West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1892-07-21
TELEPHONE TALKS.
SOUTH AMERICA MAKES A FEW RE-
MARKS ON RECIPROCITY.

Appeal for Recognition.
United States-Hello! Helloi
South America-Hello.
U. SIS that you. South America?
). A.-Yes; what do you want?
U. S.-This Is United States. You
know we put a reciprocity clause into
what we call the Mckinley bill, that we
passed here last fall?
y Ayes. heard you did.
u. s. Well. that clause authorizes the
president to put duties on tea, coffee.
sugar. molasses and hides.
;. A.-Aren't you mistaken? thought
your constitution gave your congress
fnii ana exclusive power TO lay and col
iect taxes. duties. ETC.
y. S.-Yes. so it docs: but haven't
time to discuss constitution now more
than 100 years old. AS was going TO
say. tho president can put a duty of Q
cents per pound on your coffee, ~ cents
per pound on your hides and cents per
pound on rour sugar, If in his opinion
you unduly tax the goods imported into
your countries from the United States.
1t 10 to learn what you intend to do in
regard to this matter that have called
you mp.
.. ALI your president wishes to put n
tax on these articles, all of which are now
on Your free list, and your people don't
object to paying it, | don't see why we
should. AS to what kind of duties we
should have. think we can decide for
ourselves without any foreign interior
ence.
u. S.-O course we don't wish TO in
terfere. but don't you understand that
II we tax our imports OF those articles
from your countries and not from other
countries you will lose some of your
trade mp here?
>. A.-Oh, yes: Of course we might
lose little with you, but wo would gai,.
about az much with other countries. If
you tax raw hides and increase their
enst your manufacturers will make
fewer gloves and shoes. but Europe will
make more: so if you tax sugar as Won
have been doing your Gamers and pre-
servers VIII do less business and Europe
viii do more in this line. see clearly
shat while such policy might injure lls
little 1t would harm you much more,
so much more that ! cant think Won
would be SD foolish rs to adopt il but
only intend 1T for n bluff. No, we don't
care TO swap any tariffs this year.
U. S.-But wait u little; don't tall;
quite so loudly. After | shall have ex.
planned few things you may take quite
different view.
S. A.-Well. go on.
U. S.-You see wc have had a hirb
protective tariff here for thirty years.
;. Ayes, know that's what Won
call It. agree. though, that it's high.
U. S.-Well, the Republican party that
made this tariff has been telling the
farmers and labOrers that it was to helm
them by giving them home markets
high wages. etc.
;. A.-Iou didn't have to give reasons
10 Your manufacturers, guess. They
didn't object to a policy that would give
them exclusive ownership of your "home
markets. and
u S.-Please wait until am tbrouph
As was going to say, the farmers who
expected everything Of protection be-
came spendthrifts, and. because nearly
haii 81 the1T farms We're mortgaged, and
because farmers east of the Mississippi
river have lost half Of their value during
the last fifteen years. they got it into
their heads that protection" was To
blame for all their extravagance and
foolislmsss. The same kind of an Alb.
Furd idea was taking possession of the
wage earuers, who. because they had IN
DO more work Orsee their wages reduced
nearly every year. began TO think that
protection was at fault, though il was
explained % them that IL was due ~
Overproduction. excessive conrretition
etc. Well. anyway. By 1890. when Nc
kniey was revising the tariff. a few OF
as saw clearly that the protection svs-
tenn could not stand much longer unlesa
y was again repaired with a view 10
helping the farmer. It was for this pur-
pose that THAT is, we-hit upon tbis
scheme of reciprocity TO open markets
IN your countries FOR our farm products.
$. A.-Yes. sec. bus you don't or.
Pect TO find markets for farm products
aoTn here: We are IN the farming bust
ness Ourselves. and unless your farmers
book well to their laurels they will soon
lose some Of their markets in Central
America and the West Indies, where we
are already selling flour and other agri.
cultural products. # is Implements Of
agriculture rather than products Of agri.
culture that we want.
U. Snow you understand our pre.
eicament We must make tho farmer
believe that we really expect that reel.
procity will open mp new markets.
=. A.-But isn't the scheme a sad com
mentary on your home market" the
orys Doesn't II admit that protection
cant make home markets."
Canads- Hellol Hello. f. this United
StatesY
T.. S.-Yea
C.--i called ron mp 70 learn what kind
ofareciprocity treaty you intend tomake
with as
y B. We are not considering any
reciprocity treaty with you and an
not certain that 80 shall do 80 We dc,
not care 20 decker with you.
C.-But our 5000. 900 people purchase
~ much d you ~ Sine other 81 900 600
81 the western hemisphere. and this ia
The only country that buys more from
You Than 10 sells % you. For The Last
forty years you have had - balance Of
trade Hi your favor Of over $50 900 900
while the balauce of trade against YOU
with these other 81 100000 people was
ever 81 go 600 600
u. s. Really. Canada don't care 20