New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-13
PROTECTION lND RECIPROCITY.

The readiness Of the Government to treat with
foreign nations, and especially With Canada Tor
+te establishment Of reciprocal trade relations
onnears TO raise In some quarters unfounded ap-
nrehensions concerning the effect Of such action
F1,pon the protective system. 1t seems 70 be
,4bought that Protection and Reciprocity are an
ttagonist,c and that the adoption OF the latter
means the breaking down or abandonment OF
the former. The notion Is entirely incorrect
IPeciprocity IS an outgrowth Of Protection 1t Is
denendent upon Protection for It's very exist
ence. II must, therefore, always be developed
IN harmony with the protective system 1t may
indeed be regarded as the complete frution OF
IProtecton. 1t Is so regarded by the enemies OF
Protection, who are unsparing IN their denun-
tcation Of It as the "most vicious Development OF
,be Protection heresy." The friends OF Protec-
+,on NAV therefore regard It's extension without
fear and with hearty satisfaction
/ The PRINCIPLES which viii guide the Govern
..nent IN arranging Reciprocity treaties are there
fore perfectly clear. Just as the protective tar
| ff itself Is SO contrived as 10 favor domestic
industries, and to admit as freely as possible
oil things that do not compete Herewith so VIII
lRec,procity be arranged The duty VIII be re-
m,tted on such articles as come least into COM
retit,on with domestic products, and IN return
la remission Of foreign duties will be secured on
articles bearing the same relation to the coun-
tries In question. Canada, for example, VIII
NOT expect the United States to let in free any
canadian produc. that would destroy United
States industry, Neither viii this country e1-
tpcct any Canadian industry to be destroyed for
dts benefit To DO so would be to Violate the
Fundamental principle Of Reciprocity itself, for
iReciprocity means exchange Of benefits. not OF
Injuries, That IS the difference between the
american system OF Reciprocity and the Eu-
ropean system Of tariff wars.
! What the conferences at Washington WIN do,
therefore, Is to ascertain what Canadian goods
can be admitted freely to this country without
interfering with domestic Industries, and what
United States goods can on similar terms be re-
ceiyed into Canada. It IS not to be supposed
fhat the interests OF farmers on this side of the
line will be sacrificed. But the question of re-
duced rates on fish and coal may be considered,
for many Protectionists think they could be
granted without injury to United States inter-
ests. The lumber tariff may also be considered.
The forests Of this country are rapidly disap-
bearing. At the present rate OF cutting this
generation win see the supply Of lumber on
tits side Of the line exhausted. There Ia little
doubt that freer admission Of Canadian lumber
would actually be beneficial to the United States
Industry, for It would check the destruction Of
forests and give opportunity for their restora-
Hon It would DO far better for the lumber In
.dustry here to be confined to smaller compass
Ind to be perpetual than to run to the fullest
extent for few years and then be ended alto
kethef.
Tnero are other things to be taken into con-