The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-08-08
WORKINGS.

The idea of reciprocal trade between
the United States upon the one side and
any given foreign nation upon the other
was not evolved from the teeming brain
of Mr.. Mckinley. 1t is the legitimate
offspring of Secretary Blaine's gray mat
ter, and yet the praises of reciprocity
the rider attached to the Mckinley tariff
measure-are being sung throughout the
republican camp, while but little is said
of the tariff itself. The order of things
is reversed; the less has become the
greater; the tail is elevated above the
kite. Reciprocity or free trade in certain
articles, in the eyes of u republican
brethren, covers the multitude of sins
contained in McKinley's atrocity.
The farmer who complains of the high
protective duties levied upon the many
articles which enter into his household
and upon his farm is silenced with a
homily upon reciprocity and free sugar.
The dairyman who grumbles at the in
creased cost of his milk pans and cans is
reminded that the country has free su-
guar and reciprocity. The anners of
fruits and vegetables and fish who kick
against the ID cents tax on tinplate have
reciprocity and free sugar thrown into
their teeth. Reciprocity and free sugar
are becoming the shibbolcth of the re-
publican party. The former may open
a foreign market to American flour and
pork, but the tariff will never open it.
We have Mr.. Blaine's word for this.
Practical reciprocity is nothing more
nor less than an agreement between two
nations in which each binds itself to adj
nit certain manufactures and produc-
tions of the other without the payment
Of duties. In other words, it is the es-
Establishment of free trade relations be
tween two nations in certain articles.
For instance, the little islands of Cuba,
Porto Rico, and Santo Domingo under
recent treaties agree to receive certain
American manufactures and productions
without cXacting the payment of duties
at their ports of entry, and the United
States agree to receive certain of their
products free of duty. That is free trade
pure and simple. Quite "a little trade
will now spring up between those isl
ands and this country in which the West
Indians will get none the worst Of it.
Under the terms of the law countries
which wish to negotiate reciprocity
treaties with this country must do so
before the LIST day of January, 1892. If
by that time the reciprocation, contom-
plated by Mr.. Blaine's rider, has not
been secured her the free list will be
suspended as far as the unreciprocal
countries are concerned. But it appears
the great foreign nations want zone of
il. France and Germany still keep their
gates closed against the great American
hog, though his porkship is industriously
to get in. The prospects are
that President Harrison will suspend
the free list as far as German beet
sugar is concerned next New Years
unless that nation in the meantime
agree to take hogs in payment for it's
1t must be confessed that aside
from the insignificant little islands
named the reciprocity, as cooked from
the Blaine shop, is not so palatable
among foreign powers as it was supposed
it would be. Uncle Sam will reciprocate
only in articles not manufactured or pro-
duced in this country, and that doesn't
suit the great manufacturing nations
across the Atlantic.