Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-07-13


Markets Do Not Materiaiizc-Canada
Appeal for Recognition.
United States-Hellol Hellol =
South America-Hello!
U. SIS that you, South America?
s. Ayes: what do you want?
q. S.-This is United States. You
know we put a reciprocity clause into
what we call the Mckinley bill, that wo
passed here last fall?
S. Ayes, heard you did.
U.S.-Well, that clause authorizes tho
president to put duties on tea, coffee,
sugar, molasses and hides.
S. A.-Aren'tyou mistaken? l thought
your constitution gave your congress
full and exclusive power to lay and col
lect taxes, duties, etc.
U. S.-Yes, so it does; but haven't
time to discdss a constitution now moro
than 100 years old. AS | was going to
say, the president can put duty of 3
cents per pound on your coffee, IL cents
per pound on your hides and cents per
pound on your sugar, if in his opinion
you unduly tax the goods imported into
your countries from the United States.
1t is to learn what you intend to do in
regard to this matter that have called
you up.
S. A.-If your president wishes put a
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 interfer-
ence.
u. S-Of course we don't wish to in
terfere, but don't you understand that
If we tax our imports of those articles
from your countries and not from other
countries you will lose some of your
trade up here?
s. A.-Oh, yes; of course we might
lose a little withyou, but we would gain
about as much with other countries. II
you tax raw hides and increase their
cost your manufacturers will make
fewer gloves and shoes, but Europe will
make more; so if you tax sugar as you
have been doing your Gamers and pre-
servers will do less business and Europe
will do more in this line. see clearly
that while such a policy might injure Us
q little it would harm you much more,
so much more that / can't think you
would be so foolish as to adopt it but
only intend it for bluff No, we don't
care to swap any tariffs this year.
u. S.-But wait little; don't talk
quite so loudly. After l shall have ex-
planned a few things you may take quite
a different view.
S. A.-Wel, go on.
U. S.-You see we have had high
protective tariff here for thirty years.
S. A.-Yes, know that's what you
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 help
them by giving them home markets,
high wages, etc.
S. A.-You didn't have to give reasons
to your manufacturers, guess. They
didn't object to q policy that would give
them exclusive ownership Of your "home
markets, and
U. S.-Please wait until | am through.
AS was going to say, the farmers who
expected everything Of protection be-
came spendthrifts, and, because nearly
half of their farms were 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
oil vtrot trof
foolishness. The same kind of an alb
surd idea was taking possession Of the
wage earners, who, because they had TO
do more work or see their wages reduced
nearly every year, began to think that
protection was at fault, though it was
explained to them that it was due 10
overproduction, excessive competition,
etc. Well, anyway, by 1890, when Nc
Kinley was revising the tariff, a few Of
us saw clearly that the protection sys-
TEN could not stand much longer unless
it was again repaired with view 10
helping the farmer. twas for this pur-
pose that THAT is, we-hit upon this
scheme of reciprocity to open markets
in your countries for our farm products.
S. A.-Yes, | see; but you don't ex-
pect to find markets for farm products
down here? We are in the farming bust
ness ourselves, and unless your farmers
look we'll to their laurels they will soon
lose some of their markets in Central
America and the West Indies, where we
are already selling -four and other agri-
cultural products. 1t is implements Of
agriculture rather than products Of agri-
culture that we want.
q. Snow you understand our pre-
dicament. We must make the farmers
believe that we really expect that reci-
procity will open up new markets.
S. A.-But isn't the scheme a sad COM
mentary on your "home market" the
CRY? Doesn't it admit that protection
can't make "home markets.
Canada-Hello! Hello! Is this United
States?
Q. S.-Yes.
C.-I called you up tolearn what kind
ofareciprocity treaty you intend to make
with rs.
U.S.-We are not considering any
reciprocity treaty with you and | am
not certain that we shall do so. We do
not care to dicker with you.
C.-But our 100000 people purchase
as much Of you as the other 81 ,000,0 900
on the western hemisphere, and this is
the only country that buys more from
you than it sells TO you. For the last
forty years you have had balance Of
trade in your favor Of over $3.50, 900, 600,
while the balance Of trade against You
with these other 81 600, 600 people was
over s., 100000, 600.
L. S.-Really, Canada, don't care to
talk with you now; l would have to ex-
plain too many things. | will only say
that the farmers Of New York state, so