The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-21
A PROPHECY FULFILLED.
No New Market for Wheat or Pork
Secured by the Mckinley
Law.
The President Trying to Negotiate
Reciprocity Treaties With
European Countries.
sweeping Confession OF Tailure--The Post.
master General Hopeful for His
Postal Telegraph Scheme.

WASHINGTON, Dot. 20.-The fright Of the
administration at tho tariff monster the
republican party has created IL becoming
more intense and their efforts TO save them
sleeves IL extremely illogical and ludicrous.
As stated in late dispatches Mr.. Harrison
is making frantic efforts to impress the
farmers with the idea that he is going to
open up all the European markets, and it
10 declared on very superior authority that
actual negotiations for reciprocity with
several European countries are In progress.
The description given of what these
negotiations tend toward represents some
thing dangerously like FREQ trade. The
fact ia that Mr.. Blaine's prediction that
sthe Mckinley bill woald not furnish .
market for q single barrel of pork or
bushel Of CORN has been fulfilled and the
administration has been forced to confess,
by action If not by words, that the only
way that market can be opened to Ameri-
can farm products il through reduction
of our robber tariff acts 90 as to permit
commercial intercourse between this and
other countries which are our natural mar
kets. The republicans are forced to confess
that anything that could be done towards
expanding our commerce with South
American countries is utterly inadequate,
and that under the operation of the Nc
Kinley bill tho farmers are not only taxed
excessively for all that they must buy, but
are excluded from the only markets whore
they could sell their products to advantage.
It is given out from administration
sources that the administration is making
an effort to SECURE larger European mar
kst for our farm products by actual reci-
procity treaties, and there is possibili ty
of the establishment of relations between
this country and several countries Of Eu-
rope, which will amount substantially 10 .
commercial alliance: Such an alliance ia
not an accomplished fact, but the outlook
seems favorable for an agreement which
will greatly expand our European markets
for farm products. The called reciprocity
treaties with South American republics are
not, strictly speaking. treaties, but are
merely agreements on the part OF the for
sign countries to make certain concessions
to the United States to preserve privileges
already enjoyed. II all that ia now undel
way is fully accomplished there will be re-
ciprocity agreements between the United
States aud Germany. France, Russia, Italy
Austria and Hungary, several or all OF
them, which will require legislative action
il entirely probable that the pres
ident will recommend to this con-
gress the granting of certain concessions
| by reciprocal agreement with some OF
the countries nnmel and that from the
first step toward reciprocity with South
America made in the Mckinley bill will de-
velop reciprocity treaties with European
countries which will open some of the best
markets of the world and establish closer
and freer commercial intercourse with
| these countries than has been thought pos
sible without the abandonment of the pro.
tective policy.
more sweeping confession that the Nc
Kinley bill is failure could hardly be
made than this. Reciprocity with Europe,
such a. will open markets to our farm pro-
ducts, is what the republicans have been
denouncing AZ free trade.