The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1890-07-24
eLAlNE ON The SUGAR TARIFF.
In View Of Cuban Duties on Ameri-
can Flour, He Opposes
Free sugar.

can Flour, He Opposes
Free Sugar.
Mr.. Blaine recently wrote the follow
Ing letter from Bar Harbor, Maine, to
Senator Fryei
Dear Mr.. FY1ye.-f have just received
Intelligence from the higbesJ commercial
authority In Havana that American flour
under the new duties imposed by Spain
cannot reach the Cuban market under
cost Of Sll.40 per barrel, counting the ship
ping price In New York at tLoO per barrel.
Spain holds the mnrlret for flour and is
able to send European hour st q price
which totally excludes the American Hour
from the markets Of Cuba and Porto Rico.
Other articles Of American growth are
likewise taxed by Spain 20 the point Of
prohibition. This One-sided commerce
viii seriously iniuro the shipping routes
which are still in American hands largely
If not exclusively.
1t would certainly be very ertraordi-
nary policy on the part OF the government
just at this time IN open our market with
out charge Of duty TO the enormous crops
Of sugar raised in the two Spanish islands.
Cuba and Porto Rico furnish the United
States with nearly or quite One-half Of the
sugar which we consume, and we are far
larger consumers than any other nation in
the world. To give free market TO this
| immense product OF the Spanish planta-
tions at the moment Spain is excluding
| the products Of American farms from her
market would be policy as unprecedented
as it would be unwise.
Our trade with the American republics
/ as far as the West Indias has been for
many years in q most unsatisfactory con-
dition. The aggregate balance Of trade
| with all Latin-AmeriCa is heavily against
/ the United States. A single illustration
will suffice. Since we repealed the duty
on coffee in 1872 we have imported the
| products of Brazil to the extent OF tS2l, j.
100000, and have sold to her only $l56, ,l85,
600 of our own products. The difference
--S664, ,671 ,00O--we have paid in gold, or It's
| equivalent and Brazil has expended the
| vast sum in the markets Of Europe. You
can readily see how different the result
| would have been If, in return for free ad-
| mission of Brazilian commerce into our
markets, we had exacted the free admis-,
sion of certain products Of the United
States into the Brazilian market To re-
peat this error with sugar Ito an amount
three times as large as with coifee) will
close all opportunity TO establish reclpro-
city of trade with Latin-America.
The charge against the protective policy
which has injured 1t most is that It's bene-
fits 20 wholly to the manufacturers and
the capitalist, and not at oil to the farmer
You and l well know that this is not true
but while it is the most plausible, anc
NubIblOEH, but ulDoh D6LolhNHAh
made by the free traders, here is an oppor
tunlty where the farmer may be benefited
primarily, undeniably, richly benefited
Here is an opportunity for the Republican
Congress to open the markets OF 1000 ,OO'
: people to the products of American farm
ers. Shall we sel the opportunity, Ol
shall we throw IL yayl
I do not doubt C1eI Ia many respects tn
tariff bill pending iii the Senate Is a jus
measure, and that most Of its provisions
are in accordance with the wise policy o
2 projection. But there is not section, ol
4 line In the entire blll, that viii open I
. market for another pushol Of wheat or an
other barrel OF pork. Is placeS
on the free list without 9 ing impOrtan
trade concessions in retu.N, we shall clOsl
, the door for profitable reciprocity
against ourselves. l think, therefore
some valuable hints on the subject in the
Presidents message Of June were al
much practicable wisdom as was evel
stated in 80 short q space.
Our foreign market for breadstufl
grows narrower. Great Britain is exert
ing every nerve to secure her bread sup
I ply from India, and the rapid expansion o
of the wheat area in Russia gives US
powerful competitor in the markets o
Q Europe. It becomes US, therefore, TO US
5 every opportunity for the extension Of ou
market on both Of the American cont
nents. With nearly Sl0O,0OO,OO0 worth o
sugar seeking our market every year VI
g | shall prove ourselves most unskllle
, Legislators If we do not secure a large tiel
for the sale and consumption Of Ou
breadstuffs and provisions. The late con
+ ference of American republics proved tn
existence of a common desire for close
. relations. Our Congress should take u
the work where the international confer
I ence left it. Our field Of commercial dc
Z velopment and progress lies south Of ui
Very sincerely yours,
) JAMES G.. BLAINE.
5 Hon. w. P. FRYE, United States Senate