Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1890-08-02
MORE RECIPROCITY.
Secretary Blaine Fully Explains His View

WASHINGTON, July 26.-Senator Frye
yesterday received a letter from Score.
tary Blaine in reply to his of a recent
date. Mr.. Blaine says, In part: "YoU
ask me what assurance / have as to
SPANS willingness to enter into re.
ciprocal arrangements Of trade with the
United States. Your question sur.
prises me-, for you cannot have forgotten
that only six years ago the prime min.
lister OF Spain, in his anxiety to secure
free admission to our market for the
sugar Of Cuba and Porto Rico, agreed to
q very extensive treaty of reciprocity
with Mr.. Foster, then our minister at
Madrid. The year beforc-in 1854
very admirable treaty of reciprocity was
negotiated by General Grant and Mr..
Trescot, as United States commits
%sioners, with the republic OF Mexico, q
treaty we'll considered in all it's parts
and all it's details, whose results would,
i believe, have proved highly advan-
tageous TO both countries. In view of
the pending discussion il is a somewhat
singular circumstance that both these
treaties 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 a single pound Of sugar
to come in free OF duty under any cir
cumstanceS whatever. And now the
proposition is TO open our ports free to
every body's sugar, n to do it with
such rapidity that We are not TO have a
moments time to see If we cannot make
a better trade-a trade by which we may
pay for at least a part of the sugar
in the products of American farms and
shops. Our change Of opinion has GER
tainly been remarkable in SO brief a
period. Indeed, the only danger of our
not securing advantageous treaties Of
reciprocity now is the possible belief on
the part of those countries that we arc
anxious for free sugar, and that by pa
tient waiting they can secure all they
desire without money and without price.
Fearing that result, ! sought an inter-
view with eight republican members OF
the committee on ways and means more
than five months ago. e~ndeavored to
convince them that it would be expe-
dent and wise TO leave to the president
IN opportunity TO see what advanta-
geous arrangements of reciprocal trade
could be effected. l was unable to per-
suade the committee to take my view.
This / think is a very grave mistake,
to oppose this reciprocal proposition
touching sugar from the fear that it
may conflict in some way with the
policy OF protection. The danger is, l
think, wholly in the opposite direction.
The value of the sugar we annually
cfprocal arrangement by which q largo
part of it may be paid for in pork and
beef and -four, in lumber and in salt
and iron, in shoes and calico and furni-
ture, and thousands Of other things?
| think the latter mode is the highest
mode of protection and the best way TO
promote trade. When shall be enlarged
Observation-Disclosures with that great
continent, South America, IL we do not
now make a beginning? If we now give
away the duty on sugar, as We have al
ready given away the duty on coffee and
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 this policy? You have recently re-
ceived congratulations, in which ! cor
daily join, on carrying the shipping
bill through the senate. Do you not
think the lineof ships generously aided
by the government will have better
prospect for profit and permanenco II we
can give to them outward cargoes from
the United States and not contine them
TO inward cargoes from Latin American"