Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-07-19
BLAINE ON TINE TARIFF.

BLAINE ON TIVE TARIFF.
The Secretary 81 state wrsses a Letter u
which He Refers to Weak PolIs me
Mckinley Ban -
f%NwAsmtSorow, Idi91S,-rks FOL uwips
letter from Secretary Blaine has hsen
received by Senatot.Frye: ~
aDARiHARBolt Me-, July i!.-Dear Mr Frye:
ethave Just received Intelligence from the
htg hest commercial authority In Havana
that American flour under the duties linz
posed by Spain can not roach the Cuban
market under cost Of $lL4i per barrel
counting the shipping price In Now FORK nc
$3.50 per barrel. Spain holds the market FOR
herself and Is able to send European nour
at price VIII CHI totally excludes the Amer.
lean -four from this markets of Cuba nnd
Porto Rico. Othe1 articles OF American
growth are likewise taxed by spain to the
point of prohibition This one sided com
merce will seriously lnjure the shipping
routes, which are still In American hands,
largely II not exclusively.
II would certainly be u very extraordinary
policy on the part of the Government 1u>t
nj this time to open our market without
charge OF duty to she enormous crops OF
sugar raised In the two Spanish islands
Cuba and Porto Rico furnish she United
States with nearly or quite one-half OF the
sugar which we consume and we are lar
larger consumers than any other nation In
the world To give q free ma rk ct to this im.
menae product OF the spanish plantations
ut the moment Spain IL excluding the pro-
ducts of American farms from her market
would be policy rs unprecedented rs IL Is
unwise.
Our trade with the American republics as
well as with the West India Islands has been
for many years in n most unsatisfactory
condition. The aggregate balance OF trade
with all Latin America Is heavily against us.
A single illustration Will suffice Since we
repealed the duty on coffee In lS1! we have
imported the products OF Brazil to the
extent OF 1881. sO6OO0 and have sold
to her only Sl56,lS5.fOO OF our own
products. The difference-s66+ 67lOO0-
we have paid In gold or its equivalent
and Brazil has expended the vast sum In
the markets CT Europe. You can readily see
how different the result would have been II,
In return for the free admission OF Brazilian
coffee into our markets, we had cxacted the
free admission OF certain products OF the
United states In the Brazilian markets. To
repeat this error with sugar TO an amount
three times as lirgs as with cCffcc) Will
close all emporium lty to establish reciprocity
of trade with Latin America.
The charge against the protective policy
which has injured IL mot Is that Its Dement'S
go wholly to the manufacturers and the
capitalist, and not at all to the farmer. You
and well know that this Is not true, but
still II Is the most plausible, and therefore
the most hurtful argument made by the free
traders. Here Is an opportunity where the
farmer may be benetited-primarlly, unde.
nIably, richly benefited. Here Is an oppor.
tunity for the Republican Congress TO open
the markets OF lO,0000J0 people to the prod.
ucts OF American farmers. Shall we seize
the opportunity or shall we throw 1t away?
1 do not doubt that in panC respects that
the Tariff bill pending III the Senate Is q
Just measure and that most of Its provls.
ions are In accordance with the wise policy
OF pro. ection. But there Is not Il section or
a line in the entire bill that will open mar
ket for another bushel Of wheat or another
barrel OF pork. II sugar Is not placed on
the free list without exacting important
trade concessions in return we shall close
the door for q prof able reciprocity against
ourselves. think you will find some vnlu.
able hints on this subject In tho Presidents
brief message OF June 10. with rs much
practical wisdom as was ever stated In so
short a space.
Our foreign market for breadstuffs grows
narrower. Great Britain Is cxerting every
nerve to secure her bread supply from India
and the rapid expansion of the wheat area
in Russia gives MS powerful competitor In
the markets Of Europe. 1t becomes us,
therefore. to use every opportunity for the
extension Of our markets on both Of the
American continents. With nearly $4,000.
900 worth of sugar seeking our market
every year We shall prove our
selves most unskilled Legislators II We do
not secure a large field for sale and con-
sumption Of our breadstuffs and provisions.
The late conference OF American republics
prov, the existence OF common desire
for closer relations. Our Congress should
take up the work where the international
conference left 1t. Our field of commercial
development and progress lies south OF US.
Very sincerely yours, JAMES G. BLAINE
Hon. w. T. Frye. United States Senate.