Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-06

LOS ANUf
the general policy, by refusing to extend
the appropriation made during the last
administration for ocean mail contracts
with American lines.
THE RECIPROCITY POLICY.
Another related measure, as furnish.
ing increased ocean traffic for our ships
and of great permanent benefit to the
farmers and manufacturers, as well, is
the reciprocity policy declared by sec.
ton OF the tariff act Of 1890, and now
in practical operation with five nations
OF Central and South America, San Do
mingo, the Spanish and Britieh West
India islands and with Germany and
Austria, under special trade arrange
ments with each. The removal of The
duty on sugar, and the continuance ol
coffee and tea upon the free list, while
giving great relief to our own people by
cheapening articles used increasingly in
every household, was also of such
enormous advantage to the countries
exporting these articles, as to suggest
that in consideration thereof, reciprocal
favors should be shown in their tariffs
to articles exported by us to theii
markets.
GREAT CREDIT TO BLAINE.
Great credit is due to Mr.. Blaine fol
the vigor with which he pressed this
view upon the country.
We have only begun to realize the
benefit of these trade arrangements.
The work of creating new agencies and
of adapting our goods to new markets,
has necessarily taken time, but the re-
suits already attained are such, l am
sure, as to establish in popular favor
the policy OF reciprocal trade upon the
free Importation of such articles as do
not injuriously compete with the prod
ucts of our own farms, mines and facto.
ries, in exchange for the free or favored
introduction of our products into other
countries.
The obvious efficacy of this policy is
that the increasing foreign trade of the
United States at once attracted the
alarmed attention of European trade
journals and boards of trade. The Brit
ish board of trade presented that gov
ernment memorial asking for the ap-
pointment of a commission to consider
the best means of counteracting what is
called the commercial crusade of the
United States" At q meeting, in
March, last, OF the associated chambers
OF commerce of Great Britain, the pres
ident reported that the exports from
Great Britain to the Latin-American
countries, during the last year, de-
creased $25, $50, 600, and this was not
due to temporary causes, but directly to
the reciprocity policy of the United
States.
Germany and France have also shown
startled appreciation of the fact that
the new and vigorous contestant has
appeared in the battle of markets, and
has already secured important a6van-
tages. The most convincing evidence OF
the tremendous commercial strength OF
our position is found in the fact that
Great Britain and Spain found it neces-
sary to make reciprocal trade agree
ments with US for their West India
colonies, and that Germany and Aus
tria have given US important conces-
sions in exchange for the continued
free importation of their beet sugar pro-
duction.
The president then gives few details
as to the increase in the trade Of the
United States under reciprocity
DEMOCRATIC TARIFF REFORM.
The Democratic platform promises q
repeal OF the tariff law containing re.
ciprocity provision, and especially de
nounces as sham that section OF the
law under which these trade arrange
ments have been made. If no issue
were involved in the campaign, this
alone would give it momentous import.
ance.
Are the farmers of the great grain
growing states willing to surrender these
new, large and increasing markets for
their surplus? Are we to have nothing
in exchange for the free importation OF
sugar and coffee, and at the same time
to destroy the sugar planters of the
south and the beet sugar industry OF the
northwest aud of the Pacific coast; or
are we to have the taxed sugar and
necessarily involves, with the added loss
of the new markets which have been
opened?
AS l have shown, our commercial
rivals in Europe do not regard this reci-
procity policy as 'sham," but as a
serious threat to a trade supremacy
they have long enjoyed. They would
rejoice, and, il prudence did not re.
strain, would illuminate their depressed
manufacturing cities, over the news that
| the United States had abandoned its
system Of protection and reciprocity
They see very clearly what the restrlc
tion of American products and trade
and corresponding increase of Euro
pean production and trade, would al
low, and I will not belive that what il
so plain to them can be hidden from ou
own people.
THE DOCTRINE OF PROTECTION.
The declaration of the platform in ia
vor of ''the American doctrine of protec
ton" meets my most hearty approval
The convention did not adopt sched
ule, but principle that is to control al
the tariff schedules. There may be diff
ferences OF opinion among protectionist
as to the rate upon particular article
necessary to effect an equalization be
| tween wages abroad and at home. Ii
some not remote national campaigns tn
issue has been, or, more correctly, ha
been made to appear to be, between
high and low protective tariff. Boil
parties expressing solicitous regart
for the wages of our workinI
people and for the prosperity of ever,
domestic industry. But, under a NOR
courageous leadership, the Democrati
party has now practically declared that
if given power, it will enact tariff Law
without any regard to it's effect upon tn
wages or upon the capital invested il