The climax. [volume] (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1887-1897, 1890-07-02
SECRETARY BLAINE ON PAN AMERICAN
RECIPROCITY.

Secretary Blaine was before the Senate
appropriations committee in charge Of
the diplomatic bill to urge the appropria-
ton Of S425, $50 10 carry out the recommend
ati0ns of the Pan-American Conference.
The money is wanted for printing, for
a monetary union meeting in Washing
ton next January, for a survey OF a route
for an intercontinental railway, for bu-
reau of information and for a Latin
American memorial library, to be dedi-
Gated in 1892 In a letter transmitted to
Congress by the President, Mr.. Blaine
makes an extended arrangement for the
insertion of Pan American reciprocity
clause in the pending tariff bin with a
view 10 the capture of the South and
Central American trade. He objects to
Mr.. McKinley's proposition to make su-
gar free on the ground that such action
would deprive us Of the means Of COM
pelling sugar growing countries to open
their ports freely to our breadstufs and
manufactures. So of wool, hides and 9th
er articles. He would have a duty placed
on them, but he would have the next
tariff act give the President authority TO
set the duty aside in favor Of such nations
south of rs in this hemisphere as viii adj
NIT our products free. He admits that
the duties placed on hides and carpet
woods in the original Mckinley bill led
the Representatives Of Chill and the Ar
gentine Republic to doubt the sincerity
of our protested desire for increased COM
mercial intercourse. They We're willing
10 admit our products free if we would
admit theirs free, but the Mckinley bill
contained no provision for such reciproc-
ity. Hides have been placed again on
the free list, but" SAYS Mr.. Blain Blaine,
the duty on carpet wool remains, and
that as the Argentine delegates declared,
represents the only concession we have
TO offer them in exchange for the re-
moval Of duties upon our peculiar pro-
ducts" Still Mr. Blaine defends the tar
idf and saws il is no barrier to our trade
with Latin America. In proof OF this he
makes the misleading statement that ut
the present moment 81 per cent Of our
imports from South and Central America
are admitted free. The fact is that our
high tariff prevents South America from
sending US much that is not duty free. If
1t were prOhibitory the percentage Of duty
for articles would be still larger. The
point to be kept in view Is that our south
ern neighbOrs wish TO send us a number
articles which are not duty free, but
which they at present send to Europe
The Secretary thinks tariff good in itself
and good also as a basis or vantage ground
from which 10 negotiate reciprocity treat
les. He accordingly in a letter to the Mil
lens Association at Minneapolis urges
that body to quit demanding free sugar
except in cases where It is admitted free
in exchange for free admission of Amer
lean breadstuffs. Whether Congress gives
reciprocity twist 10 its pending tariff
legislation OF not, it is advised in Mr..
Blaine's Letter to the President to appro-
pirate literally for subsidies. If we had
more ships going TO and fro between this
country and South America we should
somehow, it is argued. get more trade
from that continent. We should at least
sell little more there, thanks to the "dis-
counts for export only made by our
manufactures that cultivate a foreign
trade. That we could buy these with a
Mckinley bill in force Mr. Blaine does
not assert. In addition TO subsidies as a
means Of stimulating the commerce our
tariff destroys, Mr.. Blaine recommends
the intercontinental bank suggested by
the Pan American Conference. It is per
haps his duty as Secretary OF State to rec
ommend these and other things in which
he can personally have no confidence.
What his letters appear to make plain is
that he does not think very highly Of the
economic policy now being saddled upon
the country by Congress.