Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-07
THE CAPE MAY CONFERENCE.
Mr.. Blaine and the President in Accord
on Reciprocity.
THE PRESIDENT WILL RECOMMEND SUBSTANTIALLY
THE ADOPTION OF Mr.. BIAINE's PROPOSITION
AN AMENDMENT WHICH Mr.. MKINLEY WILL
NOT oPPosE-A MESSAGE BEING PREPARED.

The adversaries of Mr.. Blaine have not sue
ton to his Secretary OF State The President
and Mr.. Blaine are in accord in this reciproc-
ity matter, and unless something extraordi-
nary happens to prevent it a message will be
sent to Congress by Mr.. Harrison strongly in
dorsing the general proposition known as the
Blaine plan. He is now preparing such a mes
sage. The opposition will have to yield with
the best grace they can or else suffer defeat
The President has not just lately been won
over to the reciprocity idea. He has been in
substantial agreement with Mr.. Blaine on the
subject from the first, only he has not been as
enthusiastic, being by temperament a less san
guine man, and taking longer to come to .
definite conclusion.
When the subject first came up and some Of
Mr.. Reeds friends and free sugar men in Con-
gress took up arms against Mr.. Blaine they
thought. from the fact that the President had
not committed himself, that he did not favor
fight against the Secretary of State. In this,
as events will prove, they were mistaken. Mr..
Harrison, instead Of taking sides against Mr..
Blaine, imposed upon himself the task of
bringing the two factions Of the party together
and in doing so has accepted what is practi-
cally the Blaine proposition as the platform on
which they are to stand. He saw the ways and
means committee standing off in one direction
In three-quarter breeze and Mr.. Blaine's craft
in another. Holding to both he saw danger of
the administration being pulled apart and he
saw danger in deserting either.
THE CONFERENCE AT CAPE MAY
Mr.. Blaines visit to Cape May Point was by
invitation of the President especially to talk
over this matter. They had talked it over be-
fore without any marked disagreement, but no
decision had been reached At the Presidents
cottage Mr.. Harrison proposed TO Mr. Blaine
that the features of the Pierce amendment be
accepted as q compromise and Mr.. Blaine con-
sented to the proposition. The matter was
still under discussion for some time after this,
the question at issue being as to the business
advantages to be derived from the acceptance
OF the reciprocity plan. The President then
sent for Mr.. Wanamaker, in whose business
Judgment he has the utmost confidence. Mr..
Wanamaker was consulted and he gave
strong, even enthusiastic Endorsement Of
MIR. Baines suggestion. He was found,
perhaps, to the surprise Of the
President, to stand exactly with the Secretary
of State in strongly advocating reciprocity a
business proposition. This ended the discus
sion and they separated in perfect accord, the
general understanding being that the Presidens
would send a message to Congress recommend
ing the adoption of an amendment providing
that after the expiration Of eighteen months
from the repeal Of the sugar duty that repeal
shall apply to only such countries as have by
that time agreed to admit certain products of
our farms and manufacturers to their ports
free. Mr.. Mckinley, it is said, will not object
to this amendment.
TREATY WITH BRAZIL.
II the effort to bring the party together on
this compromise is successful the first treaty
will probably be negotiated with Brazil, which
is the greatest sugar producing country after
Cuba. A treaty with Brazil had already pro-
gressed almost to completion when the free
sugar clause was adopted in the Mckinley bill
Negotiations were then broken of, because
Brazil was not going to buy something which
We had already given to her for nothing. and
we, therefore, had nothing to trade ON. These
negotiations will be resumed soon after the
reciprocity amendment is adopted.