The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-07-12
High Protectionists Clinging
to Childish Things.
HOSTILITY TO EUROPE
Combination There That Our States
men Must Face.
EAST ARRAYED AGAINST WEST
Probable Penalty of Tame Submis.
sion to the Pampered Inter
ests of the East.

ests of the East.
From Ine journal BWrsGu, Room <S, Posi-
ButldtH0S WGshtHGtOH.
Washington, July 12.-Where there is
q great deal of smoke there is likely to be
some fire. During the past six months
repeated notices have come to this coun-
try from widely separated points in Eu-
rope that the great commercial powers,
England. France, Austria Germany, Rus
sia and Italy, are arranging to form a
tariff league, for the purpose OF pro-
teeting one another against American
commercial aggressions. These notices
appear to have been given each independ-
emily to the others. Some have been
communicated through the channels of
the consular bureau, others have appeared
as editorial utterances in the high class
journals Of Europe, others have appeared
in these journals as interviews with en-
inent men; and all have had for a key
note the rising tide of American COM
mercialism and its threatening danger to
existing commercial conditions in the old
world.
1t was only recently that NJ. Jules Sieg-
fried, one of the most noted Of French
statesmen. interviewed in Chicago, re-
ferred to the state of European business
sentiment regarding American trade ex-
pansion, and hinted at something like re-
prisals unless satisfactory adjustments
could be made
The latest word of warning comes to the
state department in the form of a Vienna
newspaper editorial, to the effect that
Austria, Germany and Russia have
already formed tariff league, directed
against the United States, and that Italy
and France are likely to join it. DR.. Hill,
assistant secretary Of state, says the de-
partment has no information bearing out
the Vienna story, but that is not impor-
tant. Very naturally, the United States
would be late In ascertaining the facts,
for it would be to the interest of the
countries named to proceed In secret until
AL -preltminaries were satisfactorily ar
ranged.
There can be little doubt that the facts
referred to in the preceding paragraph
will be used with good results in con-
gress next winter by members of both
houses who are in favor of adapting our
present high tariff laws, which are at
the bottom OF existing dissatisfaction in
Europe, to the situation in which Amer
lea now finds herself as Europes COM
petitor in the great world markets. The
chief trouble in this country is that the
high protectionists, now that the country
has grown to mans estate, do not want to
put away childish things. They think
that what was good for the country a
score Of years ago ought to be good for it
now, losing sight of our recent marvellous
growth and commercial development,
and OF the changed relationship which we
sustain to the rest of the world by reason
of that growth and of the results Of the
Spanish war. Europe, with her power to
levy retaliatory duties, will not be salts
fed with the jug-handled proposals Of the
high-tarin folks Of New England and the
middle east. In our dealings with Eu-
rope we must give and take, and not
take only; live and let live, and not self
ishly try to force to the wall nations
with which we are dealing.
The foregoing are the views that tariff
revision republicans from the west are
expressing In Washington, but their words
fall upon deaf ears. Solid republican
sentiment in the east, north of Maryland
seems to be blindly and tenaciously op-
posed to tariff revision of any kind.
Every republican member of either house
AAOAA NAaI SCS(1OA WIN AdS USSu lul0E-
viewed-and many of the leaders among
them have gone on record in the metro
politan press-makes fun Of tariff re-
vision and Of the Babcock bill speaks
scornfully of republicans who believe
in them, charging that they are assist
ant democrats" and tries to make a big
fuss over the fact that the intelligent
democratic sentiment of the south, headed
by Senator McLauren, thinks the Bab-
papk hill and ralafpd idpaC oil riOhf
1t is hard row which Babcock and his
friends will have to hoe next winter.
Should western republican opinion con-
tinue to uphold them, and should they
stand manfully by their guns, it is not
impossible that a break in the republican
party more serious than that which came
with the Mckinley bill and more perma-
nent in its consequences may result
Should the east have the strength to pre-
vent moderate tariff revision intended
to meet the trust issue at home and en-
large abroad the markets for our sur
plus, there may be a complete readjust-
ment Of party lines, for the first time
since the war, the high protectionists of
the east remaining in a class by them
selves, and the moderate revisionists of
the west joining hands with the south
in an effort to accomplish their ends.
That the east will be strong enough, in
the senate at any rate, tto prevent tariff
legislation, Is conceded.
The only question that remains. there
fore, Is one which only the people them
selves can answer. If they tamely sub
NIT TO the dictation OF the east, the
country will probably be engaged in a
gigantic and destructive tariff war be-
fore the close of the Mckinley admin
istration; II, on the other hand, they as
sert themselves earnestly, the eastern
wing of the republican party, seeing the
danger which is inviting, may shift it's
ground and permit compromise bill to
60 through.
The subject possesses much interest to
the student of politics, and cannot fail
to make the next session OF congress one
of the most important in recent years.
Revision of the tariff law by next win
ter's congress is a subject which is al
ready being pressed upon the attention of
President Mckinley. The discussion which
Is going on has moved certain influential
senators and members Of congress to in
terview the president and learn what
course he favors. Some of them have taken
this early occasion to urge their views
upon him, and to suggest that he deal dis
cretely with the matter in his message
In general way 1t is known that Presi-
dent Mckinley shares the sentiments ex-
pressed by the majority of the ways and