The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-07-26
Mr.. BLAINE REMEMBERS TREATIES
Which Provided for Reciprocity with
Cuba and Mexico.
He Says Spain Was Willing to Meet
Us Half Way.
Another Letter Concerning the Sec
retary's Propositions.
WASHINGTON. July Ex-senator Frye has

WASHINGTON, July Ex-senator Frye has
received the following letter:
BAR HARBoR, Me-. July %, 1890.
Dear Mr.. Frye-You ask me what assur-
ance have as to Spain's willingness to en-
ter into reciprocal arrangements Of trade
with the United States. You cannot caVe
forgotten that only six years ago the prime
minister OF Spain, in his anxiety to secure
free admission to our markets for the sugar
of Cuba and Porto Rico. agreed to very ex-
tensive treaty Of reciprocity with John w.
Foster, then our minister at Madrid. In
1888 very admirable treaty of reciprocity
was negotiated by General Grant and Will
liam b. Trescot as United States Commis-
sioners with the Republic of Mexico. a
treaty well considered in all its parts
and all its details, whose result would, l be-
lieve, have proved highly advantageous to
both countries. In view OF the pending dis
cussion, it Is a somewhat singular circum-
stance, that both these treaties of reciprocity
failed to secure the approval Of Congress
and failed for the express reason that both
provided for the free admission of sugar.
Congress would not then allow single
pound of sugar to come In free OF duty un-
der any circumstances whatever. And now
the proposition Is to open our por S free to
everybody's sugar and to do 1t with such
rapidity that we are not to have moments
time to see if we can't make better trade,
for auS at LEAST 81 Tn part of the as sugar pay ~
the products of American farms and shops
Our change of opinion has certainly been
remarkable in so brief period. Indeed the
only danger of our not securing advantage
Gus treaties of reciprocity now Is the posi-
BILE belief on the part of those countries that
we are so anxious for free sugar that by pa
tient waiting they can secure all they desire
without money and without price. Fearing
that result, | sought an interview with the
eight Republican members of the committee
of and fhp nth doU nf last
February, and endeavored to convince them
that 1t would be expedient and wise to leave
to. .thePresidenk as the treaty-making power,
an opportunity TO see what advantageous ar
rangement OF reciprocal trade could be eff
fected. l was unable to persuade the COM
mittee to take my view. | mention this cir
cumStance now because it has been charged
in many quarters that the suggestion for re-
cipr0city came too late. In fact,
my effort was made before the tariff bill
was reported to the House or even framed in
committee. 1t is, l think, very grave mis-
take to oppose this reciprocal pr0pOSit ion
touching sugar from the fear that it may
conflict in some way with the policy Of pro-
lection. The danger is, think, wholly, in
the opposite direction. Our government has
heretofore collected heavy duty from sug-
ar, amounting in one year In the aggregate
to 100000 and averaging fifty millions
annually for considerable period. We
wish now to cheaper sugar by removing the
consume is enormous. Shall we pay for it
In cash or shall we make a reciprocal ar
rangement by which large part of 1t may
be paid for in pork, beef, flour, lumber, SALT
iron, shoes, calico, furniture and thousand
other things? In short, shall we pay for 1t
all in cash or try friendly barter in part? l
think the latter mode the highest form of
protection and best way to promote trade.
l address this note to you, as l did my
first, because you have taken an active and
most intelligent interest in the increase Of
our trade with South America. When shall
we enlarge our commercial intercourse with
that great continent. if we do not now make
beginning? Ii 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 profit
able TO the farmer and the factory in the
United States. what shall be our justifca
tion for this policy? You have recently re-
ceived congratulations in which cordially
join on 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 them outward
cargoes from the United States ana not con-
fine them TO inward cargoes from Latin
America,
am, sincerely,
j. G.. BLAINE.