The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05
GIVE US. ATLEAsT, RECIPROCITY

Lie CouHIEy uomanQ IOr. material
reduction Of American tariff duties and
the Inauguration of strong policy of
reciprocity has some powerful friends
even in the republican party. The
Journal has received q document pre-
senting the speech of Hon. John A.
Kasson before the Illinois Manufactur-
ers' association, and it is to our mind
an irresistible argument to the coming
session Of congress against the present
Dingley tariff law. Mr.. Kasson leads
up to his material facts by citing that
Reciprocity involves no new principle,
nor is there any novelty in the policy.
1t has prevailed in human relations
from the beginning of intercourse among
men. Between individuals. and among
nations, it is an exchange Of some right
or privilege or favor which one party
controls and will exchange for some
right or privilege or favor which the
other controls and is willing to grant in
compensation. A farmer engages in
reciprocity every time he exchanges
hands or teams with his neighbor in
harvest time. Reciprocal favors pro.
mote good neighborhood and friendly
feeling, and are mutually profitable"
Asis the rule in most good things
found in our constitutional history he
summons the shade of Thomas Jefferson
to his aid by quoting from one of Presi-
dent Jeferson's documents: "As to
commerce, two methods occur: First,
by friendly arrangements with the sew
eral nations with whom these restric-
tions exist, or second, by the separate
act Of our own legislative for counter.
vailipg their effects. There can be no
doubt but that, Of these two, friendly
arrangement is the most eligible
In the summing up of his argument
Mr.. Ka.son says:
$50 far as l am informed, the center
Of opposition is with the cotton knit
goods industry. Let US inquire what
cause they have to fear harm.
"Our consumption of these goods is a
little over $loO,0OOO0O per annum. OF
this we imported about 81 900, ,00O-that
is to say, home manufacture supplied 96
per cent of our demand. A large por-
ton of this small import is made up of
special qualities, which our people do
not make. This is particularly the case
with the French imports, which alone
are involved in the treaty, and only
amounted to $24l 900. The protective
| duty remaining for our knit goods is
certified at the treasury TO be 5l.5 per
cent.
Ills there, then the slightest reason
to believe that this well-established in
dustry, now having almost monopoly
of our home supply, and getting it's ma
terial as cheaply as the foreigner, and
already tentatively expanding into for.
eign markets, to the amount of over
ST, 100000, is endangered at home while
protected by duty of 5].5 per cent?
Or that our manufacture of imitation
jewelry, having still a protective duty
of 81 per cent, is liable to be interrupted
1.-The great majority of the United
States concessions are at the rate Of
only per cent of present duties. The
entire average rate is only 6.8 per cent
Very many Of the French CONCESSIONS
articles are those of which we do no,
produce the kinds, or the particular
quality, as certain gloves, laces, per
fumes, and articles de Paris. The,
come in now to meet class demand
which will not be increased by virtue o
the treaty; only some money sayed te
the French pocket. Huntington Jour
nal.