Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-10-26
A POLICY OF RETALIATION.
Hurtful Effects of the Mckinley Bill o.
American Interests.

Hurtful Effects of the Mckinley Bill ON
American Interests.
President Harrison issued proclama-
tons laying retaliatory duties on GER
tain products of Venezuela, Colombia
and Hayti, as provided by the McKin-
ley act, because those countries refused
to make such reciprocity dickers as he
deemed satisfactory. It was soon per-
ceived that these retaliatory duties were
at least as hurtful to American inter-
ests as they were to the interests of the
coun tries against which they were di-
rected.
This result, which economists had
foreseen. was we'll known to the new
admins tration. and it was understood
that the retaliatory proclamatiops
would be promptly rescinded. The
statement was made in March that the
president was strongly inclined either
to rescind the proclamations or to aban-
don the entire reciprocity business and
treat all countries alike. But for vari-
Gus reasons he decided to postpone ac-
ton. For one thing, there was posi-
bility, at least, that the withdrawal of
the proclamations might call forth
strong protests and even retaliatory
measures from some of the countries
with which reciprocity dickers had
been made, and it was deemed advisa-
BILE not to cause unnecessary irritation.
But more potent consideration was
the fact that congress was expected
soon to revise the whole tariff system
and adopt a new policy with respect to
our foreign trade relations AS that
was the case, it was deemed advisable
not to make a change by executive &C
ton which might soon be followed by
another change by legislative action.
According to Washington dispatch,
there has of late been a special reason
for postponing executive action. More
revenue must be raised from some
source 1t may be raised in part by
means of duty on sugar. It would
look like very tickle policy to abolish
the duty imposed by the retaliatory
proclamations and soon after reimpose
it wholly or in part by act OF congress.
The suggestion is made that it might
be advisable for the ways and means
committee to settle the sugar question
promptly and then induce the state de-
partment to proceed upon the assump-
ton that the committees decision will
be accepted by congress.
That plan is not likely to be adopted.
Secretary Gresham will hardly act upon
the assumption that the decision of the
committee will be the decision of con-
gress. If the majority in the senate IT,
going to accept it as settled that moth
ing can be done by that body so long as
the minority says no, there will be no
tariff legislation of any Importance.
The republican Chicago Tribune states
plainly what will happen: '.In the
course of time the house, which still
legislates, will send up bill to repeal
or seriously modify the Mckinley law.
The republican minority viii say that
it must not PASS" The majority has
decided that it is helpless against min
ing-camp selfishness; it will and itself
equally helpless against mill-boss self
ishness, and there will be no tariff re-
form unless the majority finds a way to
govern. The president and the secre-
tarv of state understand that perfectly,