The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-17
The Trade Of Latin America is
Within Our Reach.
PLAIN TALK FROM BLAINE.
Why Admit the Products of Countries
That Exclude Our Waress
Side-The Free Traders Fight Reci-
procify, Which Is True Protection
Farm and Factory Alike Benefited.

ton 10 the annual banquet OF the Boot ard
Shoe Club of Boston. Colonel Clapp. editor of
the Journal has received a letter from Mr.
Blaine In which the secretary OF state referring
to the portion of the invitation saying tha. the
members OF the club are in hearty sympathy with
his views regarding the best method OF extend
ing American trade, regrets that epgagernents
will not permit h m to address the meeting. TIE
members OF the club. he says. can do great good
BY counteracting a certain phase Of New Eng-
land opinion which he regards as hurtful to
New England interests. New England !. to re-
ceive in the new tariff complete protection for
every manufacturing industry within her bor-
ders, and it will be- In the judgment Of the sec
retary OF state, both inexpedient and injurious
for her representatives to disregard q measure
which Will promote Western interests.
Mr.. Elaine refers to letter recently received
from limbs. president of the late convention of
miilers at Minneapolis, pointing to the exees-
sive duties on American -four in Cuba, and
stating that Americans would be unable TO
tain any portion OF the -four trade unless imme-
diate relief Is secured.
"In view Of these facts" says Mr.. Blaine. els
1t possible that protection congress can even
think OF opening our markets 10 Cubas prod
ucts free while allowing great Western indus
try 20 be absolutely excluded from her markets
By q prohibitory tariff? With reciprocity the
West can annually cell many hundred thousand
barrels Of -four in Cuba and Porto Rico, to-
Rether with large mass OF other agricultural
products. Without reciprocity she will be driven
NOR, and more from these markets
Giving the fullest protection to all Eastern
interests as the proposed tariff bill does surely
no man of good Judgment, certainly no pro-
tectionist of wise forecast. wishes to expose a
Western interest to serious injury, especially
when 1t is manifcstIy easy 70 protect and pro-
mote it-manifestly easy. because at this very
time boards of trade, chambers of commerce
and public opinion in Havana are demanding
reciprocal trade with the United States. Ger
tain wise men have asked: How can we sell
farm products in South America when the same
things ara produced thereg Cereals are
undoubtedly grown in the sou,hern-most
portion of South America, but will
the wise men remember that cereals
and sugar do not grow on the same soil, and the
sugar countries of South and Central America
and the West Indies contain 40, 600 600 OF people
who import the lnrger part of their breadstuffs.
Indeed, the larger portion Of the sugar product
Of Latin-America is at our DOORS and we can
greatly enlarge our chances there If congress
viii give US IN opportunity for reciprocal trade.
"Another class observe that they want time to
study the system. To these might reply that
the best method Of studying the system 10 to
observe its practical workings. While studying
in the abstract and refusing to take some object
lessons. these gentlemen propose to open our
market to Latin American prodacts free of
all charge, without asking Letin-Amerfca
to give M in return the same freedom In their
markets. The object lesson Immediately before
as is the treatment of the sugar question. Shall
we make Latin America q gift of thai trade?
When we have studied that lesson we shall be
prepared for the second.
"The worst proposition OF all is put forth by
those who say, Let us put sugar on the free list
now and next year take up the subject OF recip-
rocity. If understand their logic it is to make
SUGAR free this year without condition. and next
year to ask Spain If she will not kindly consent
to grant us reciprocal trade. Holding the COM
plete vantage ground ourselves. the pro-
posed policy transfers the vantage ground
TO Spain. Those who take this ground belong
to that class of careful guardians of property
who prepare a strong lock for the stable after
the horse is gone.
81 do not mean in anything that / have said
that reciprocity is only In the Western interest,"
the farm and the shop The many forms in
which our business interests will be promoted
by reciprocity cannot be known till the active
commercial men OF the United States shall have
developed those forms By investigation aud ex-
perience. We shall not realize the fall benefit
of the policy in Q day or q year, but shall we,
therefore. throw away countless millions of
trade, in addition to the $50 o00,00o we have al
ready thrown away, and then igrorantly declare
without trial that the system will not work?
"Finally. there is one fact that should have
great weight. especially with proteetionis.s.
Every free-trader in the Senate voted against re-
ciprocity. The iree-trade papers throughout
the country are showing determined hostility
10 it 1t is evident that the free-trade senators
and free-trade papers have specific reason for
their course. They know and feel that with the
system of reciprocity established and growing
their policy of free trade receives most serious
blow. The protectionist who opposes reciproc-
ity in the form in which it is now presented
knocks away one of the strongest supports OF
his system. The enactment Of reciprocity ia the
safeguard of protection; the defeat of reciproc-
ity is the opportunity of free trade"
The Prosperity of Mexico.
CRY OF Mexico, Sept 15.-The anniversary
of the independence of Mexico was celebrated
today with great pomp. The president opened
congress tonight In speech he said the
country was al peace internally and externally.
The Pan-American conference reports
were teing studied. The government OF
the United States had acted fairly in
the matter of the invasion of Lower California
Absolute neutrality was preserved respecting