Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-09-17
SECRETARY BLAINE
10 Letter to Col. Clapp Of Bos-
ton Journal Says:
The Enactment Of Reciprocity is The
Safeguard Of Protection
And Defeat OF Reciprocity 10 the
Opportunity OF Free Trade"

was furnished for publication "Wednesday
morning
BAR HAEBog, Sept. l6
Coz. W. w. Carr, Editor Boston Journal,
Boston
My Dssr Sir-I am in receipt of your
letter and favor asking me if can attend
the annual banquet Of the Boot and Shoe
Club of Boston early In October. You add
that the members are lin hearty sympathy
with my views regarding the best method
Of extending American trade and would be
glad TO have me address them" | regret
that my engagements will not permit me to
accept the inViis on, but you will please
thank the club fer the compliment they
pay me. l am glad 10 hear that the mem
bers of the club are Interested in the cyst, IN
OF reciprocal trade with Latin America
They can do great good by coaniciaet
ing a certain phase OF New England opin-
ion, enter sinei at home as we'll IS III WASH
ington, an opirion which must regard rs
in the highest degree unwlse and hurtful to
New England interests. New England Is
to receive. in the new tariff, the amplest
protection for every manufacturing indus
try within her borders, both great
and small; and it WILL in my judg.
ment, be both inexpedient sud Injurious
for her representatives TO disregard the
measure which v i'll promote western inter
esis. have lately received n letter from
j. +. limbs Of ST. Louis, leading repre-
sentative of the flour interests and presi-
dent of the late epnyen ION of millers at
Minneapolis. Speaking for the grain and
-four interests of that great section,
MIR. lmb, says "Adyices OF Il
recent date from CUBA state that the du-
ties now collected "a American dour are at
n higher rate than was at first supposed to
be the case lie adds II respec fully
submit, that the merican miller bill will
he unable TO retain any pnt of the Cuban
-four uade unless immediate reli,f is Sc.
cured" In view of these fac's is it posi-
Bile that the protec, onist Congress can
even thiak OF opening our market to Cuba's
products free, while allowing the great
western inter6 st TO be absolutely excluded
from her market by the rohib'tory tariff
With reciprocity the West can an iul My sci
many hundr,l d thousands barrels of -four
in market, of Cuba and Porto Rico, togcth-
er with large mass of other a. iclltoral
products. Without reciprolity she will be
driven more and more from those mar
kets. Giving the fullest ptotec ion to all
Eastern interests, as the proposed tar Il bill
does. surely no man of good judge ment,
and cer'siuly no protectionis' of wise fore
east, wishes 10 expose 'he Western interest
TO serious injury, especially when 1t is
man festly easy TO protect 1t aud promote
II ma, ifestly easy. because at this very
time boards of trade, chamber of com
mcrce and public opinion IN Havana are
demanding rec ptorll ,;ade with tn, Unied
States.
| select Cuba and Porto Rico for exam
pies because in certain quarters IL has teen
said that while we might secure reciprocity
with some little countries in South Amer
lea, but that We could do nothing with the
Spanish Islands. Let us at least q We the
Spanish Islands an opportunity to speak for
tn, nlstlves. Cer'qin wise men ask /; How
can We s, II farm products in South Ameri-
ca when the same 'h,Dgs are produced
there? Cereals are rHdoudtedly own in
the southern most part of South America
but vise men viii remember that cereals
and sugar do not grow n the sam. coil, ard
the sugar countries of South and Genital
America and ne West Iuda Islands cont ,in
40 600. 900 people who import the largest
part of their bresd.tutfs Indeed, the
largest part Of the sugar product of all
La n America is at our doors. AID we can
greatly enlarge our exchanges there. if Coa-
gtess will give us al opportunity tor reel
procal .fade.
Another class observe that thev want
time TO stady e syst M. TO this ! might
reply that the beet method of study ing The
$, stem il to observe its practical workings.
VIII le studying in ahstrsct and refusing to
take some OF jcct lessons, these gentlemen
propose 10 op cur market TO Lain
American prod free of all charge. wi h.
out asking La n-Americi to give u, in
turn some fro edom IN their mark is. The
obi ct lesson immedis'ey before u' is the
Treatment OF The sugar ques'i on. Shall we
make Lstin-America gift Of that ira le Z
When We have Id'ed that Lesson we shall
be prepared for a second The worst pro
pcs On of all is put forward by those who
say Let US put sugar on the free list
now. next yearve will ke up the subj ct of
reciprocity If understand their logic,
it s to make sugar free ths year wi hout
cor ordi'ion, and next year ask Spain it she
will not kindly consent to grant us recipro-
cal trade? IIolfing complete vantage
ground ourselves the proposed policy
trar sfers the van-lge ground to Spain
inatead of granting favor to Spain today we
are to ask favor of her tomorrow. Those
who took this ground belong to tlIst class
OF careful guardians of proper ho pre-
pare very strong lock for the stable after
the horse is gone.
do not mean, in anything | have sail,
to imply that reciprocity is only Western
interest. As | remarked in n note to Sen
ator Frye, it will prove beneficial and prot
itab bo'h to farm aud shop. What. f,r
instance, could be more nstlrsl or more
inst than, 10 giving free market il Il e
Utifed State to hides from the Argent 1e
Republic, we should ask the Argentine Re
public TO give better market than we nov
have for products of leather from tie
Uti'ed States! The many forms in which
our business interests will be promoted
By reciprocity can't be known
until the active commercial men of The
United Safes shall have developed those
forms BY investigation and experience.
We shall not realize the full benefit Of the
policy in day or yesr, but shall we
| therefore throw away countless millions in
| trade. in addition to the sixty millions we
have already thrown away, and then igno-
| rantiy declare without trial. ''ihe system
won't WORK. Finally. there i. one fact
that should have great weight, especia ly
with prot c.ioni.ts: every free trader IN
the seoae voted against the reci-
procity provision. AMI free trade
papers thrcu houf tie country are
showing dttermieei hostility to it.
Il is eyid' Mt that ihe free trade Senators
and free trade papers have a specific rea-
son for their course. THY kno = and fes /
tha; WITH a ~ sem of reeiprocity euaoli.h-
ed and gro~ihg, heir pol ey, free trade re-
ceivss heavy blow. TBe protet tionist
who opposes recip'oeitT in the form in
which it is nov presented knoeks away
one Of the strongest supports of his system.
Ihs ephaneen t ofrtc procity i. the afe'
guard Ct protection, an the dsfsa. Of rec
iprccify is the opportunity Of free trade.
ours very respectfully.
JANIS @. BLAINE.
The Gale donia Also Spoke the Dis.
sbied Ship Challenger.
NEw York. Sept. lG.-Stesmer Cal.