Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-12-12
THE FIFTY.FIRST CONGRESS.
A Few Complimentary Remarks Con
corning That Body.

country upon the passage at the first ses-
sion Of the Fifty-frst congress of an I'M
usual number Of laws of very high import
ance. That the results of this legislation
will be the qhckening and enlargement of
OUR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
larger and better markets for our bread
stuffs and provisions both at home and
abroad, more constant employment and
better wages for our working people and
an increased supply Of safe currency for
the transaction of business, / do not
doubt. Some of these measures were en-
acted at so late period that the beneficial
enects upon commerce which were in the
contemplation of congress have as yet but
partially manifested themselves.
| The general trade and industrial condi-
lions throughout the country during the
| year have shown marked Improvement
For many years prior to 1888 the merchan-
disc balances of foreign trade had been
largely In our favor, but during that year
and the year following they turned against
last fiscal year again shows balance in
| our favor of over sos, 0O0, 900. The bank
clearings, which furnish good test of the
volume of business transacted for the
hrst ten months of the year, 1890, show, as
compared with the same months
of 1889, an increase for the
whole country Of about "a per cent,
while the increase outside of the city of
New York was over IS per cent. Do
nestle MISUNDERSTANDING the last year was
lover $4,000, 600 greater than the preced-
ing year, and was only exceeded once in
| our history. About 500, COO of these
| figures show that the increase in the vol
| ume Of business of this excess was in
| agricultural products. The depression in
| the prices, of agricultural products had
hopeful influence was beginning to be
felt by all our people. These promising
influences have been in some degree
| checked by the surprising and very I'M
favorable monetary events which have re-
gently taken place in England, 1t is graft
gree out of the financial relations of Lon
| don with our people or out of any discredit
attached to our securities held in that
| market.
THE GENERAL TARIFF ACT
has only partially gone into operation,
| some OF Its important provisions being
| limited to take effect at dates yet in the tn
ture. However, as the general provisions Of
| the law have been in force less than sixty
days, Its permanent effect upon trade and
prices still largely stand in conjecture. 1t
| is curious to note that the advance in the
| prices of articles wholly unaffected by the
tariff act was by many hastily ascribcd to
that act. Notice was not taken of the fact
that the general tendency of the markets
| was upward from influences wholly apart
There is neither wisdom nor Justice in
the suggestion that
THE SUBJECT OF TARIFF REVISION
shall be opened before this law has had n
| fair trial. 1t is quite true that every tariff
schedule Is subject to objections. No bill
| was ever framed, l suppose, that In all of
Its rates and classifications had the full APP
| Proval even OF party caucus. Such legis-
lation is always and necessarily tho pro-
| duct of compromise as to details and
| the present law is no exception.
But In its general scope and effect
i think 1t will justify the support of those
| who believe that American legislation
should conserve and defend American
trade and the wages of American work
men. Already we begin to hear from
abroad and from our custom houses that
the prohibitory effect upon importations
Imputed to
THE ACT Is NOT JUSTIFIED
The imports at the port of New York for
the first three weeks of November were
nearly per cent greater than for the same
period in 1889 and 20 per cent greater than
| in the same period of 1889 And SO far
from being an act TO limit Forts l CON
hdently believe tha' under it we shall sc .
cure larger and more profitable partici-
| patton IN foreign trade than we have ever
enjoyed and that we shall recover pro-
portionate participation in the ocean carry
ing trade of the world.
| There Is no disposition among any of our
| people 10 promote
PRoHIBIToRY OR RETALIAToRY LEGIsLA-
| T1oN.
| Our policies are adopted not to the hurt
| OF others, but to secure for ourselves those
advantages that fairly grow out of our IA
| vored position as nation. Our form of
government, with its incident of universal
| suffrage makes 1t imperative that we shall
save our working people from the .agita-
lions and distresses which scant work that
have no margin for comfor. always beget.
But after all this is done it will be found
that our markets are open to friendly com
mercial exchanges of enormous value to
other great powers. From the time of my
Induction into office the duty of using every
power and influence given by law to the
executive department for
THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGER MARKETS
Tor our products, especially our farm pro-
ducts, has been kept constantly in mind
and no effort has BEEN or will be spared
| 10 promote that end. We are under no
disadvantages in any foreign market, ex-
| cept that we pay our workingmen and
workingwomen better wages than are paid
| elsewhere. l do not doubt that q very large
~ increased foreign trade is accessible TO
US, without bartering for either our home
market for such products of the farm and,
shop as our own people can supply with
dhe wages OF our working people.
TIE RECIPROCITY CLAUSE.
II, The tariff acts Wisely and in effect opens
the way to secure large reciprocal trade,
in exchange for the free admission to our
| ports OF certain products. The right Of
independent nations to make special re-
| ciprocal trade concessions is well estab-
ilshed, and does not impair either the conf
ity due to other powers, or what is known
as the favored nation clause" SO gener-
ally found in commercial treaties.
The state of the revenues was such that
we could dispose with any import duties
upon coffee, tea, hides and the lower grades
or sugar and molaSseS. That the large adj
vantage resulting to the countries produce
Ing and exporting these articles by placing
them on the free list entitled us to expect q,
fair return in the way Of customs conccs-
sions upon articles exported by us TO them
was so obvious that to have gratuitously
abandoned this opportunity to enlarge our
trade would have been an unpardonable
error. Experience has shown that some
treaties looking to reciprocal trade have
failed to secure a two-thirds vote in the
senate for ratification, and others
having passed that stage have for
years awaited the concurrence of the house
and senate In such notifications of our
revenue laws as We're necessary TO give
erect TO their provisions. We now have the
concurrence OF both houses In advance in a
distinct and definite offer of
FREE ENTRY TO OUR PORTS
of specific articles. The executive is not
required to deal In conjecture as to what
congress will accept. Indeed, this reciproe-
lily provision Is moro than On offer. Our
part OF the bargain ia complete; delivery
has been made; and when countries from
which we receive sugar, coffee, tea and
hides have placed on their free lists such OF
our products as shall BIO agreed upon, as an