Omaha daily bee., 1890-09-17
THE WELT ARE OF THE WEST.
Secretary Blaine Writes a Letter in The In
terest Of that Section,
OUR GREAT FLOUR TRADE WITH CUBA
He Does Not Believe in Opening Our
Markets Free to that Island
Unless ethingis Given
in Return.

BosrcN, Mass, Sept 16.-In response to an
invitation to the annual banquet Of the Boot
and Shoe club Of Boston Colonel Clappedi
Of the Journal has received letter from MIR,
Blaine, in which the secretary of state, refer
ring to that portion Of the invitation saying
the members Of the club are in hearty
sympathy with his views regarding the best
method of extending trade regrets that en-
gagemeuts will not permit him TO address the
meeting. The memb bers of the club, he says,
can do great good by counteracting certain
phase of New England opinion which he re-
CARDS as hurtfu to New England's interests.
New En- gland is to receive in the new tariff
the amplest protection for every manufactur-
ing industry within her borders, and it will
be, in the Judgment Of the secretary Of state,
both expedient and injurious for her repre-
sentatives to disregard a measure which will
promote western interests. MIR Blaine refers
to letter recently received from limbs, pres
ident of the late convention of mllers at Min
neapolis, refe rrng to the excessive duties on
American flour in Cuba and stating that
Americans will be unable to retain any part
of the Cuban -four trade unless immediate
relief is secured.
"ln view of these factsn says Mr. Blaine,
'is it possible that protectiOnal congress
can even think of opening our markets to
Cuba's products free while allowing a great
western industry to be absolutely excluded
from her markets by a prohibtory tariff
With reciprocity the west can annually sell
many hundred thousand barrels of -four in
Cuba and Porto Rica, together with large
mass Of other agricultural pro-
ducts. 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 Judgment, Ger
tainly no protectionst of wise forecast wishes
to exposea western interest to serious IN
jury, especially when it is manfestly easy to
protect and promote it-manilestly easy be-
cause at this very time boards OF trade,
chambers of commerce and public opinion
in Havana are demanding reciprocal
trade with the United States.
Certain wise men have asked how
can we sell farm products in South America
when the same things are produced there
Cereals are undou btedly grown in the southcr-
most portions of South America, but the wise
men will remember that cereals and sugar do
not grow in the same soil, ana the sugar COun-
tries of South and Central America aud the
West indies contain 40, 100000 of people who
import the largest part of their breads tufts.
Indeed, the largest portion of the sugar
product of Latin-America is at our
doors and we can greatly enlarge our
us an opportunity for reciprocal trade.
Another class observe that they want time
TO study the system. To this | might reply
'--Nat d hShbeSt method of studying system is
be showed under In lcal WORKINGS While
bsah vrre uSi"s W. ra.
to open our markets. ..tS LATINA meric3l pro
ducts free of all charge without asking Latin
America to give us in return some freedom in
their markets. The object lesson Immediately
before us is the treatment of the sugar
question Shall we make LATIN America q
gift of that tradei When we have studied
y that lesson we shall be prepared for the sec
Ond. The worst proposition of all is put
forth by those who say: Let us put sugar
on the free list now andneXt year take up the
subject of reciprocity If 1 understand theil
logic it is 10 make sugar free this year with
out condition and next year to ask Spain II
she will not kindly consent to grant us re
ciprocal trade. Holding complete vantage
ground themselves, the proposed policy
transfers the vantage groundto Spain. Those
who take this ground belong to that class o.
careful guardians of property who prepare
the strong lock for the stable after the horse
Is gone. L do not mean in anything have
said 10 imply that reciprocityis is only west
ern interest II will prove beneficial and profit
able both TO farm and shop. Many forms in
which our business interests will be promoted
by reciprocity cannot be known until tn,
active commercial men Of the United State.
shall have developed those forms by investi
CATION and experience: We shall not realiz'
the full benefit of the policy in
day or year, but shall we there
fore throw away countless million.
Of trade in addition to $50, 100000 we have al
ready thrown away and then ignorantly de
clare, without trial, that the system Won
workin Finally there is one fact that should
have great weight, especially with protec
tionists Every free trader in the senau
voted against reciprocity. The free trad
papers throughout the country are showing
determined hostility to 1t. 1t i
evident that the free trade senators and fire
trade papers have a specific reason for thel
course. They know and feel that with a sys
tenn of reciprocity established and growin
their policy of free trade receives a mos
serious blow. The protectionists who or
pose reciprocity in the form in whic
It is now presented knocks away one of tn
strongest supports ofthe system Theenact
ment of reciprocity is the safeguard of pro
- lection. The defeat of reciprocity is tn