The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-16

sonal animosity towards the British
people. Neither IL correctly judged.
MIR. Mckinley has no more animOsity
than has Mr.. Cleveland, who would not
approve policy beneficial to Others Mt
the expense of the people of the United
States any more than would Mckinley.
and while the state policy of one may
incidentally prove more beneficial than
that of the other as far as other nations
are concerned, the primary object of
both Is for the good Of the United
States. 1t is true that the American
Protection policy Is distasteful to Eu-
rOpeans generally, who attribute 1t to
American selfishness: but 1 dare say
that of the majority of the people of
Europe believed that Protection would
be preferable to free trade, the former
would again be adopted, regardless Of
its effect upon outsiders. for selfism Is
the first law of nature everywhere.
Take the case of the iron and steel and
tin-plate workers of South Wales. 1t
Is rare thing to meet one of the most
rampant and unreasonable advocates
of high protection that I ever came
across were men who had emigrated
from South Wales and had settled in
the Industrial centres Of the United
states. With such the mere crossing
OF the Atlantic Is attended with Won
derful results. Rumor say that the
first step to be taken by congress will
be to enhance the tariff duties Is per
cent. Let us examine what is neces-
sary to accomplish that change. First,
the majority of the committee of ways
and means, and especially the chair
man, must favor II. (By the way, this
was the post filled by Mr.. Mckinley
when what is known as the Mckinley
Tarif BilP' was enacted, and which
made its name famous in Europe)
Secondly, 1t is necessary that both con-
gress and the senate should possess q
majority In its favor. and even then the
president may veto the measure, which,
under such circumstances, cannot be-
come law unless supported by a ma
1ority OF two-thirds in both chambers
The present congress may incline to-
wards such bill, but it would not
pass through the senate, and even IL it
should do so President Cleveland would
certainly veto it.
The congress elected on the Sd inst.
will not be convened until December,
1897, and although 1t may possibly favor
the enactment of a new tariff act, 1t
is very doubtful that the changes in
the senate will alter its political COM
plexion to such an extent as to make
1t accept high protective tariff. How
ever, it will be impossible to enact a
new tariff measure until 1898, unless
Mr.. Mckinley should call an extra ses-
sion during the coming year-a step
which I am positive he will not take
for the purpose in view, as this Is never
done save in the case of a great emer-
gency. Again, I may say that, al
though some notifications and slight
changes may possibly be effected, /
feel certain that no radical alteration
will be made in 1897 or for several years
to come. all newspaper prophecies to
the contrary notwithstanding. Such
reports emanate from the same sources
as did the sensational rumors regard
Ing the Venezuelan question a year
ago. 1t Is now recognized that the true
mission Of the great majority of the
people of the great republic of the
West Is peace and goodwill towards all
peoples, and an earnest desire for the
settlement of all disputes in concilia-
tory manner and by means Of arbitra-
tion. A country with a population OF
seventy millions, having only some 25,-
QUO In the standing army. could not be
called wariike nation. but, should me-
cessity demand the augmentation of its
forces, this could be done and having
almost unlimited resources she might
become the worthy antagonist of any
nation. But, as Is now evident, an in.
ternational treaty for settling disputes
between this country and the United
States will ultimately be ratified. and
the people Of both countries will have
reason to thank God that the cloud
of year ago proved to have such q
silver lining. Possibly. within FIVE
years the moral effect Of such treaty
upon, European nations generally will