Telegram-herald., 1890-07-16
FOR RECIPROCITY.
Secretary Blaine Writes an Inpor-
tant Letter.
Our Trade NTH SPANISH AMERICA
n1s Plan for Opening fhelF aarssts -
the Froaucts 81 Our Earns-our
sasid 0f CoEn sosrel@l Progress
Ilea SoatA of a.

AsBIN6ToN. Jgly l5--The following
letter frem Secretary Blaine w4s re-
eelsed Monday By senator Frye.
"BAs HARBoE. ae., Jay il--Dszr kr Frys.
! have sust received intelliEenos frem he high
est COM aaeEe.al sathorliy in Havana that
ABeFiean rOGr. under the rev GQlieS ina
posed - Spain. can E0s reach the cassn
market under cost Of til.4e per barrel
counting tse shipping price IL New
YORK al ~ - per barrel Span holds the
market for herself snd Is able 10 send European
-four ~ = price which totally excludes the
American r0ur from the markets o. Cuba GAa
Porto Rico. OtheF articles o. American growth
are likewise taxed % Spain 70 the point u
prohibition. This one sided commerce viii
seriously iH.ure the shipping routes Which are
stil IN American hands, largely II not exelu-
siyeiy.
III would certainly be very extraordinary
policy On the part Of our Government just az
this tine 10 open Our market without charge
Of duty 10 the enormous crops Of sugar raised
IN the two Spanish Islands Cuba snd
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 Tree market 10 this immense
product OF the spanish plantations II the mo
ment Spain Is eKcludlzg Tie products Of Amer
lean farms from her markets would be policy
as unprecedented as il would be uuwise.
'Our trade with the American republics as
well as with the West Indian Islands has been
for many years II most factory conof
tion. The aggregate balance Of trade with al
Latin-Ameriea is heavily against Us. A sin.
gle Illustration will suTce Since we re
Pealec the duty on coffee ia 1872 we have i'm
ported the products OF Brazil TO the extent OF
ssoi, 600, and have sold 10 her only SlsS
la5,OOO OF our products The difference
so44. .o13Ooo-we have paid In gold or its
equivalent, and Brazil has expended the vast
sum in the markets OF Europe. You can reaci.
ly see how different the result would have been
II In return for the free admission Of Brazilian
coffee in our markets We had exacted the
free admission OF certain products OF the
United States in the Brazilian market To re.
peat this error with sugar (to an amount three
times as large as with coffee viii close all op
portunity TO establish reciprocity OF trade with
LatinAmerica.
The charge against the protective policy
which has injured IL the most is that It's bene-
fits so wholly TO the manufacturer and the cap
italist, and not at all TO the farmer. You
and l well know that this is not true.
but still 1t Is the most plausible, and
therefore the most hurtful argument made
by the free trader. Here is an oppor-
tunity when the farmer may be benefited pri
narily, undeniably richly benefited. Here is
an opportunity for Republican Congress ts
open the markets Of 100000 OF people 10 the
products Of American farmers. Shall we seize
the opportunity or shall we throw It away
II do not doubt thet in many respects the
tariff bill pending in the Senate is a Just meas
ure and that most Of its provisions are in ac
cordsnce with the wise policy Of protection
But there is not a section or line in the
entire bill that will open market for an
other bushel of wheat or another bar
rel OF pork. II sugar is placed on In.
free list without exacting important trade con
cession in return shall close the door for
profitable reciprocity against ourselves
think you will End some valuable hints on this
subject in the Presidents brief message OF June
i9 with as much practical wisdom as was eyei
stated IN so short space.
Our foreign market for breadsturs grows
narrower Great Britain is exerting everJ
nerve TO secure her bread supplies from India
and the rapid expansion Of the wheat area in
Russia gives US a powerful competitor in the
markets OF Europe. 1t becomes US, therefore
TO use every opportunity for the exten
sion OF our market on both OF the
American continents. With nearly slGO
10000 worth OF sugar seeking our
market every year. we shall prove ourselves
most unskflled legislators il We do not secure
large field for the sale and consumption Of ON
breadstufs and provisions. The late confer
ence OF American republics proved the exist
ence OF a common desire for closer relations
Our Congress should take up the work where
the international conference left it. Our field
Of commercial development and progress lies
south OF us Very sincerely yours,
JAMES c.. BLAINE.
Hon. W. p. Frye. United States Senate"