The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1891-12-25
TO TIE POINT

So Il seems that ue are not 10 have even
the much boAS,ed Of free sugar after the first
Of the year. II the president rcimposes the
duty il will be doubly taxed-hrsi. by the
tariff imposed, and also by the bounty 10 be
paid TO sugar manufacturers. Because foreign
governments oblige their people 10 pay taxes
on food imports we are to tax our own people
on sugar and other things we have - import,
and thus get even. ItappearE that the rec
iProcity treaties that we have heard so much
about are after all only proposed treaties not
yet ratified. We suspect Ihere is a good deal
Of humbug about this reciprocity business,
but considering its oSiensible source this was TO
be expecied.-ZfLfgrdm.
This calls TO mind again what scores Of
people all over the country seemed TO have
lost sight of-the one sided nature Of the .eci-
Procity clause in the Mckinley bill. What
is that clause? 1t applies only % sugar. mo-
lssses, coffee. tea and hides. II provides that
when in the opinion Of the president the
government Of any county producing and
exporting any or all q iae above named
articles imposes duties or other exsciions upon
the agricultural or other products Of the
United States, which in view Of .he free in
PRODUCTION Of such sug'r, molasscs. coffee, tea
anc hides into the Unilel safes be may
deem to be recipTocaliy uaequll and uaceason-
able, he shall have the power, and Il shaH be
MS duty. TO suspend by proclamation to that
effect TIE provisions q this act relating to the
free Introduction Of such sugar. molasses,
coffee. tea and hides. the production Of such
country, for such time as he shall d.em Just
and in such case and Guring such suspension,
duties shall Sc levied. collected, and paid
upon sugar ana molasses, the product Of or
exported from such de'ignated country" as
was levied and collected upon such article
under the tariff Law in force prior to the pass
ege Of the Mckinley bill, and upon cofTe
three cents. tea ten cents, and hides one an
one half cents Pc pound It will be seen
from this that the president in no case can
make any treaty Dy which our own duties
placed upon foreign goods can be reduced or
removed. The only power the president has
is TO say to any foreign government: "Now
we are letting you ship TO our country sugar
coffee, tea, mol1sses and hides free Of duty
and hyou do not permit US to enter such and
and such articles into your country RE or on
better terms than now we will resic,c the duty
on sugar. tea. coffee, hides and moIasses.
The main benefit from this liz the president
sueceeds) is to secure cheaper goods 20 the
consumers OF the foreign countries with WI om
treaties Of so-caled reciprocity are made.
The consumers in this country, land that means
nearly all the people,) s-e not benefited by
this reciprocity at all. Itis all like the Jug
bahdle-on one side. But will Harrison re-
impose duties as indicated by the Telegram7
Weshoulsl say not. Putting sugar on the
free list has given the people taste Of the
sweetness Of free trade and they W i'll never
submit TO 90 back - old prices The sugar
article in the Mckinley bin is nbou, III. oa.y
one from which The great body OF the people
receive any benefit, most all the other parts
Of the bill operate for the benefit Of the few at
the expense Of the many. Harrison at this
juncture would not risk the dangerous exploit
Of putting sugar on the dutiable list as 10
Germ'ny and the other sugar producing
countries hat have not granted US Iecprocity. |