Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-09-06
structors ana the courage OF It's sailors IN the
carrying trade of all the seas.
THE POLICY OF RECIPROCITY.
Credit Given Blaine for His Services in
Rellalf

That Behalf.
referring to reciprocity Mr.. Harrison gives
it his approval and says il is now in practical
operation with five nations and adds:l
Great credit is due to Mr.. Blaine for the
vigor with which he pressed this view upon
she country. We have only begun to realize
the benefit of these trade arrangements The
work of creating new agencies and OF adapt
ing our goods to new markets has necessarily
taken time: but the results already attained
such, am sure, to es, ablish in popular
favor the policy of reciprocal trade. based
upon the free Importation of such articles as
do not injuriously compete with the products
of our farms, mines or factories, in exchange
for the free or favored introduction of our pro-
ducts into other countries The obvious eff
cacy of this policy in increasing the foreign
trade of the United States at once attracted
and alarmed the attention of European trade
journals and boards of trade. The British
board of trade has presented to that govern.
ment a memorial asking for the appointment
of a commission to consider the best means of
cOunteracting what is called 1.-The commercial
crusade of the United States"
How They Look at 1t Abroad.
At meeting held in March last of the Asso-
slated Chamber of Commerce of Great Brit
lin, the presidents reported that the exports
from Great Britain to the Latin American
countries during the last year had decreased
S23 10000, and that this was not due to tenn
porary causes, but directly to the reciprocity
policy of the United States Germany and
France have also shown their startled appre-
citation of the fact that new and vigorous
contestant has appeared in the battle of the
markets. and has already secured important
advantages The most convincing evidence of
the tremendous commercial strength of our
position is found in the fact that Great Brit
ain and Spain have found it necessary to make
reciprocal trade agreements with for their
West India colonies. and that Germany and
Austria have given important concessions
in exchange for the continued free importa-
ton of their beet sugar.
1.-THE writer gives figures showing that the
increase of our trade with South and Central
American and West Indian countries under
the reciprocity law has been % 7S per cent on
an average.
The Democratic platform promises a repeal
of the tariff law containing this provision, and
especially denounces a sham reciprocity"
that section of the law under which these trade
arrangements have been made. If no other is
sue We're involved in the campaign this alone
would give il momentous Importance Are the
farmers of the great grain growing states Will
ing to surrender these new, large and increas-
ing 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 de-
stroy the sugar planters of the south and the
best sugar industry of the northwest and of
the Pacific coast; or are We to have the taxed
sugar and coffee, which tariff for revenue
only necessarily involves, with the added loss
of the new markets which have been opened?