The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-12
TRADE.


In the course of this communication refer
ence has more than once been made to the
policy of this government as regards the ex-
tension of our foreign trade. 1t seeing
proper to declare the general principles that
should, in my opinion, Undcrlie our national
efforts in this direction. The main conditions
of the problem may he thus stated: We are
n people rich in mechanical pursuits and
fertile i'll inventions; we cover a vastextento OF
territory, rich in agricultural products and in
nearly all the raw materials necessary for
successful manufacture. We have a system
Of productive establishments more than
sufficient to supply our demands. The
wages of labor are nowhere so great.
The scale of living of ouI
artisan classes is such as tends to secure
their personal comfort and the development
0f those higher moral and intellectual quail
tiles that go TO the making of good citizens
Our system OF lax and tariff Legislation is
yielding q revenue which is in excess of the
present needs of the government These
are clements from which it is sought to de-
wise q scheme by which, without unfavora-
bly, changing the condition of w~orkingmen,
our merchant marine shall be raised from it's
enfeeblcd condition and new markets pro-
yided for the sale, beyond our borders, of the
manifold fruits of our industrial enterprise.
The problem is complex and can be solved
by no single measure of innovation or re-
form. The countries of the American CONT.
nent and the adjacent islands are for the
United States the natural market of supply
and demand. 1t is from them that we should
obtain what we do not produce, or do not
produce in sutficiency, and it is to them that
surplus productions of our fields, our mills,
and our workshops should flow, under
conditions that will eqnaiize or favor them
IN comparison with foreign competition.
four paths of policy seem 10 point to this
end, First, a series of reciprocal commercial
treaties with the countries of America which
shall foster between the United States and
them an ~unhampered movement of trade.
The conditions of these treaties should be
the free admission OF such merchandise as
this country does not produce, in return for
the admission free or under u favored scheme
OF duties of our W products, the benefits
OF such exchange to apply on those goods
carried under the flag of the parties to the
contract; the removal on both sides from
vessels so privileged of all tonnage dues
and national imports, so that their vessels
may ply ~unhindered between our ports and
those of the other contracting parties,
though without infringing on the reserved
home coasting trade. The removal or
reduction OF burdens on the exported
products OF those countries coming with
in the benefits of the treaties, and the
avoidance Of the technicalities restrictions,
and specialties by. which cur intercourse
with those countries is at present hampered,
Secondly, the establishment of the consular
service of the United States on q salaried
-"+N'c' III "
consular fees for not only as respects vessels
under the national flag, but also as respects
vessels or the treaty nations carrying goods
entitled to the benefits of the treaties.
!hlfuiy, the enactment of measures to favor
the construction and maintenance of d steam
carrying marine under the flag of the United
States Fourthly. the establishment Of az,
uniform currency basis for the countries of
America, SO that the coined products of our
mines may circulate on equal terms through
out the whole system of commonwealth
ms would require n monetary union of
America, whereby the output of the bullion-
producing countries and the circulation Of
chose which yield neither gold nor silver.
could be adjusted in conformity with the non.
ulatlon, wealth and commercial needs of each.
AS many OF the countries furnish no bullion
70 the common stock, the surplus production
II our mines and mints might thus be utilized
and a step taken toward the general remone-
citation OF silver. To the accomplishment Of
lhese ends, so far as they can be attained by
separate treaties. the negotiations already
concluded and now in progress have been
ulrecled; and the favor with which this
enlarged policy has thus far been received
warrants the belief that its operations will,
ere long, embrace all or nearly all the coun
tries OF this hemisphere, tt is by no means
desirable, | = yever, that the policy under
consideration should be applied to these
countries alone. The healthful enlargement
OF our trade with Europe. Asia and Africa
should be sought by reducing tariff burdens
on sucn or their wares as neither we nor the
other American states are fitted to produce,
and thus enabling ourselves to obtain in re-
Gurn a better market for our supplies of
FOOD, OF raw material and Of the
manufactures in which we excel. 1t seems
10 me that many of the embarrassing ele-
ments IN the great national conflict between
protectlon and free trade may thus be turned
TO good account; that the revenue NAV be
reduced so as no longer to oyertax the neo-
pie; the protective duties may be retained
without becoming burdensome; that our
shlpplng interests may be iudiciously en-
couraged, the currency ts1ss 90 firm basis,
and above all such n unity u interests estab.
llshed among the states of the American sys-
TEN as VIII be of great and ever increasing
advantage to them all. All treaties in the
line OF this policy which have been nepo-
hated, or are in pl ocess of being negotiated.
contain a provision deemed to be requisite
uhdef Ihe clause of the constitution limiting
70 the mouse OF representatives the authority
TO originate bills for raising revenue.