Evening star., 1901-10-14
Mr.. Mckinley and Reciprocity.

This is from the esteemed Springfield Re-
publican:
"The Massachusetts democrats, says the
Chicago Record-Herald in indorsing the
policy of reciprocity as outlined by Presi-
dent McKinleyS Buffalo speech, have
placed themselves in line with the indus
trial progress of the time The unconscious
humor of this remark consists in the fact
that the Massachusetts, democrats placed
themselves in line with the industrial pro-
gress of the time at beast ten years before
Mr.. Mckinley did. The democratic stump
in Massachusetts, used to ring with the
trade maxim, enunciated at Buffalo, that
we cannot forever sell everything and buy
little or nothing from abroad. John E.
Russell in Congress preached that other
Buffalo doctrine that the period of exclu-
sveness is past when his colleague from
Ohio was rising to fame as the apostle OF
the sacrosanct character of the home
market"
The Massachusetts, democrats only ten
years in advance of Mr. Mckinley on the
subject of his Buffalo speech? Why not
twice ten? They and their free trade
brethren in other sections of the country
have for a quarter of century been stead
lily pressing a policy which, had it been
adopted and logically applied, would have
sent us into the foreign markets for good
many things, and on the foreigners own
terms. And it is true that during that
time Mr.. Mckinley stood uncompromising-
ly for protection, upon the ground that IL
we would put ourselves in position to trade
with the outside world to our advantage we
must build ourselves up industrially.
The policy advocated by Mr. Mckinley
triumphed. Except during that nightmare
experience under the second Cleveland ad-
ministration, logical protection has pre-
vailed, and the fruits of it have been all
that it's sponsors promised for it. The
United States Is now one of the greatest
of the industrial nations. We have become
so powerful. indeed, that there is talk of a
European combination against us. We not
only command the home market in many
lines. but we are commanding the foreign
markets in lines of great value. The time
has come-has been brought to US by the
policy of protection-for the extension Of
our trade with foreign countries, and, IS
predicted by Mr.. Mckinley and his friends
we are in position now to treat with them
on terms promising excellent returns
upon our investments. This explains the
proposition for reciprocity, which, very far
from being a novelty, is the legitimate
fruit of successful protection. It is an
obligation imposed by protection. and. II
carefully met will advance US in the race
for commercial supremacy.
Had the policy advocated by John E. Rus
sell and his friends prevailed. reciprocity
would not today be burning question.
Free trade would never have made the
United States a commercial power. We
should now be trading with England and
France and Germany, not as a nation with
something of advantage to offer in exchange
for advantages, but as a nation needing
many things and wholly dependent on them
for our comfort and existence. When, as
the results show, we needed bread Mr..
Russell and his friends offered us a stone
For the bread we got. and now have in
abundance we are indebted to Mr.. McKin-
ley and his friends.