The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-03
"Nnrkets. Not Maxims"


When President Mckinley, in his
speech at Memphis the other day, told
his hearers that in the necessity to find
outlets for our enormously increasing
production Of foodstuffs, raw materials
and manufactured goods. markets, not
rnaxims.'' was the need Of the hour, he
used words the significance of which
deserve attention. Although he has
been long known as the high priest OF
protection. Mr. Mckinley is man with
a peculiarly adjustable mind, and 1t VIII
be no discourtesy to him TO think mat
II has been changing rapidly of late in
the direction of freer trade conditions.
II cannot successfully be disputed that,
whatever force the infant industry ar
gument may have had at one time, 1t is
without any now. We have no longer
the least protective reason to guard our
Goals. rails, locomotives, or machinery
from the pauper commodities OF Eu-
rope. We have more and cheaper Goals
than any other country. We are laying
American rails in England, and span
ming English streams with bridges built
in Pennsylvania. ]. p. MOrgan's giant
Steel Trust is able TO laugh at foreign
competition with any of its productions,
and protection as far as our shipyards
is concerned has become a joke. We
can construct ships cheaper and more
expeditiously here than they can be
turned out anywhere else in the world
Thus relieved Of any danger from out
lander inroads, a number of our great
business interests, no doubt, are in full
accord with the Presidents statement
that what the United States most wants
at this tine is markets, and not max
inns" Probably few of the dominating
trusts and mCnopolies Of the day are
anxious for the continuance Of fiscal
policy which places an unscientific
handicap upon the exchange Of com
modities between peoples. The impera-
tive need of expanded and fresh mar
kets which is felt by our agricultural
and manufacturing classes can only be
supplied by the removal Of protective
tariff restrictions. which lave ceased TO
be useful to our industries. but which
still continue to confine them more or
less to the home market.
We stiT find protectionists of the old
school, like Senator Hoar. declaiming in
praise Of the Chinese Wall policy; but
they are rapidly coming to be regarded
as belonging 10 an exceedingly ancient
edition Of statesmen, now happily out
of print. Republicans of the Morgan
and Rockefeller type who are not Of the
party because their fathers were, but
because it serves their business pur-
poses are not in the remotest degree
governed by or interested In "maxims."
If, for instance. Mr. Rockefeller has
reached the conclusion that free trade
would be better for Standard Oil than
the present tariff, he is also satisfied
that his altered belief is a divine in
SEPARATION IN answer to prayer. It is
easy TO change ones mind when the
mental process means more money.
For year or more we have been i'm
pressed by what have seemed to be
signs that the politico- trust cornbina-
ton which has controlled the Admins
tration from the day IF Mr.. McKinley's
first inauguration was playing for po-
sition in an effort TO swing away from
protection and to a tariff for revenue
only. II is limited here and there that
the present Presidential tour Of the
country is not unconnected with such
an eventually II is said. and perhaps
with truth, that Mr.. Mckinley is
anxious 10 feel the pulse Of the Ameri-
can public, and through personal con-
tact to get some idea Of the extent to
which the country could be pulled after
him in an attempt TO alter the faith,
doctrines and practices Of his party.
This would be coed politics. and no.
body doubts that the President is, par
excellence. a good politician. We may
assume. indeed, that he knows that. If
the present tariff is not thoroughly re-
formed by the Republicans before the
next Presidential election, II win be
made an issue by the Democrats, and
that IL might easily BE- a winning issue
81 the light - fast cUmuiatinR evil
dencea that DiHRleylsm b. ueeleas-as
il unqueF tilnably e. ar intOlerable and
ageous-bur6en upon American con
sumerz- Should the skies Of popular
sentiment took Dr0pitlous. IT IS not i'm
probable that the entering wedge viii
be driven al the next session Of Con-
gress. in drag0oning that body into
passing the reciprocity treaties which II
refused 10 endorse at the last one, but
which have been extended ia the hope
Of favorable action next winter If that
plan should work satisfactorily further
steps might be taken, and before long
we might find the Administration
piowing with the Democratic heifer Of
tariff for revenue only
This is dubious outlook from one
point Of view, but we do not see that
anyone need complain should II all come
true What sincere and patriotic Dem
ocrats want is rot so much the triumph
of the party as Of its principles And if
they should be now adopted and pro-
fessed by Mr.. Mckinley and by Mr.
Morgan, Mr.. Rockefeller, Mr.. Wander
bilt. and his other influential asso-
ciates, why. there is nothing to be said
about the matter except that there is
more icy over one sinner who repenteth
than over the six and half just men
and Democrats who have no need Of re-
pentance.
Vacant Lots.