The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-01
TARIFF AND RECIPROCITY.

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Minneapolis Journal: Your ex
treme .protectionist says he favor.
reciprocity, II 1t is based on the "rtgh,
principle" The fright principle
with him is to give the most meage,
concessions to foreign nations ant
practically continue the policy con
demned by President Mckinley in his
Buffalo speech, /. e, get all you car
and give nothing in return. This
policy will not abate the terror OF
the American danger" which is man
Testing itself in Europe and leading
to grave discussions Of the policy of
enhancing customs duties and secur.
Ing for producers their home mar.
kets and excluding outside competf.
tion-a policy which we ourselves
have been practicing for many years
but which has resulted in engender-
ing a vast surplus Of products which
must be disposed of abroad or the
output must be minimized and ex-
penses reduced. The recent meeting
OF the Austrian association of man.
ufacturers indicated the trend Of in
dustrial sentiment, for 1t was O repre-.
sentative gathering. The resolutions
adopted, after several strong anti
American speeches, which admitted
that the modern commercial policy
OF the world is dominated by the
United States, and that there is ur-
gent necessity for establishing an eff.
fective barrier against the inunda.
ton OF American goods, to be effect
ed by the joint efforts Of industry
and agriculture, declare for a COM
plete revision Of the Austro-Hungar.
ian customs on the lines laid down
by the pending German tariff and for
long term reciprocity arrangements
with all nations desiring reciprocal
trade, except the United States, with
which short term treaties may be
made, while the central European
states should combine for mutual r
lection against transatlantic compe-
tition.
This is the spirit which antagon.
ICES us and it cannot be pooh-poohed
down. II we cannot have reciprocity
treaties, which mean real reciprocity.
there should be an earnest and ro-
bust effort made to push the maxi.
mum and minimum tariff plan which
works so well in Europe. This plan
no change in the duties en-.
bodied III the present tariff, which
would remain the maximum rates,
while a schedule Of minimum rates
could be s%ubjoined which would be
for the benefit of any nation
making compensating concessions to
us. This is done in France and othe.
European countries, and it removes
the necessity Of negotiating formal
reciprocity treaties The president
had h power under the Mckinley
to reduce duties on certain art.
lcles In return for compromising con
'essions, and under the present tar
III the secretary of the treaGur can
impose increased duties on sugars
On which a bounty is paid to the pro-
ulcers in the country exporting the
hither, as in the case OF Rus
'ia's beet sugar importations re-
II Senator Aldrich and other OBJ
'onents of the reciprocity treaties
want to consult the national CONNER
interests. they will aid and not :
oppose rational measures to hold our
zig foreign trade and increase it. If =,
efforts to carry out the patriotic +,
,dvice of President Mckinley on this
ubject fail, then it is quite posi-. {
lie that the congressional elections .
ext year will show a tremendous /,
eduction in the republican majority !
n the house, and possibly a republi. q
an minority.
Which suggests again that it is q
etter that the tariff be revised by 7
ne friends of protection and indus. >
~ than by some other people who
ave tried 1t with generally disas g
rous results. a
q
THE ADMIRAL'S STORY. n