Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-09-20
BLAINE'S VIEWS
On the Subject of Reciprocity with
Latin-American Nations.
The Secretary Clearly Sots Forth the Ad-
vantnges of His Proposed System
and Givos Reasons why 1t
Should mt Once be Put Into
Practice.

BAR UARBoR, Me-, Sept. 1.-THE fol-
lowing letter is from Secretary Blaine
to Colonel w. w. Clapp, editor of the
Boston Journal:
MY DEAR SIR-I am In receipt Of your favor
asking me II can attend the annual banquet
OF the Boot and Shoe Club, OF Boston, In Octo.
ber You add that the members are in hearty
sympathy with my views regarding the best
method of extending American trade, and would
be glad to have me address them"
regret that my engagements Will not permit
me to accept the invitation but you will please
thank the club for the compliment they pay me.
l am glad to hear that the members OF the club
nre interested in a system of reciprocal trade
with Latin. America. They can do great good
by counteractinS certain phase of New Eng
land opinion-au opinion entertained at home as
well as In Washngton-an opinion which Imust,
regard as In the highest degree unwise and
hurtful to New England interests. New Eng
land is to receive in the new tariff the amplest
protection for every manufacturing industry
within her borders, both great and small. and IL
will in my judgment be both ineXpedient and
injurious for her representatives to disregard
measure which will promote Western interests
have lately received letter from Mr.. j. +.
limbs, of ST. Louis, q leading representative of
the Hour interests, and president of the late
convention of siillers at Minneapolis. Speaking
for the grain and flour interests of that great
section, Mr.. limbs says that "advices OF recent
date from Cuba state that the duties now col
lected American -four arc at higher rate
than was first supposed to be the case" And
he adds: II respectfully submit that the Amer
lean miller will be unable to retain any part OF
the Cuban flour trade unless immediate reliefis
secured"
In view OF these facts, is it possible that q
protectlonist Congress can even think OF open
ing our markets TO Cuba's products free while
allowing great Western industry to be abso-
lutely excluded from her markets by prohibit
tory tarir? With reciprocity the West can an
nually sell many hundred thousand barrels OF
flour in the markets OF Cuba and Porto Rico. to-
gether with n large mass of other agricultural
products. without reciprocity she will be
driven moro and more from the mark its.
interests rs the proposed tariff bill does surely
no man OF good judgment, certainly no protec-
ZIONIST of wise forecast, wishes to expose n
Western interest to serious injury, especially
when 1t is manifestly easy to protect it anu
promote it-manifestly easy because ut this
very time the boards OF trade. the chambers
of commerce and public opinion in Havana are
demanding reciprocal trade with the United
States select Cuba and Porto Rico for ex-
amples because in certain quarters It has been
said that while we might secure reciprocity
with some little countries in South America,
we could do nothing with the Spanish islands.
Let us at least give the Spanish islands an OPP
portunity TO speak for themselves.
Certain wise men ask: How can we sell
farm products in South America when the same
things produced thsrey' Cereals are un-
doubtedly grown in the southernmost portions
OF South America, but the wise men will re
member that cereals and sugar do not grow in
the same soil and that the sugar countries OF
South and Central America and the West India
Islands contain forty millions OF people who i'm
port the largest part OF their breadstufis. In
deed the largest part OF the sugar product OF
Lutin'Ameriica is ut our doors and we can
greatly enlarge our exchanges there II Congress-
will give the opportunity for reciprocal trade.
Another class claim that they want time to
study the system. To this might reply that
the best method OF studying u system is TO oh
serve its practical workings While studying
in the abstract and refusing to take some OBJ
lect lessons, these gentlemen propose to open
all charge, without asking Latin America to.
give us in turn some freedom in their markets.
Tho object lesson Immediately before us is tho
treatment of the question Shall make
Latin.America n gilt OF that trades When we
have studied that lesson we shall be prepared
fer tho second
The worst proposition OF all is put forth by
those who say: Let us put sugar on the FREQ
list now and next year we will take up the sub
iect OF reciprocity II i understand their logic,
IL is to make sugar free this year without condi-
tion and next year to ask Spain II she will not
kindly consent to grant us reciprocal trade.
Holding the complete vantage ground them
selves, the proposed policy transfers the want
age ground 70 Spain. Instead OF granting
favor to Spain today we are to ask her for u
favor TO morrow. Those who take this ground
belong to that class OF careful guardians of
property who prepare very strong lock for the
stable after the horse is gone. do not mean,
In anything / have said. 10 imply that recipro.
city Is only Western interest. AS / remarked
In d note to Senator Frye, it will prove beneh-
cial and profitable both to the farm and the
shop. What, for instance, could be more natural
or more Just than that, in giving free market
In tho United States to hides from the Argen-
tine Republic we should ask the Argentine Re-
public to give us a better market than we now
have for the product Of leather from the United
States. The many forms in which our business
interests will be promoted by reciprocity can
not be known until the active commercial men
OF the United States shall have developed those
forms by investigation and experience. We
shalt not realize the full benefit OF the policy In
q day or a year-but shall we therefore throw
away countless millions OF trade in addition to
the sixty millions we have already thrown away
and then !gnorantly declare without trial that
the system won't work.
Finally. there is one fact that should have
great weight. especially with protectionists.
Every free trader in the Senate voted against
the reciprocity proposition. The free trade pa.
pers throughout the country are showing de-
tcrmined hostility 10 it. 1t Is evident that the
free trade Senators and the free trade papers
have specific reason for their course They
know and feel that with system of reciprocity
established and growing their policy OF free
trade receives most serious blow The pro
tectOrist who opposes reciprocity in the form
In which 1t is now presented knocks away one
OF the strongest supports OF his system. The
enactment of reciprocity Is the safeguard of
protection The defeat of reciprocity is the op-
portunity OF free trade. Yours respectfully,
JAMES G. BLAINE.