The Portland daily press., 1891-10-27
WHO INVENTED RECIPROCITY
A Significant utterance by General
n. v. Boynton.
The President Credited with orIeI-
mating the Present Scheme.
SpecuIatlons as TO the Intentions of
the President and Mr.. Blaine,

BOSTON, October pa despatch from the
Washington correspondent of the Boston
Journal says:
WASHINGTON, October 25-It seems prof.
able that there is to be competition be-
tween the friends of President Harrison and
Secretary Blaine for the credit of originating
the successful policy of reciprocity. An
elaborate article has been prepared to show
that President Harrison is entitled to the
credit for the plan which was finally adopted
and which is now In operation. The eappear.
ance of this article. which comes from the
| pen of the noted journalist, General a. v.
BoyntoD. is not likely to escape attention
1t appears Immediately upon the return of
Secretary Blaine to his official duties. The
fact that Mr.. Blaine is now at his desk. and
IN MS normal condition of health, is certain
TO renew the agitation of the question of his
presidential aspirations. The opinion is
rapidly gaining ground here that Mr.. Blaine
Will not be an active candidate, but that IL
the national convention shall nominate him
he will accept.
The article referred to, which appears in
the Washington Post, gives detailed state
ment OF the steps taken to bring about the
reciprocity legislation. 1t points out that
the President first brought the subject to the
attention OF the people on July 81, 1888,
shortly after his nomination, in an address
to citizens Of Indiana. The article then
says:
One of the first compilations made for
the President at the Treasury Department
was one presenting full and elaborate statis-
tics OF the trade between the United States
and Central and Southern America. When
Congress met he had plan of reciprocity,
which he presented to some of the Republi-
can leaders. When the subject began to be
seriously considered, there were two distinct
dent uhaer tSs oSns one the Pres
dent advocated the abolition of the
sugar duties, so that our people might
be Immediately relieved from $50, ,OO0, 900 tax
alton on an article Of universal use. Cou-
iSlation which would allow him to restore
the sugar duties at the end Of year upon
the sugar product, coffee, tea, and hides, of
tnose countries (which should refuse to
enter into reciprocal trade arrangements
with the United States. Mr.. Blaine's plan
basis to trade on in reaching reciprocal
agreements: This he regarded as an essen
tial to his plan. In presenting his views up-
on the whole subject to the President, In the
letter OF June 10Th. 1890, which was trans
mitted to the Senate, Mr.. Blaine closed as
follows:
"Of course the exchanges involved in these
propositions would be rendered impossible if Con-
gress, In its wisdom, should repeal the duty on
sugar by direct legislation, instead of allowing
arrangement suggested.
The day before this letter was written
Senator Pierce introduced an amendment to
the pending tariff bill, which, he informed
his friends Ia the Senate, embodied the
Presidents plan of reciprocity. The dis
cussion among those Republicans in charge
OF the tariff measure Immediately proceeded
upon the relative merits of the method by
Treaty, with the retention of the sugar du-
ties, and the Presidents plan of abolishlng
mese dnties, Joined with the discretion to
restore th6duties where there was refusal
10 enter by d1rect agreement intQareoiprocal
t{ade. The PRESIDENT next met q Re- |
puDllcans In conference, and the RESULT was
the Aidrich amendment, now known as sec
but an elaboration of the Pierce amendment |
ohered at the Presidents suggestion.
After thus making it clear that It was |
Harrison's policy that was adopt |
ID. Gen. Boynton calls Secretary Blaine as a |
witness to the fact by quoting Washington |
1espatch to the New, York Tribune. written by |
one of the closest friends of Blaine in the |
newspaper profession, Mr.. Il. G.. Crawford, |
In which direct testimony In HarrisoD's favor |
Is given. Having disposed of this task, a |
stab is given to the pretensions of Secretary |
Blaine that he Is entitled to the credit for |
the reciprocity benefits in the following |
closing paragraph:
Had reciprocity been relegated to the |
method by treaty, 1t is clear that its accom-. |
plishment would still bs lar in the future. |
Treaties might have been negotiated be- |
tween the passage of the Mckinley bill and |
ratification by the Senate, and second, legis-
ation by the next Congress to carry their |
features into effect before reciproci- |
~ could be finally secured"