The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-25
Pork, Sugar, and an Issue.

r. Pork, Sugar, and an Issue.
Through not Weighing Its words with
the nicely that characterizes tho mental
habits OF the Hon. JAMES G. BLAINE.
our esteemed contemporary the Chicago
Herald has shown how even 80 pecu-
linrly important q statesman as the Sec
rotary OF State can be quoted as saying
Numerically opposite to what he really
said. 1t Is not unlikely. however. that
Mr.. BLAINE gave a passing thought
ind perhaps smoker for future misinter-
preters, when he penned this undoubtedly
aggressive sentence in his recent letter on
the MCKINLEY bill to a citizen In Bucyrus:
Germany. without negotiating formal treaty. has
removed the prohibition pork. and our Government.
in consideration thereof has left Its sugar on the free
list"
In the passage Of this expression through
the too hasty or prejudiced understanding
OF our Chicago contemporary. MIR. BLAINEs
words were upset into this form:
Mr. BLAINE tells the public his own signature
that Government agreed to leave German sugar on
she lis: In consideration of tho removal OF the Ger.
man prohibition on our pork"
II the BLAINE text had actually contained
ouch declaration there would be no uphold
ing OF tho authors further fitness for poll
ties: but it contained nothing OF the sort.
From his point Of view tho man returned
from Maine is accurate. except In that his
impctuous enthusiasm for the idea Of reel
procity has carried him little too far into
the future. Our pork. said he. was first let
into Germany FREQ. Our Government. said
he. because OF Germany's pork policy. now
leaves sugar on the free list. There Is a
I,o,, otto To ba Pr vOlio.y
as it was finally attached to the present
tariff bill. Free German sugar Is not
yet beyond Its grasp. 1t may be news
to some people that although our pork has
been admitted by Germany on Its merits
alone. and without relation to Gny German
export. the free American hog may yet be
made to stand Us the imposing monument
to reciprocity which doomed In Mr.. BLA1NE's
Imagination when he wrote to Bucyrus.
That President, HARRISON will soon be at
liberty to deal with German sugar with the
. commanding power Of reciprocity at his
back, to leave it on the free list or to take
it of as he may deem advisable. appears
In the third section Of the MCKINLEY bill:
with view to secure reciprocal trade with coun.
tries producing the following articles and for this
purpose and after the st day OF January eighteen
hundred and ninstytwo whenever and 80 often tho
President shall be satisfied that the Government OF any
country producing and exporting sugar olasse cot.
Zee. tea and hides. raw and uncured any of such
articles imposes duties or other exactions upon tho
agricultural other products OF tho United States
Which In view OF the free introduction OF such sugar
sooassak coffee, toA and hides into tho United States
he may deem 70 DO rsoprocslly unequal and
able he shall have the power and It shall be his duty to
suspend by proclamation to that effect the provisions
Of this act relating to the free Introduction of sach
sugar. Sc"
When Mr.. BLAINE published his latest
remarks upon the MCKINLEY bill. there
fore. there was nothing OF the ana
chronic twist In his mind that mys.
titled tho Chicago Herald. His fault lay
In taking for granted already stua-
ton that may or may not exist precise
. ly aiter the coming January. Hence the
only critic entitled to take Issue with him
us to whether he Is true prophet OF the
policy OF tho Administration Is the Hon.
BENJAMIN HARRISON. 1t is proper to state
, that Gen. HARRBoN's opinion upon the
reciprocal relations OF American pork and
German sugar fails to coincide with Mr.
B1AINE's.
Upon this point there is and perhaps there
is to be still more prominently an issue
between the President and tho head Of his
Cabinet. The question is. How far will Gen.
HARRISON elect to boom reciprocity as n
feature Of his Administration VIII he on
largo 1t for purposes OF public consideration
to the magnificent limits 80 boldly out
lined In the Bucyrus programme; In other
words. will he credit 1t with everything in
sight? Or will he lot it take q more modest
place on the Republican record?
Whether Brother BLAINE Is personally
very well or not. his conception Of reci-
procity as Republican policy Is on tho
grandest scale. And the Chicago Herald
and other similarly crring journals will
have to retract their evidence that he has
lost his wits.