The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-12
[ RECIPROCITY CONTENTION.

Had not the bullet of Czolgosz changed
the whole current of public interest to
the condition of the president and the
question of protection against the plots
of anarchists. the problem of reciprocity
or tariff revision would be the one topic
of comment today
Last Wednesday,, the day before the
president made his great speech for tariff
reform at Buffalo. the executive commit
facturers met at Philadelphia and passed
the following resolution:
Resolved, For purposes of clear COM
prehenSlOn and expression of public
sentiment respecting the reciprocal and
trade relations with foreign powers that
this committee deems it expedient that
there be held, under the auspices of the
National Association of Manufacturers, a
national conference on reciprocity"
This committee was instructed by the
National Manufacturers association
which met in Detroit last June, to in
vestigate the question of reciprocity and
if it were deemed advisable, call con-
vention before the next session Of con-
gress Where this convention will be
held has not yet been determined. but
majority of the committee is reported
to be in favor of some Western CITY
where the reciprocity sentiment is
strong.
The Republican party is divided
into three divisions on this question Of
foreign trade extension. The old-Iine
grafters, the faithful Dingleyites like
Grosvenor, Dalzell, Lodge, and AIdrich,
will not hear to any change Whatsoever.
Another group believes that the reciproc-
ity treaties which have been negotiated
should be ratified as a means to avert
the threatened commercial war with Eu-
rope. A third group, headed by Babcock,
wishes to strike blow at the trusts and
at the same time open foreign markets.
They will favor a revision of the tariff
so far as removing all protection to
trust-made goods. This latter sentiment
will meet with approval in the Demo-
cratic camp.
The events of the last week will put a
new face upon the entire reciprocity
question The vigorous words of the
president calling for action will bring
matters to focus. His words. while
squirting toward reciprocity as the rem
edy for the approaching evil, can be read
lily construed as equally sanctioning a
| general tariff revision, to meet the de-
mands of the changed conditions
There was time when this advice of
the president would have gone un-
needed. Not so now The tragic event
of the day following the speech has given
to the chief magistrate greatly increased
influence When the world was reading
his words of patriotism and good sense
news came of the attempted assassina-
ton. In the hopelessness of the first
hours after the incident-when it was
thought that the president must die-bis
words of the day before sank into. the
national mind with the force of a diving
request. That impression cannot he
eradicated. Congress will be forced by
public opinion to revise the tariff along
lines favorable to the extension of our
! foreign trade, or to reduce the barriers
| by sweeping reciprocity treaties.
reciprocity convention would do much
to crystalline sentiment and force ac-
ton The speech of the president will
| serve as veritable textbook for the
| new school of tariff reformers. The ex-
ample which the president gave of the
! politician rising to the level of the states
man, is most encouraging. While we
| very much doubt that the example will
be followed by many. it will serve to
| stiffen the backbone of the few men now
in congress who could and would be
statesmen if they dared
hn fav