The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-04-29
WHAT RECIPROCITY Is DOING.

The Democrats are greatly troubled
ovel reciprocity. They are afraid
that it will become more popular than
is already the case, and so completely
overwhelm their free trade policy
that they will stand no show of win
ming victory for years to come. To
break it's force they allude to it as a
sham to blind the people; as policy
which opens up the way for free trade
with countries where market does
not exist. But in spite of all their
protests there seems to be something
more than mere talk to this policy,
as will be seen by the following from
the New York Tribune:
"The deadly policy of reciprocity"
is leaving its marx ali over the world.
The latest indication of what it is &C
complishing for the benefit of the
United States is given by the German
consular reports. which have falling
off of 100000 marks in sugar exports
from the two cities of Hamburg and
Berlin alone. This is ascribed to the
reciprocity treaties of the United
States with the West Indian and
South American countries, and i'm
plies shifting of international trade
to at least the extent mentioned for
the benefit of the United States.
Reciprocity is 'humbug" that the
European rivals of the United States
do not find so diyerting as to the de-
tractors of the Republican policy at
home.
There is no question at all as to how
the people of Europe regard this ques-
tiCn. They do not look upon it as a
sham but as vital question which in
some way they must meet and if pos
sible overcome. To the Iribaae's
statement of what reciprocity is do
ing, the Chicago Inter Ocean adds
the following:
What have reciprocity and the new
protective tariff already done for the
farmer Of the United States?
This in part: Reciprocity has
caused Cuba to import S3,643 bags Of
flour from America during the first
two months of 1892. During the first
two months of 1891 it imported only
5,75S bags of American flour.
But during the first two months of
1891. in which Cuba imported only
5,75S bags of flour from the United
States, it imported Sc, 255 bags of flour
from Europe There was no reciprOci-
ty then, and while we were buying
about three-fOurthS of the yearly
sugar crop of Cuba, it was buying
very little flour from us and a great
deal from England.
Things changed wonderfully under
the reciprocity clauses Of the McKin-
ley bill, for, as we have seen, the Unit
ed States exports Of flour to Cuba rose
during two months from 5,75S bags to
SO, 643 bags, and during the same period
of time the European exports of -four
TO that island fell from 56, 255 bags to
100 bags.
But while the quantity of farm ex-
ports has increased greatly since the
passage of the Mckinley bill, the value
of imports of animals and things
grown or raised by farmers decreased
by $26, 500, 493 during the year 1891, as
compared with $780,
If these conditions are not distinct
ly beneficial to the American farmer
what conceivable conditions could be
beneficial to him?
This is only the entering wedge of
reciprocity. The good work is only
started, which in time will give to
the United States that share of the
trade of the nations to the south of
us, which justly belongs to this coun-
try. 1t will benefit the farmer, the
wage Garner and all, and at the same
time preserve the American market
for the product of the American in
dustrieS.