The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-02-10
SUPERSTITION VS.. FACT
HOW PROTECTION STIMULATES
INDUSTRIES.
Praise for American Commercial d.
piomacy-Perkins has Fun with Dem
ocratic Editor-senator Hale to Senator
Hiii-Current Items of Interest.
Praise for American Diplomacy.

Praise for American Diplomacy.
Intermingled with the quiet peace
celebration of Central Europe we hear
triumphant shouts of victory coming
from the United States, our trans-Atlan-
tic rival. After year of painful labor
and negotiations, the nations OF Central
Europe have succeeded in negotiating
treaties which at least are but q mosaic
composed of thousands of compro-
misses. Every advantage yielded by a
neighbor had to be compensated by
corresponding advantage granted to
hint is but an honest reciprocal ex-
change, item for item. However, the
documents signed at Saratoga by the
German and American representatives,
which we publish this morning
represent great victory for
the American Union, victory
which costs the victor nothing, a
conquest without blow. 1t is an ex-
preston of the superior natural condi-
tions of national life and of the superior
commercial diplomacy of the trans
Atlantic state of the future over
"etfete Europe" poor alike in blood
and thought. To-day let us only look
at the American policy of commercial
negotiations and compare it with the
system introduced by Bismarck. Bis
marck's idea was: In order to obtain
good commercial treaties it is necessary
first to establish high tariff and then
to offer and make reductions from this
tariff in consideration of corresponding
favors. Under this system the planters
and manufacturers became accustomed
to the unusual rate of protection ac-
corded them and most vehemently OPP
posed any reduction therefrom. The
government was at the mercy of these
classes, and has since 1879 been forced
to q policy of inactivity in the field of
commercial negotiations.
4, The new (Caprivi) government partly
abandons this fallacious system
though France seems disposed TO con-
tinue it-and its new treaties grant nu-
merous reductions in return for like
favors.
f., The commercial ideas of the Ameri-
can secretary of state, Mr. Blaine, are
entirely different. They are contained
in Art. III. of the famous Mckinley
tariff. Whether this tariff as a whole
will prove useful 10 the United States
remains to be shown; to-day we con-
slider only Art III.
This article was inserted by Mr..
Blaine, friendly opponent of Mr.. Nc
cial negotiations proven its eminent
wisdom most brilliantly. Mr.. Blaine's
idea differs materially from Bismarck's.
1t is as follows:
In order to obtain favorable treaties
the duty on certain important articles
such as sugar, molasses, coffee, tea,
hides, etc., was greatly reduced or abol
ished with conditions that it might be
re-established after January /, 1892, in
case nations profting by it did not
make corresponding concessions.
While according to Bismarck 8 system,
domestic interested parties became used
to special high duties and formed a sol
id phalanx against any reduction or
concessions, Mr.. Blaine's system causes
the foreign exporter to profit by the re-
duction, and makes of him powerful
ally to force his (the foreign) govern
ment to make concessions to prevent
the re-establishment of the American
duties.
This principle is likewise contained
in the new meat inspection bill, whose
threats of tariff war and prohibition
have induced European countries to
raise their prohibition on American
meats. Mr.. Blaine's idea has been Sue
cessful in both cases. 1t has secured
for the United States treaties with Bra
iii, Cuba, and with other of the South
American states, and thus brings Mr..
Blaine's great Pan-American scheme
nearer realization, at the same time
damaging European exporters in all
American markets.
Mr.. Blaine's idea has already forced
Germany, Denmark, Austria and
France to repeal their prohibitions of
American meat, and Italy is on the
point of doing the same. But the doc
uments we reprint to-day constitute
Blaine's masterpiece. The central Eu-
ropean tariff union has been rendered
ineffective with reference to the United
States. The German tariff on agricultur-
al products was to be reduced only in
favor of Italy and Austria, ano to be re-
tanned against Russia and America be-
cause the latter nations do not enjoy
"the most favored nations privileges"
This would have been profitable only
to German and Austrian farmers, and
not to the people, because these two
nations, not raising enough grain for
themselves, the price would have been
fixed, not by Hungarian grain at $50
marks, but by American and Russian
grain at 5 marks, as heretofore.
Mr.. Blaine, however, has completely
upset these calculations and made the
new tariff on agricultural products apply
to the United States as well, the reduc-
ton of which the United States will
profit as follows: