Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1890 — RESTRICTED TRADE. [ARTICLE]

RESTRICTED TRADE.

JAMES G. BLAINE SOUNDS A NOTE OF WARNING. He Sees an Opportunity to Open the Markets of Forty Millions of People to Our Farm Produets-A Remarkable Fetter to Senator Frye. Bar Harbor, Me., Ju’y 11, 1890. Dear Mr. Frye: I have just received intelligence from the highest commercial authority in Havana that American Hour under the new duties imposed by Spain cannot reach the Cuban market unaer a cast of $11.48 per barrel—counting the snipping price in New York at $4.80 per barrel. Spain holds the market for herself and is able to send European flour at a price which totally excludes the Amer.can flour from the markets of Cuba and Porto Rico. Other articles of American growth are likewise taxed by Spain to the point of prohibition. This onesided commerce will seriously injure the shipping routes which are still in American hands largely if not exclusively. It would certaiuly be a verv extraordinary policy ou the part of our Government just at this time to open our market without char, e of duty to the enormous crops of sugar raised in the two Spanish islands. Cuba and Porto Rico furnish the United States with nearly or quite one-half of the sugar which we consurde, and we are far larger consumerj than any other nation in the world. To give a free market to this immense product of the Spanish plantations at the moment Spam is excluding the products of American farms from her market, would be a policy as unprecedented as it would be unwise.

Our trade with the American republics ns well ns with the West India Islands has been for many years in a most unsatisfactory condition. The aggregate balance of trade with all Latin America is heavily against us. A single illustration will suffice. Since we repealed the duty on coffee in 1872, we have imported the products of Brazil to the extent of $821,806,000 and have sold to her only $150,135,000 of our own products. The difference —$004,071,000 —we have paidin gold or Us equivalent, and Brazil has expended the vast sum in the markets of Europe. You can readily see how different tne result would have been if in return for the free admission of Brazilian coffee in our markets, we had exacted the free admission of certain products of the United States in tbe Brazilian m trket. To repeat this error with sugar (to an amount three times as large as with coffee) will close all opportunity to establish reciprocity of trade with Latin America.

The charge against the protective policy which has injured it most is that its benefits go wholly to the manufacturer and capitalist, and not at all to tUe farmer. You and I well know that this is not true, bul still it is the most plausible, and therefore the most hurtful argument made by the free-trader. Here is an opjiortunity where the farmer may be benefited—primarily, undeniably benefited. Here is an opportunity for a Republican Congress to open the markets of 40,000,000 of people to the products of American farmers. Shall we se'ize the opportunity or shall we throw it away? I do not doubt that in many respects the tariff bill pending in the Senate is a just measure, and that most of its provisions are in accordance with the wise policy of firotection. But there is not a section or ine in the entire bill that will open a market for another bushel of wheat or another barrel of pork. If sugar is not placed on the free list, without exacting trade concessions in return, we shall close the door for a profitable reciprocity against ourselves. I think you will find some valuable hints on this subject in tbe President’s brief message of June 19, with as much practical wisdom as was ever stated in so short a space. Our foreign mnrket lor breadstnffs grows narrower. Great Britain is exerting every nerve to secure her bread supplies from India, and the rapid expansion of the wheat area in Russia gives us a powerful competitor in the markets of Europe. It becomes us therefore to use every opportunity for the extension of onr market on both of the American continents. With nearly $100,000,600 worth of sugar 6eekiDg our market every year, we shall prove ourselves most unskilled legislators if we do not secure a large field for the sale and consumption of our breadstufls and provisions. The late conference of American Republics proved the existence of a common desire for closer relations. Onr Congress should take up the work where the International Conference left it. Our field of commercial development and progress

lies south of ns. Very sincerely yours, Jamkh G. Blaine. Hon. W. P. Frye, U. 8. Senate.