The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-07-19
BLAINESENDSW WARNING
How a Oae-Sided Commerce Will Injure
the Country.

Ii would be Unwise 10 Allow Sugar tn Come
In Free without Getting something III
Return-IIow Beneiittod-Piain state
nents.
WASHINGTON, July 1.-The following
letter from Secretary Blaine has been
received to day by Senator Frye:
BAR HARBOR, Me, July II, 1890
Dear Nr. Frye-I have just received
Intelligence from the highest commercial
authority ut Havana, that American
flour, under the new duties imposed by
Spain, cannot reach the CABIN market
under cost o. $ll 40 per barrel count
ing the shipping price in New York at
81 so per barrel. Spain holds the mar.
ket for herself, and is able to send Euro
pean flour at n price which totally eN
cludes the American Il ,rr from The mar
kets of Cuba and Porto Rico. Other
articles OF American growth are iikeMis
taxed by Spain to the point OF prohibition
This oueSided commerce will seriously ~
iure the shipping routes which are still
in American hands, largely if not ex-
clusiyely.
1t would certainly be very extraordl-
nary policy on the part of the govern
ment, just at this time, to open our mar
ket without charge or duty to the enor-
nous crops of sugar raised in the two
Spanish islands. Cuba and Porto Rico
furnish the United States with nearly,
or quite, ouo- half of the sugar which we
consume, aud We are far larger con
sumers than any other nation III the
world. To give Il free market /" this
immense product of the Spanish panta-
tions at the moment Spain is excluding
the products of American farms from her
market. would be a policy as unprece-
dented rs il would De uuwlSc.
Oar trade with the American republics,
as we'll as with the West India Islands,
has been for years il most ulsatistac-
tory condition. The aggregate balance
of trade with all L ltin America is heavily
against us A single illustration vii!
suffice. Since we repealed tile duty On
coffee, IL 1872, UH have imported tho
products ui Brazil to the exteut 0! So =
SOC, 600, aud have sold to her only $lI6,
135, 000 OF our own products. Th- diff ~
ence-$G6i, 61l 000-we have pI!'; IN g"id
| or it's equivalent, and Brazii has exp
| ded the vast sum III markets al k3trpG,
| You can readily see hO@ diii'rc"5 Tie
result would have been II, Ia rcJGru ior
| the free admission of BIZ: lillian celis" IN
our market, we had exa"ted the free ID
mission of certain products OF ltG On.,en
States in the Braziliaa market. 70 re
peat this error, with sugar (to an amount
| three times as large as with coffee, vi.
| close all opportunity to eS'aStls rtelp-
| rocity Of trade with LitiD AmGr!ct
The charge against the protective
policy whiGa has i4iui ed il most. is tGAt
| its benefits 20 wha!!y to the ma"niIc
turer aad Tie capitalist, ANA not q al tG
| the iarm.r. You and | well know !ual
| this IS not 'ru", but still it is In most
plausible AID, therefore, The most 'urS'
| iul argument made by the free trader.
Here is all opportunity where the farmer
may be benelite';-primari'y, unden 'hiy,
richly benefited. Hero is an opportunity
! for Republican Congress to open the
markets of forty millions Of people !1 ;he
products OF American farns. 5 sal we
seize the opportunity, or shall We thI1"
| it away? | do not doubt that IL many
respects the tariff bill pending Ill tlt
Senate is a just measure, and the most d
its provisions are III accordance with the
wise policy of protection. But there i;
not section or line in the entire BIZ
|
bushel of wheat or another barrel o! pc. K
Sugar is now placed on the free lis
without exacting important trade con
cessious in return; we shall close the dool
| for profitable reciprocity against cur
| selves. | think you will fad some Valua
BILE hints on this subject in the President
brief message of June Is. b, with as mUcl
practical wisdom as WAS ever stated in 81
short space.
Our foreign market for breaAstntl
| grows narrower. Great Britain is ex
ertiDg every nerve to secure her breaC
supplies from India, and the rapid sx
pansion of the wheat area in Russi;
gives us powerful competitor III tat
markets OF Europe l. becomes US. there
fore, to use every opportunity Tor th'
extension OF our market on both az thu
American continents. With nearly ont
hundred million dollars worth Of suga
seeking our market every year, we shal
prove ourselves most unskiiled legislator
| if we do not secure a large field Tor lh'
sale and consumption of onr breads Gfl
and provisions The late conference .
| American republics proved the existence
of common desire for closer relations
Our Congress should take mp the worl
where the International Conference Ief
| it. Our field Of commercial development
and progress lies south of us,
Very sincerely yours,
(Sigued) JAMES G. BLAINE.