Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1890 — A LETTER FROM MR. BLAINE. [ARTICLE]

A LETTER FROM MR. BLAINE.

nil Reasons for Objecting to Ere# Sugar--South American Trade - The following letter from Secretary Blaine was made public on the _sth: Bab Harbor, Me., July 11,1890. Dbar Mr. Frte —l have just received intelligettce from the highest commercial an-' tbority in Havana that American flour,( under the new duties imposed by Spain, oan not Cuban market under a cost of $11.46 per barrel, counting the shirpingprice 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 American flour from the markets of Cuba and Porta Rico. Other articles of American growth are likewise taxed by Spain to the pointof prohibition. This one-sided commerce will seriously injure the shipping routes which are still in American hands largely, if not exclusively. It would certainly be a very extraordinary policy on the part of our-government, just at this time, to open our market without charge of duty, to the enormous crops ofj sugar raised in tne two Spanish islands. Cuba and Porto Rico furnish the United States with nearly or quite one-half the sugar we consume, and we are far larger consumers than any other nation in the! world. To give a free market to this im mense product of the Spanish plantations at the moment Spain is excluding the pro. ducts of American farms from her market would be a. policy as unprecedented as it would be unwise. Our trade with the South American republics, as well as 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 Bingle 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 Since we repealed the duty on coffee in 1872 we have imported the products of Brazil to the extent of $821,806,000, and have sold to her only $156,135,000 of our own products. The difference, $864,671,000, we have paid in gold, or its equivalent, and Brazil has expended the vast sum in the markets ot Europe. You can readily see how different the result would have bedn if, in return for the free admission of Brazilian coffees in our markets, we had exacted the free admission of certain products of the United States in the Brazilian market. 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 the capitalist, and not at all to the farmer. You and I well know that this is not true; but still it is the most plausible, and, therefore, the most hurtful argument made ,by the free-traders. Here is an opportunity where the farmer may be benefited primarily, undeniably richly benefited Here is an opportunity for a Republican Congress to open the markets of forty million of ‘people to tho products of American (farmers. Shill we seize the opportunity, tor shall we throw itawayi I do not doubt that in many respects ! the tariff bill peuding in the Senate is a jnst measure and that most of its.provisions are in accordance with the wi.se policy of protection. But there is not a section or a line in the entire bill that will open a market for another bushel of wheat or another barrel of pork. If sugar is placed on the free list without exacting important trade concessions in return, we shall close the door for a profitable reciprocity against ourselves. 1 think you will find some valuable hints on this subject in tho President’s brief message of June 19, with as much practical wisdom as was ever stated in so short a space. Our foreign market for breadstuffs grows narrower. Great Britian is exerting every nerve to secure herbread supply from India, and the rapid expansion of the wheat area in Russia gives us a powerful compo. titor in the markets of Europe. It becomes us, therefore, to-use every opportunity for the extension of our market on both of the American continents. With nearly SIOO- - worth of sugar seeking 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 breadstuffs and provisions. The late conference of American republic* proved the existence of acommon desiro for closer relation. Our Congress should take up the work where the international conference left it. Our field of commercial development and progress lies south of us Very sincerely yours, Jambs G. Blainb, Hon. W. P. ✓rye, United States Senate.

ftlirenrd Iturglsrs. A shrewd game was pursued by some burglars at Napa, Cal. They called al a house and asked to be shown over it, saying they wished to purchase jusi such a one. Tho family were absent and the person in charge complied with the request. Noticing that one or two closets in one of the chambers were locked they, saying that an abundance of closet room was what they wished, expressed a desire to have these opened. The lady said the parties wero away, and these closets wore kept locked at iheir request After somo urging, the lady went to a buread and from one of the drawers took a bunch of keys, ana the closets were thrown open to the Inspection of tho strangers, who pretended to be entirely satisfied. That night they entered through one of the window’s, went t.» the room mentioned, took the keys from, the drawer, and rifled the trunk? in the closet of many valuables.

Small Cola. One gets a surf-fit of bathing at Cap* May. Girls who paint their faces nevei play lawn tennis in hot weather, The green postage stamp must go. That is what it waa made for. Baseball has been knocked out by sluggers. It is too tme sport compared with the giant mills. Disappointments worry a man in warm weather. No one like*‘-t0 put in the soup when it is too hot. Petors'jurg Index: A great many men acquire $? of prosperity and arrogance'with a $1 public oJi&j.