23rd December.
AMERICAN manufactures are now so firmly established that Protection for Growing Industries is becoming a creed outworn in the United States. There are few Republicans who, to quote a Louisville contemporary, "either personally interested in tariff subsidies which they are loth to give up, or who fear the effects of any tariff agitation on the party, insist that the Dingley law. is sacred and shall not be touched," but the majority of those who were once high-tant? men recognise, as Pre~ sident McKinley himself did in his speech just before he was laid low by the assassin's bullet, that excessive inyport duties are no longer needed either for revenue purposes or for protection; and to quote our contemporary again, "we find at this time Republicans like Mr. Carnegie boldly avowing that a high tariff is no longer needed; other Republicans urging the abolition of the tariff to the extent of placing ''rust-produced articles on the free list; other Republicans—who, while unwilling openly to surrender the protective tariff' system, would whittle it away by the negotiation of reciprocity treaties."
It was reciprocity that President McKinley advocated; duties should be reduced on the products of any nations which would make corresponding reductions in their duties on American products. The British system is to impose import duties for revenue purposes only, and as few of them as possible; and protectionists have constantly urged that we have thus left ourselves no means of extort ting concessions from other countries with protective tariffs; but what we have lost in that direction has been more than made up by the benefits that our free trade policy has brought us, One of the charges that used to be brought forward at Presidential elections by Republican Gobden Club was spending large apers in the States was that the sums in subsidizing the Democratic party with the object of promoting free trade in the States. 'The charge was an absurd one, first, because the Cobden Club never had money to spend for such a purpose; and secondly, because it was the conviction of economists in England that 'a country which adopted the policy of high' tariffs could never be a dangerous competitor in the markets of the world, Trade means barter; and one country cannot sell products to another if by high tariffs it keeps out the goods which that other country is prepared to exchange. Notwithstanding its devation to protection, however, the United States has become a large exporter of manufactures as well as of agricultural products, and, as we began by saying, its manufactures are now so firmly established, that it can safely afford to lower its tariffs.
The question now before the United States is whether reciprocity should be effected by a general law, which is Senator Lodge's scheme, or by the negotiation of individual treaties. "Individual treaties," says the Philaadelphia "Press," "must run the gauntlet of the Senate, and are sure to be attacked in detail. A general Act, on the other hand, would remove the subject from immediate political discussion. It would prevent the opening of tariff discussion on specific rates in Congress. It allows for changes in future conditions of trade. The wise course is not to pin reciprocity to specific treaties, pending or future, but to adopt the rineiple as a basis of policy, provide for its execution by a general Act, and leave the details and execution to the Executive." With a President Ike Mr. Roosevelt, this could safely be done, but it might be dangerous in some circumstances for Congress to leave so much power in the hands of the executive Government. The Philadelphia "Times" objects altogether to Senator Lodge's proposal, which it conceives to involve the increase in certain cases of the Dingley tariff rates. "The country," it says, " has had a surfeit of reprisals and retaliations, and any increase of the Dingley duties would be ruinous to American commerce. The whole object of reciprocity is to lower rates, so that trade with foreign countries may be extended." This is the great point; that it is beginning to be realised in the United States that countries which wish to sell their own products freely must encourage imports from their intended customers by reasonable tariffs.
American Trade" contains some notes on reciprocity, extracted from various American papers, which will be found decidedly interesting Nothing but narrow and selfish interests stand in the way of consummated reciprocity.—" Des Moines News."
Reciprocity is the politico-commercial art of cinching the other fellow on the swap.—' What Cheer (La.,) Patriot."
people want reciprocity, and reciprocity they will have if possible. The commission talk is merely a scheme to delay action—" Duluth Herald."
Tf reciprocity is a good thing it is practicable, and if it can be applied by any people it surely can be by those who have a good deal to sell as to buy.—"Washington Star."
Reciprocity is a fake, and s subterfuge to divert the mind of the people and "perpetuate the tariff. The tariff war will never be lessened by the persons benefit ing from it.—" Nashville News."
Closer trade relations with foreign nations does not mean that we shall relax our energies in order to give them a chance. Reciprocity does not and cannot Indianapolis News."
"Reciprocity," as defined in the partisan political dictionary means, "Get all you can, and give nothing to nobed: Phot is a kind of reciprocity to which other governments will hardly consent.—The fight for reciprocity should not be abandoned simply because there are some the oppose it. Such opposition is either due to mistaken ideas on the subject or to unreasonable expectations and demands.
Wichita Eagle."
President Roosevelt intends to carry out President McKinley's announced policy of reciprocity it will require his noted courage and tenacity to save that policy from some of the most loudly avowed friends of the late President.—* Pittsburgh Dispatch."
Any policy of granting protection to some industries while denying it to others is doomed to failure. The American peoplo will not support it. The fight ngninst misuse of reciprocity in the direction of free trade must be made unitedly. There is no division that can be tolerated.—"San Francisco Call."
To reduce the duties on Delaware peaches, or California wines, or Jersey jewellery, or Massachusetts cottons, we can readily enough regard as a piece of high-minded statesmanship. But how can any true patriot look with approval upon reciprocity that menaces Oregon prunes, soap, sugar, or wool?—Portland Oregonian."
Reciprocity? Certainly we will favo reciprocity whenever the conditions are ripe for it, whenever foreign nations conclude to come to our terms. The party that has built up American industries to their present prosperous condition may be relied upon to neglect no policy that will inure to the national benefit.—"Steclton (Pa.) Reporter."
Public sentiment at this time is entirely favourable to reciprocity treaties. It is reasonable to believe that some action will be taken by the next Congress. The Senate cannot ignore the policy so earnest ly advanced by the late President in his ast speech and so emphatically reaffirmed and strengthened by President Roosevelt.
Kansas City Star."
Reciprocity is not a new idea with the Republican party and the free-traders who are so industriously engaged in clouding the issue so as to make it appear that the protective tariff idea has ben abantloned will not fool anybody. At least twenty years ago a reciprocity plank was placed in the Republican platform in Pennsylvania.—Harrisburg Telegraph."
These extracts, which- have apparently been made with laudable impartiality, show how wide-spread is the conviction that the time has come for descending from the high tariff level, and encouraging a more free exchange with other nations.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.