The herald., 1897-03-22
CALIFORNIA AND RECIPROCITY

The new tariff bill wisely makes pro-
vision for reciprocal trade relations be-
tween the United States and other coun-
tries, but it unwisely leaves it optional
with the president to establish such rela-
tions. When Mr.. Mckinley as chairman
of the ways and means committee was
engineering the tariff bill of 1890 through
congress, he opposed the proposition to
add reciprocity clause, but he had to
submit to Mr.. Blaines dictation in the
premises, and reciprocity was provided
for. In fact, the Mckinley bill would
not have become a law but for the
reciprocity clause and a promise that
shermans silver purchase scheme
should be adopted.
President Mckinley has always been
a high protectionist on principle. He
believes that nothing should be imported
which could be produced in this coun-
try. His theory is that this country
should be self-sustaining and wholly in
dependent of other countries, except for
such articles of commerce as could not
be raised or manufactured to advantage
in the United States. Naturally a man
entertaining such views would hesi-
tate to give practical application to the
principle of reciprocal trade, and hence
we say it is unwise to clothe the presi-
dent with power to defeat the ends of
the only commonsense business propo-
sition in the whole Dingley bill.
Under the tariff act of 1888, which
was in operation until set aside for the
Mckinley bill, the revenues were danger
ously large. In fact, the Mckinley bill
was entitled IAN act to reduce the reve-
nues and for other purposes" and it was
Mr.. Blaines idea that while it was
right to prevent foreign goods and wares
from coming into hurtful competition in
our markets with our own producers, we
should establish reciprocal trade rela-
tions wherever it could be done advan-
tageously and Mr.. Blaine's influence
prevailed with congress. notwithstand-
ing Mr.. McKinley's bitter opposition
But Mr.. Mckinley was right when he
said reciprocal trade is but another
name for free trade, and he would be
only consistent were he to let the reci-
procity clause of the Dingley bill remain
a dead letter
Speaking for California only, it is al
together desirable to tablish reciprocal
OF free trade relations with all the coun-
tries touching on the Pacific ocean. We
want iron ore, coal, lumber, crude petro-
leum and other products of the country,
which the Siberian railway is throwing
into the channels of commerce, and that
country will want our breadstuffs, pro-
visions, fruits, farm and mining ma
chinery, and very many other articles
of ground and factory production But
Russian Siberia is not the only country
with which California should have re-
ciprocal trade intercourse. She should
tie free to exchange her products with
the orient and with the islands of the
sea. When San Pedro shall have been
converted into a first-class deep water
harbor, Southern California will want
no arbitrary customs duties to hinder
the Importation of raw materials for the
mill and factory to work up into finished
goods and wares. And when ships come
with iron and coal and petroleum and
lumber and other articles which we
need, we must be in position to recipro-
cate by returning them to their own
countries laden with the products of
Southern CALIFORNIA; ranches, factories
and mills. CALIFORNIA; east lies to the
west, to the north and to the northwest,
and she should be joined to it by the
ties of reciprocal trade interchange.