Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-12-06


may again and at once be subjected to i'm
portant general changes would undoubtedly
add Il depressing influence OF the most serious
character.
STRONG STAND FOR PROTECTION.
The President Points Out Benefits Certain
to Result from the New Bill.
The general tariff act has only partially gone
into operation, some of its important provl-
sions being limited to take effect at dates vet in
the future. The general provisions of the law
have been in force less than sixty days. Its
permanent effects upon trade ana prices still
largely stand in conjecture. 1t is curious to
note that the advance i'll the prices of articles
wholly unaffected by the tariff act was by many
hastily ascribed to that act. Notice was not
taken of the fact that the general tendency of
the markets was upward from influences Who'll
~ apart from the recent tariff legislation. The
enlargement of our currency by the silver bill
undoubtedly gave an upward tendency to trade
and had IA marked effect on prices; but this
natural and desired effect of the silver legisla-
tariff act.
There is neither wisdom nor justice i'll the
shall be opened before this law has had fair
trial, 1t is.quite true that every tariff schedule
is subject to objections. No bill was ever
framed, | suppose, that in all of its rates and
classifcations had the full approval ven of
party caucus. Such legislation is always and
necessarily the product of compromise as to de
tails, and the present law is no exception. But
in its general scope and effect, think, it viii
Justify the support of those who believe that
American legislation should conserve and de-
fend American trade and the wages of American
workmen
The misinformation as to the terms of the act
which has been SO widely disseminated ut home
and the evil augurles as TO its results CON
founded by the market reports the savings
banks. international trade balances. and
pie. Already we begin to hear from
abroad and from our custom. houses that the
prohibitory effect upon importations imputed
~ I no nt &c mot IlStif a6 Thn INN 81
port of New York for the first three weeks OF
November were nearly per cent. greater than
for the same period i'll 1899, and 20 per cent.
greater thai in the same period of 1885 And, so.
far from being an act to limit exports, CONN
IDENTIFY believe that under 1T we shall secure II
larger and more profitable participation III for
eign trade than we have ever enjoyed. and that
we shall recover a proportiOnate participation
in the ocean carrying trade the world
The criticisms of the bill that nave come TO
us from foreign sources may well be rejected for
repugnancy. Ifthese critics really believe that
the adoption by us OF a free trade pollcy, OF OF
tariff rates having reference solely TO revenue,
would diminish the participation of their own
countries in the commerce OF the world, their
advocacy and promotion by speech and other
forms of organized effort OF this movement
among our people is a rare exhibition OF unself-
ishness in trade. And on the other hand If
they sincerely believe that the adoption of
protective tariff policy by this country inures
10 their profit and hurt, it is noticeab bly,
strange that they should lead the cutlery against
the authors Off policy so helpful to their coun-
trymen, ana crown with their favor those who
would snatch from them substantial share of
a trade with other lands already inadequate to
their necessities.
There is no disposition among any of our peo-
pie to promote prohbitory or retaliatory legis-
tation. Our policies are adopted not to the hurt
of others. but TO secure Tor ourselves those au-
vantages that fairly grow out of our favored po-
siton nation Our form of government,
with its incident of universal suffrage, makes 1t
imperative that we shall save our working peo-
pie from the agitations and distresses which
scant work and wages that have no margin for
comfort always beget. But after all this is done
it will be found that our markets are open TO
| friendly commercial exchanges of enormous
value to the other great powers.
From the time of my induction into office: the
duty of using every power ana influence given
! by law to the executive department for the de-
| velopment of larger markets for our products,
especially our farm products, has been Kept con-
stantly in mind, and no effort has been or will
be spared to promote that end. we are under
! no disadvantage in any foreign market, except
| that we pay our workingmen and workwomen
| better wages than are paid elseWhere-better
abstractly, better relatively to the cost OF the
necessaries of life. / do not doubt that a very
largely increased foreign trade is accessible to
us without barterng for either our home mar
| ket for such products of the farm and shop as
our own people can supply, or the wages OF our
! working people.
In many of the products of wood and iron,
| and in meats and breadstuf1s, we have advan-
tages that only need better facilities of inter
| course and transportation to secure for them
| large foreign markets The reciprocity clause
of the tariff act wisely and effectively opens the
way to secure q large reciprocal trade i'll ex-
| change for the free admission into our ports OF
| certain products. The right of independent
nations to make special reciprocal trade con-
! cessions is well established, and does not impair
! either the comfy due to other powers or what
| is known rs the favored nation clause so
! generally found in commercial treaties. What
| is given to one for adequate agreed consider
| alton cannot be claimed by another freely The
! state of the revenues was such that we could
| dispense with any import duties upon coffee,
| tea, hides, and the lower grades of sugar and
| molasseS That the large advantage resulting
| to the countries producing anf. exporting these
articles by placing them on he free list entitled
| us to expect fair return in the way OF customs
/ concessions 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 unpardOnaD bic error.
| There were but two methods of maintaining
/ control of this question open to Congress: to
place all of these articles upon the dutable list
| subject to such treaty agreements as could be
the free list, but subject to the reimposltlon OF
! specified duties if the countries from which we
| received them should refuse to give to us suit
! able reciprocal benefits This latter method.
| think, possesses great advantages. 1t expresses
in advance the consent of Congress to reciproci-
| must otherwise have been delayed and unascer-
tanned until each treaty was ratified by the SEN
| ate and the necessary legislation enacted by
Congress Experience has shown that some
treaties looking to reciprocal. trade have tailed
to secure twothirds vote in the Senate for rat1-
| fcation, and others having passed that stage
have for years awaited the concur
renee of the House and Senate in
such notifications of our revenue
laws as were necessary to give effect to their
provisions. We now have the concurrence of
both houses in advance In a distinct ana
4Syaifo ftTosa n