The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-09-30


The chances are that nothing will be
done until Congress can consider the
subsidy bill.
Blaine on Reciprocity.
Blaine is as active as ever in working
for reciprocity with South and Central
America and Mexico, notwithstanding
that his point has been carried by the
House and Senate Conference Commit
tee. He evidently wants to grind the
argument deep into the mind of the
American people. In the course of a
letter to Colonel Clapp, of the Boston
Journal, he says, after referring to the
immense duties charged by Cuba on
flour:
In view of these facts, is it possible
that protectionist Congress can even
think of opening our markets to Cuba's
products free, while allowing the great
Western industry to be absolutely ex-
cluded from her markets by prohibitory
tariff? With reciprocity, the West can
annually sell many hundred thousand
barrels of -four in Cuba and Porto Rico,
together with large mass of other agri-
cultural products. Without reciprocity
she will be driven more and more from
these markets.
Giving the fullest protection to all
Eastern interests as the proposed tariff
bill does, surely no man of good judg-
ment, certainly no protectionist of wise
forecast, wishes to expose a Western
interest to serious injury, especially
when it is manifestly easy to protect and
promote it-manifestly easy because at
this very time Boards of Trade, Cham
bers of Commerce, and public opinion in
Havana are demanding reciprocal trade
with the United States.
Certain wise men ask: How can we
sell farm products in South America
when the same things are produced
there! Cereals are undoubtedly grown
in the southernmost portions of South
America. But wise men will remember
that cereals and sugar do not grow in the
same soil, and that the sugar countries
of South and Central America and the
West Indies contain 100000 900 of people
who import the largest part of their
breadstuffs. Indeed, the largest portion
OF the sugar product of Latin America is
at our doors, and we can greatly enlarge
our exchanges there if Congress will give
us an opportunity for reciprocal trade.
" Another class observe that they
want time to study the system. To this
l might reply that the best method of
teal workings. While studying in the
abstract and refusing to take some object
lesson, these gentlemen propose to open
our market to Latin-American products
free Of all charge, without asking the
Latin-Americans to give in return some
freedom in their markets. The object
lesson Immediately before us is the treat
ment OF the sugar question. Shall we
make the Latin-Americans the gift OF
that trade? When we have studied that
lesson we shall be prepared for a 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 reciprocity Ii
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 complete vantage
ground themselves. the proposed policy
the vantage ground to Spain.
Those who take this ground belong to
class of careful guardians of property,
who prepare strong lock for the stable
after the horse is gone.
81 do not mean in anything | have
said to imply thai reciprocity is only
Western interest. 1t will prove benefi-
the shop. Many of the forms in which
our business interests will be promoted
by reciprocity cannot be known until the
active commercial men of the United
States have developed those forms by
investigation and experience. We shall |
not realize full benefit of the policy in |
day or year. But shall we, therefore,
throw away countless millions of trade |
in addition to the sixty millions we have |
already thrown away, and then ignor-
antly declare, without trial, that the |
system won't work?
Finally, there is one fact that should |
have great weight, and especially with |
the protectionists. Every free-trader in |
the Senate voted against reciprocity. |
The free-trade papers throughout the |
country are showing a determined hos |
tility 10 it.
cit is evident that the free-trade |
Senators and the free-trade papers have |
a specific reason for their course. They |
know and feel that with system of reel
procity established and growing, their |
policy of free trade receives a most |
serious blow. The protectionist who |
opposes reciprocity in the form in which |
it is now presented, knocks away one OF
the strongest supports of his system.
The enactment of reciprocity is the safe
guard of protection. The defeat of reci-
procity is the opportunity of free-trade."
The Pacific Cable.
The Pacific Coast Board of Commerce
on the 18th instant, and ses- i
sions were held on the 18th, 18th, 10Th
and Goth. Addresses were made by NJ.
NJ. Estee on Reciprocity" ]. F. Chap
man on ship bounties, and Hugh Craig,
Of the New Zealand Insurance Company,
made a report on the Trans-Pacific
cable.
Other papers OF interest to the Coast
only were read. The Board passed a
resolution asking the Interstate Com
merce Commission to permit the rail-
roads to make any rates they choose on
goods shipped in any trans-Pacific
country to any American point. This