The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-12-27
THE RECIPROCITY TREATIES.

There seems to be disposition upon
the part OF some of the Republican
leaders, especially In the east, to OBJ
ject to the reciprocity treaties which
are now before the senate for ratifica-
ton or rejection, and they are work
Ing to quietly ignore them altogether
and allow them to peacefully sleep on
in their present repose. The objection
which they offer Ia that these treaties
let down the bars to the detriment of
many manufacturers in articles named
therein, and expose them to the severe
competition of foreign manufacturers,
who are more fortunately situated.
That the advantages to be gained are
not adequate to the privileges given,
and that it is better TO continue things
as they are than to accept these trea-
ties and invite evils which will work
ruin. The claim is further made that
the treaties are loosely drawn and that
proper care has not been exercised in
their construction. In the current
number of the Atlantic, John Bali
Osborne in an article on Expansion
through Reciprocity combats this
idea and shows that in the acceptance
of the reciprocity treaties with France
the British West Indies and several
South American countries, are not
only well drawn, but their ratification
would be most advantageous to the
United States. His discussion of the
matter leading up to these treaties is
quite exhaustive for the space allowed,
in which he touches upon President
McKinley's allusion to reciprocity in
what proved to be his farewell address
at Buffalo, and declares that recipro-
city never had an ADLER and more sin
cere advocate He then follows re-
ciprocity through its legislative revi-
sion and deals with it historically up
to the present time, paying consider
able attention to the provision in the
Dingley tariff law providing for the
negotiating of reciprocity treaties.
This provision allows reduction
through reciprocity of 20 per cent of
the Dingley schedules, and Mr.. Osborn
shows that not in one instance has this
full limit been taken advantage of in
the treaties now before the senate. For
instance in the treaty with France the
reduction on French cotton knit goods
is reduced from GA 2-l0 per cent ad
valorem to 81 5-10 per cent; on imita-
ton jewelry from 60 to 81 per cent on
spectacles from 10 $40 to II $40 per
cent +; and on perfumes from 81 ITO to
81 per cent. Other reductions are
along the same line, And after this
reduction is made Mr. Osborne asserts
that it leaves the manufacturer fully
as we'll protected and in some instances
even bstter than he was under the Nc
Kinley law At the same time, he
says, it gives French concessions to the
United States, which will be of great
value to American manufacturers who
are working for foreign trade, in
that it will allow them to gain foot
hold there in competition with Eng
lish, German, Belgian and Swiss ri
walls In fact it really places US upon
the same footing with other European
nations in this respect, which already
enjoy concessions which the United
States does not. The other treaties,
the writer states, open like advantages
to the United States, while at the
same time they retain enough protec-
tion to prevent material damage to
any of our industries. He does not be-
lieve that as great advantages for like
concessions can be obtained under new
negotiations as he says the disposition
of the countries whom these treaties
have been negotiated with is against
giving as liberal terms as have already
been conceded. Pressure ought to be
brought to bear upon the senate in
favor of these treaties and their rati-
fcation, and the fallacy of the oppon-
ents to the same pointed out. As the
late President Mckinley well said in
his last address. "We must not repose
in fancied security that we can for
ever sell everything and buy little
or nothing. We are buying a great
deal. The tendency has ever been I'M
der tariff legislation by the Republican
party to enlarge the free list to include
as far as possible those products which
are not raised or manufactured here.
Our imports have been increasing. but
if through such trade arrangements as
these treaties now before the senate
provide for, we could still further in
crease our exports of manufactures by
slightly increasing our import list, it
would seem that we would make a
very good exchange.
The district conrt of Hennepin