The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-10
RECIPROCITY.

The St Louis Giobe-DemOcrdt, the great
Republican apostle of protection in the
west, contains the following note. The
leayen of CLEvELASp's message is surely
working: 1.-THE discussion of the recipro-
city question has brought out the interest
ing fact that we get 10 per cent. of our
sugar supply from Germany. In round
numbers, we imported from SAID country
last year $4,000, 900 worth of that article.
or nearly half as much as we imported from
Cuba. 1t is argued, therefore, that the
reciprocity idea might be proftably ex-
tended to Germany, as well as TO the sew
eral other European nations from which
we also obtain part OF our sugar"
Reciprocity with Germany is a much
more sensible proposition than reciprocity
with South America. The products of the
former are less like our own than those of
the latter South America produces hides,
beef, wool, and so does this country; while
the specialties Of Germany are manutac-
lures. We do not exchange beef for beef
or wool for wool; we. do get sugar, how
ever, and this article, together with coffee
and few tropical products are all we i'm
port from South America. But Germany
has long list of articles that she would
exchange with US; why not try reciprocity
with that countrys
The reason we cannot have reciprocity
with Germany is that that country protects
herself against the competition of American
high-priced labor, while this country pro-
tects herself against the low priced labor of
Germany. Each country is protected
against the other and for exactly opposite
reasons. One of them must be wrong Ger
many says her cheap labor cannot compete
with the higher priced labor of America,
and we say our well paid labor cannot COM
pete with the low priced labor of Germany.
Which is rights Neither of them, exactly;
but Germany is nearest to the truth.
High-priced labor is generally cheaper,
estimated in the amount and quality of the
work done, than low-priced labor: and it is
generally true that goods made by high
priced labor can be sold cheaper than the
products of cheaper work. AS Mr.. Blaine
says, 1.-THE greater efficiency of our opera
tives more than equalizes the difference in
wages'
But laborers in different countries do not
NoiAk11OC Will OuG Is
possible between people of the same coun-
tries and of the same occupation. Thus,
carpenters compete with one another, but
not with clerks or bankers. Manufactur-
ers Of the same article in the same country
compete with one another Farmers com
pete with manufacturers when the farmers
by exchange turn their surplus into the
same goods the manufacturers produce.
This is what's meant by foreign competit-
ion; 1t IS really home competition between
the farmer and the manufacturer The
government has gone into partnership with
: the manufacturers, however, and fines the
farmers for producing on their farms
through exchange the same goods that the
former produce. The discrimination is
called protection. Reciprocity is intended
to do away with this discrimination on a
few articles like sugar, coffee, and hides,
which, however, must come from some of
the American republics or even that much
will not be done.