Arizona republican., 1901-10-25
IA RECIPROCITY PLAN
MCKinIey's Attitude Stated by
 MT. KaSS0n
Cautious in Accepting the Policy. He studied the Subject and Pub lie Sentiment Before the Buffalo Speech.

z ority. has definitely decided to recorn-
 mend to congress the aCoption of the principle of reciprocity. as it was un- derstood by President Mckinley. It becomes of interest, therefore, to as 1 certain what was the exact attitude , of Mir. Mckinley toward that policy. Mir. Mckinley able when he wished to preserve reticence that was got to be broken, either by inquiries Of friends or by public clamor. So little
 vas known as to what he thought on
 the subject, despite utterances in his last message to congress, his last in augural address, and his Buffalo speech. that some of his most intimate friends have recorded their denial that Mr. Mckinley ever specifically indorseti ! the policy of reciprocity.
 The truth is that MT. Mckinley at first feared the effects upon commerce and manufacture of the policy of rec iprocty as set forth in the Dinglcy tariff. He was timid about the whole subject, and refused to take any defi- nite action until. as he himself said,
 he could ascertain popular sentiment. He had frankly and fully accepted the
 principle. but he still feared that the time was not ripe for its practical ap- plication.
 It is to be noted that up to a quite | ity views seemed to be general and tentative. He was feeling his way But he finally declared. with unequivocal clearness, his faith in the policy. passing { it upon international amity and equity. He advocated the seemingly darins policy of using the very instrument with which prosperity had been won protection-to create a still greater prosperity. He emphasized the declar-
 ation of the republican platform of 1896. that Protection and reciprocity
 are twin measures of republican policy, and go hand in hand"
 John A. Kasson. who was appointed by Mir. Mckinley as special commits sioner to negotiate treaties of reciproc ity with other nations. said today that MT. Mckinley hesitated long time
 before taking positive action, even with respect to the formal carrying out of
 the provisions of the Dingley law; and hesitated for a Still ls2nger tlpne before
 expreessing,. dss.sSeas sssv.s iirsttss1f of reciprocity.
 MT. Mckinley" said he: was ex- tremely cautious. He waited a long time before he would even formally ex- ecute that section of the DingIey bill relating to negotiation of reciprocity treaties. although such course would
 not have committed him to the policy. He discussed the matter very fully and debated it in his own mind long and thoroughly before deciding to carry into effect the provisions of the law. He finally appointed me special commis- sioner. but without committing himself fully to the policy Of reciprocity. He had, of course. declared his belief in th,.
 principles many times, but he would not declare his belief in the advisabiI-
 ity of it's practical application.
 shortly before MT. Mckinley went
 on his western trip he told me that !,2 | intended to sound the people as to their views and wishes in regard to reef ! procity. He began at once a syste-
 matic and patient inquiry, that die not terminate until shortly prior to his great last speech at Buffalo.
 But he had fully satisfied himself that the people-that the great agricul- tural and manufaotu turing interests or the country-needed reciprocity to open wider the markets of the world foi
 American goods. Mckinley had long believed in it himself. He was one oi the first to recognize the menace O. Europe. He saw that the countries of 1 Europe would not continue to admit our goods terms more favorable
 than those we offered to their products
 and would turn against us and close their markets to us.
 He saw that the great agrarian movements in Germany. Russia and
 Austria Hungary were fiercely hostile ! to the United States. and that dis astrous blow could and would be struci, at American prosperity. if We did not avert it by a spirit of concession of fair give and take. This is the spirit of
 reciprocity. We could not take all the
 time, and give nothing.
 These observations led Mir. McKln- ley to recommend the ratification of the reciprocity treaties in his first message ! to congress, and to urge the same 1 course in his inaugural address in March of this year. But he was not entirely satisfied. He felt that he did not know the exact ! wants and desires of the people, In his | western trip. and thereafter the presi dent lost no opportunity of inquiring into the subject. He felt that it's scope
 was not confined to the east, or to man ufacturing sections of the country. but reached across the great agricultural regions of the central and far west.
 and to the south and north. It would
 not be possible, he said, to speak as emphatically as he wished. until he
 knew for himself exactly what the people needed and wished.
 | "He finally learned that, and he spoke with all the emphasis possible for words and feeling to convey. when he declared at Buffalo his full belief in reciprocity in that famous passage be- ginning. "The period of eXclusiveness
 is past"
 ''I have seen it stated by members of congress- continued Mir. Kasson, that MT. Mckinley never directly ap proved the reciprocity treaties negu- tiated by me. That is entirely untrue. MT. Mckinley knew exactly what Was contained in every one of those treat ies; he read each one of them before they were sent to the senate. and he approved of every article in every one of them. l talked with him for hours