The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-18
WILL EUR0pE DrscRIMINA4Eq.


1t is remarkable with what unanimty
the employees of the government, notably
the heads Of departments, stand by the
administration. When they want a ship
subsidy bill sustained. there is a head
of the navigation department ready with
figures to prove just what is desired
When a question of currency comes up
an expert is at hand to write for the
magazines on the particular phase of the
subject. Just now toe people are in
terested in the threatened European COM
bination against American exports. This
unrest IS getting dangerous so up pops
Mr.. 0. P. Austin, chief of the bureau Of
statistics to contribute an article to the
current number of Lesles Weekly 10
show that Europe will not and can not
If it would, refuse to buy our exports.
To prove his position this special plead
er gives figures to show how American
exports have increased from year to year,
notwithstanding the efforts Of various
nations to keep them out. He further
shows that three-fourths of our exports
are the product of agriculture the forest
and the NINE" largely raw mater'a
which he alleges Europe cannot get along
without. He forgets that in proving that
three-fourths Of our exports are the
product of rude labor he is dealing a
heavy blow to the theory of protection
b lie naively states that during the dis
onssion Of the DngIey tariff schedule
p thirteen nations protested against diff
feTent items N the schedule. What was
the result?". he asks. And then replies
that these nations were so pleased with
the action Of congress- In completely ig-
noring their solemn protests that they
at once increased their orders for Ameri-
can stuff. In this argument Mr.. Austin
Ignores the fact that the business of the
world has increased in a like ratio and
that the importers have simply advanced
tFajr Price to meet the tariff and our peo-
p have paid the "fr2ight"
Mr.. Austin completely ignores the fact
that during all these years, since the
passage of the Dingley tariff bill, there
has been pending or in process of ne
Botiation, reciprocity treaties with these
thirteen nations, or the majority of them,
by which the tariff was to be reduced
20 per cent, for like favors on their part;
that on account of these negotiations we
have until lately enjoyed what is known
IN Europe as the min'mu tariff schedule.
lie should know, If he does not that the
effect of these reciprocity negotiations
was to prevent Determinations and com
binations among the nations of Europe
against American imports. Europe does
not have to use American products, and
we will see a. vast difference when they
become convinced that the Americans
have been playing horse with them in
the matter of promised reciprocity.
John A Kasson, who knows something
about our foreign trade and who has so
far refused to be a tool of the Repub-
hcan machine on the matter of foreign
trade calls attention to the fact that on
account Of the failure of the senate to
ratify the reciprocity treaty with France,
that nation put into effect the maximum
rate of tariff against the United States
with the result that while we bought
SlIe00OOO of them they imported but
H,oOo,OOO worth of manufactures from us.
Our exporters to France were handi-
capped by discriminating tariff of from
% TO 40 per cent.
While Europe may not combine against
the United States the individual nations
Will retaliate against our tariff wall with
prohibitions against our manufactured ex-
ports. According to Republican prin-
ciples it Is not the market for agri-
cultural products and raw material that
We want but a market for our manu-
featured products. Mr.. Austins arrow
few wide Of the mark.