The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-05-11
Democratic Falseboods About Recl-
procity Explain the Facts.

While the Democratic committee on
foreign affairs of the House reports
favorably a resolution looking to the es-
Enlistment of reciprocity with Mexico,
one Of the Latin-American states, thus
asserting to the soundness of the Blaine
Harrison reciprocity doctrine, the Indi-
ana Democrats denounce it. They say
In their platform:
We condemn the So-called reciprocity
policy as transparent attempt to impose
upon the American people the shadow of
commercial freedom for its substance in
order to perpetuate the existing system of
licensed spoliationsfOr the benefit of trusts
and monOpolieS, which are the chief sup
port of the Republican party.
1t is charitable to suppose that these
Democrats have not the least idea what
reciprocity is--that all they know of it
is that it is something which was defin-
ed by Republican statesmen, and was
put in practice by Republicans, and
that therefore it must be something
which Democrats must oppose. Any
Republican measure is attacked by most
Democrats simply because = is Repub-
lican.
Yet the men who drafted this resolu-
ton must be sufficiently familiar with
the history of the last year and quar-
ter to know that the reciprocity policy
which they call the Shadow Of COM
mercial freedom" has opened to their
own farmers and manufacturers not
merely the markets OF the southern
continent but those of many of the lead
ing countries of Europe. By means Of
the reciprocity provision President
Harrison and Secretary Blaine have Sc
cured the remission of the excessive
duties which lessened the consumption
of American products in the LATIN
American states. They have also
forced Germany and France to abandon
the policy of prohibiting the importa-
ton OF American pork or of imposing
prohibitory duties on American bread
stuffs.
These are substantial gains for Amer-
can commerce, and theS have been Sc
cured without sacrificing a solitary
American interest. Would the Demo-
Gratis have done as much for the coun-
try had they been in possession of the
government? Not if they had been
true to their often ayowed policy.
Germany and France would have
been allowed to pour all their
manufactured products into the United
States duty free, and no return would
bave been insisted on in the form of
the removal of prohibition, or the
lowering of duty. Commercial free
| dom" with the Democrats means free
dom for the manufacturing nations of
Europe to rush their cheap products into
this country, while the former are left
| free to adopt what restrictive measures
they please regarding American pod
ucts.
That is not the Republican definition
| of commercial freedom, and the Demo-
| Gratis of Indiana will find it difficult to
convince the wage-workers Of that state
| that it is to their interest to enter into
direct competition with the cheap labor
of foreign lands. They will prefer the
Republican policy of reciprocity in nom
| competitive articles to the Democratic
| policy of the free admission of compet-
| ing goods and consequent lowering of
| their wages or their loss of employment.
Mr.. Cleveland's pingud presence and
! oleaginous oratory could not convince
| the workingmen of Rhode Island that
| his tariff for revenue only" policy was
| a good one for them. They rcpudiated
him, for they believed his goal was free
trade. Nearly four years ago the Indiana
workingmen repudiated Cleveland and
| his tariff for revenue only" and thi
Democratic denunciation of reciprocity,
the value of which they are seeing more
clearly every day, will not add to their
eagerness to vote for the fat incarnation
of free Chicago Tribune.