1889-October-02: Secretary of State James G.

1889-October-02: Secretary of State James G. Blaine presided over the First Congress of American States in Washington. Following a tour of the United States intended to showcase American industrial capacity, Blaine sought to challenge European commercial dominance. When his proposal for a Pan-American customs union failed to gain adoption, he pivoted toward a series of reciprocity treaties. Haiti was among the nations with which the United States signed an executive agreement, reflecting Blaine’s goal of tying Caribbean economies more closely to the American market.