on the basis OF fee
sugar Secretary Blaine would meet them nall
way by agreeing TO admit free sugar If they IN
return will lower their import duties on certain
articles Of American produce and manufacture
This is a more practical policy than that OF OPEN
Ing our markets to the sugar of all countries Wlul-
ont obtaining any compromising advantages Oh
our side except the possibility that consumes
will have cheaper sugar by the grace OF co;ADi-
nation OF monopolists.
w " ca asserts that the benefit Of rec
iprociry will 20 entirely 70 the suearproduoin;
countries Of Lat.n-Amerlcan, and ne N-lu'''e
since the proposed tariff amendment confines IS
operations to nations and excludes colonial d
tendencies Then he proceeds t. prove tlot re
privilege will be yalneless because II Will IL
mediately he extended 10 those colonial depcni-
ences with which they cannot compete Hence
he concludes that those nations will not eA''r
into "valuabc7 reciprocity engagements wh.rl
are likely to prove "vauerss BIT their rep
rescntat!vcs have united in asking for reciprocity
on the basis of free sugar, and they must Know
where their interests lie Certainly the tarln
amendment. if it excludes European colonies,
increases the value Of tie privileges when are
10 he obtained by Brazil Mexico and Peru, ana
correspondingly raises the value Of the CONNER
cial concessions of the United States which NAV
reasonably he expected in return. Americans
need not concern themselves lest Brazu ana
Spanish-America may Ovcrrae the value OF the
free importation Of sugar. WHAT the Ihuei
States needs TO do is 10 MAKE falr bargains WIN
the Southern republics and not 10 give away 'he
privileges of free entry into its markets. as u
has been doing for many yeas, without SecurA,
positive commercial advantages IN exchange.
Secretary Blaine in his report 10 the President
and in the authorized version If his views favorS
rbc negotiation of reciprocity with Chill and the
Plate countries on the basis OF free market FOR
coarse or CARPET wool w. V. e." charges HIM
with a curious error in overlooking the fact that
80 per cent Of the wool now imported from those
countries is fine or clothing wool, ana then points
out that all grades Of wool will come IN Tree
under the opcratlon Of the arlf Amendment.
If reciprocity is t. he based upon free carpet
woodland this Is evidently NJ. Blalhe l"ea-
if does not matter how large he percentage OF
the clothing wool in the lmpTtatlons mas ne
for the tarlf would continue To regulate the sup
plv Of line woods Such an arrangement would
be satisfactory to the Argentine, for with It's own
tariff IN favor of agricultural Industries II woud
not be prepared to take advantage of the larger
measure of tree trade outlined in the tarlh amend
ment II, however, ircr wool he maze the OASIS
of reciprocity under the amendment tits Important
to ascertain whether the results would ne so as
astrous 10 American wooLgroWers as w VI IT,
forecasts.
He asserts that there are 100 000,eOO sheep III
the Argentine alone. la-ge proportion of which
arc nroducinr wool suitable for clothing: and
Furthermore that the quality of the hnest grades
of wool that can be produced in Chlll Brazil anu
the Plate countries is ihmltable. Now the OH
cial statistics Of the Argentine, quoted oy ConSu!
BAKER in a recent report, give 'O,oOoOoo instead
Of OO. OOO. 600 rs the aggregate number oil sheep
i'm Thai country. There an error OF 81, OoO,Ooo
-, stnrt 9TH. and the Official returns Of the wool
elm from those iO,OO0,O)O sheep show that the
industry is not tourshng IN any phenomenal
Int ~, Inn. I'M 1881 tn 1914 tons III SIS.
\ny one who is familiar With the facts respecting
agricultural conditions n the Plate countries
tisc'.os Inn thr nocks have not increased rs
rapdy as is generally supposed, and that the