Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-20
RECIPROCAL CONCESSIONS
Letter of Mr. John A. Kasson, Showing What
Has Been Done.
A Fu1hllment of the Promises I'm the
Republican Platform
of 1896.

Mr.. John A. Kasson, special reciprocity
commissioner, who was unable to attend
the banquet of the Merchants Association
of Boston last evening, wrote a letter CIV
ing his views of the relation of reciprocity
to the development of foreign commerce, in
which he said:
In 1896 the political party which won the
election inserted in its platform for the
campaign the following emphatic declara-
ton:
That protection and reciprocity are twin
measures of republican policy, and go hand
in hand. Democratic rule has recklessly
struck down both, and both must be re-
established
1.-The Congress elected upon that platform
undertook to redeem the pledge by incor
porating in the highly protective tariff act
of 1897 the requisite provisions for recipro
city, found in sections and of that
law. Thus the twin measures were COM
bined and restored.
President Mckinley, with that spirit of
good faith and political integrity which so
highly distinguish his character, proceeded
to execute the requirements of this law.
by the appointment of commission for
that purpose.
Foreign nations, angered by what they
considered the extravagant duties imposed
upon their exports by the tariff of 1897, and
disposed TO avenge it by retaliatory duties
on United States exports, slowly accepted
the tender of reciprocal concessions and
friendly commercial arrangements instead
of a resort to hostile legislation, the result
of which could not be foreseen. And so
among the first fruits of reciprocity we
found in it the means of commercial peace
with our neghbors and competitors.
Each nation has certain specialties of
commerce in which it excels, for example,
the United States in agricultural and other
machinery; France in the novelties of fash
ion Reciprocity enables us by process of
selection to give special mutual preferences
in this respect, without interference with
the general revenue policy of the respec-
tive governments and without the sweeping
reduction of revenue which would follow
the grant to all nations of the same con
ceSSionS.
Pursuant TO this policy the United States
have made such conventions with various
colonies of the British West Indies, adapted
to the development of the commerce in
which We supply them with food stuffS and
many manufactured goods in exchange for
their raw products. 1t is natural that
when their credits lie in Boston, Philadel-
phia and New York, their purchases should
be made in the same market. So our ex
port trade is promoted. Any advantage
given them In our market increases their
prosperity and their ability to buy. The
pursuit of a policy which tends to keep
our neighbors poor is suicidal selfishness.
The richer they are the more they buy of
US. The old maxim. Live and let live is
applicable to nations well as to men.
The commercial prosperity of nations has
in 1t something contagious. Commercial
health is as contagious commercial dis
aster. You saw it in the gradual develop
ment of European prosperity, which fol-
lowed the returning prosperity of the
United States consequent upon the election
OF President Mckinley. Our surprising in
crease OF manufactured exports to Europe
is, in turn, the result Of European pros
perity. Away with international CONNER
cial jealousy: and a welcome to interna-
tional friendship and mutual prosperity.
cd frnn fhn ranir,
rocal increase of commerce with the West
indies Is a manifest increase of our navi
cation interests. Boston enterprise has
calamity led the way, and will Yet have
more numerous commercial feet travers-
ing the insular waters from island to island
and closely connecting them with the ports
of the United States, which send and re-
ceive the mutual supplies of trade.
Another result of this reciprocal policy
is the new treaty with France. For many
years she has maintained a tariff system
which provides a general high tariff. called
the maximum tariff, against the exports of
all nations. which have not by reciprocal
treaty obtained the lower rates known as
the minimum tariff During these years
all the nations of Europe, save one have
acquired for their exports the minimum
rates The United States alone among
great commercial nations have been left
under the frost of exclusion. France i'm
ports annually dS9O s117,OOO,OOO worth of
manufactured products. England alone sup
plying s43,De.00o and Germany s31,0o0,6a6
States, overweighted with the maximum
tariff. was only able out of this vast
amount to introduce (and with little profit
less than s4,Q0,OO0 worth. France invited
us to exhibit our products in her great ex-
position of 1900. We asked her cui bono?
Why should We exhibit in a market from
which We are excluded? Why should we
spend millions in showing our goods I'M
less, as result, We are allowed equal
competitive privileges In the sale of them?
France saw the point, and We entered
Int fi-af{n (.;1 lr.-
sister republic was well aware that so
long as her people imported over hundred
millions OF manufactures from foreign coun-
tries, 1t made no difference to her protected
industries whether they came from the
United States or from Europe. So she ac-
cepted our moderate concessions on the
enumerated French exports and gave us
in exchange her minimum tariff all our
exports, save the few exceptions specifi-
cally named. This reduction of French
duties ranges generally from 20 to 80 per
centum, averaging over so per centum. This
highly important treaty will open to hun
dreds of American industries a new mar
ket of 100000 of the most active and in !
telligent people of the world. Instead of |
contenting ourselves with the barbarian |
position of supplying raw materials to a |
refined civilization, will take our right
full attitude before France and the world |
of exchanging with her all the products of |
an advanced civilization. 1t should mean |
to American industries of the soil and fac |
tory an annual increase of twenty to thirty |
millions In our export trade.
And I beg the gentlemen Of the Mer-
chants Association to remember that the |
extraordinary home demand upon our in
dustries Is nearly satisfied. What resource |
against the reaction, against the closing OF |
our mills and the discharge of labor. can |
We find unless 1t be in foreign openings for
our surplus products?
You have the assurance that the Presl-
dent and his associates in the government
are devoting their best efforts to provide
resorts for both labor and capital agains,
these reactfonary chances of the future"
HAVING MILITARY KNOWLEDGE.