Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-15
DICTATOR BLAINE.
Shaping a Tariff Policy for
His Party.
A Letter to Senator Frye on the
Subject.
Reciprocity Held to Be the Keynote
of the Situation.
Spain Must Be Made to Make Concessions
for Free Sugar from Cuba and
Porto Rico.
Associated Press Dispatches.

Associated Press Dispatches.
WASHINGTON, July 14.-Senator Frye,
today, received a letter from Secretary
Blaine, in which the latter calls atten-
tion to the proscriptive duties imposed
by Spain upon American flour entering
Cuba. These make the cost in the
Cuban market at least $11 .46 per barrel,
counting the shipping price in New
York at $3.50 per barrel. Other articles
of American growth are likewise taxed
by Spain to the point of prohibition.
''This one-sided commerce." says Sec
retary Blaine, "will seriously injure the
shipping routes which are still in Amer
ican names. 1t would certainly be a
very extraordinary policy on the part of
our government just at this time to
open our market without charge of duty
to the enormous crops of sugar raised in
the two Spanish islands, Cuba and
Porto Rico, which furnish the United
States with nearly or quite one-half
of the sugar we consume, and we are a
far larger consumer than any other ma
ton in the world To give a free market
to this immense product of the Spanish
plantations, at a moment Spain is ex-
Guiding the products of American farms
from her market, would be policy as
unprecedented as it would be unwise.
"Our trade with the American repub-
lies, as we'll as with West India islands,
has been for many years in most un-
satisfactory condition. The aggregate
balance of trade with all Latin-America
is heavily against us. A single illustra-
ton will suffice. Since we repealed the
duty ON coffee in 1872, we have imported
products of Brazil to the extent of 1881, !,
100000, and have sold to her only
$165, 1877 900 worth of our products. The
difference ($644 ,671 ,000) we have paid in
gold or its equivalent, and Brazil has ex-
pended this vast sum in the markets of
Europe. You can readily see how
different the results would have been,
if, in return for the free admission OF
Brazilian coffee in our markets, we
would have exacted the free admission
in the Brazilian market. To repeat this
error with sugar Ito an amount three
times as large as with Coffee will close
all opportunity to establish reciprocity
of trade with Latin-America.
''The charge against the protective
policy which has injured it most is that
it's benefits go wholly to the manufac-
turer and capitalist and not at all to the
farmer. You and l we'll know this is
not true, but still it is most plausible
statement, and therefore argued by the
free-trader. Here is an opportunity
where the farmer can be benefited
primarily, undeniably, richly benefited,
Here is an opportunity for the Repub-
lican congress to open market of forty
millions of people to the products of the
American farmers. Shall we seize the
opportunity, or shall we throw 1t away?
II do not doubt that in many respects
the tariff bill pending in the senate is a
just measure, and that most of it's pro-
visions are in accordance with
the wise policy of protection. But
there is not section or line
in the entire bill that will open
a market for another barrel of pork.
If sugar is placed on the free list
without exacting important trade con-
cessions in return, we shall close the
door for profitable reciprocity against
ourselves. l think you will find some
valuable hints on this subject in the
presidents brief message of June 10Th,
with as much practical wisdom as was
ever stated in so short space.
"Our foreign market for breadstuffs
grows narrower Great Britain is eX-
erting every nerve to secure her bread
supplies from India, and the rapid ex-
pansion of the wheat area in Russia gives
us powerful competition in the markets
of Europe. 1t behooves us, therefore,
to use every opportunity for the extern
sion of our markets on both of the
American continents. With nearly one
hundred million dollars worth of sugar
seeking our market every year, we shall
prove ourselves most unskilled legis-
lators if we do not secure a
large field for the sale and con-
sumption of our breadstuffs and
provisions. The late conference of
American republics proved the existence
of common desire for closer relations.
Our congress should take up the work
where the international conference left
it. Our field of commercial develop
ment and progress lies south of u.s."