The Washington times., 1901-09-29
Robert p. Porter on Reciprocity.

| tiago.
| Robert p. Porter on Reciprocity.
When Robert P. Porter strongly urges
| a policy of reciprocity we are fully jus
| titled IA concluding that the world
moves. Probably no man ever did more
to create an intense high tariff senti-
ment in the United States than Mr..
Porter. He travelled extensively in Eu-
rope, gathering horrible examples Of
| the baIeful effects of free trade and it
| goes without saying that he found the
worst of the horribles in free trade
| England. He became prolific pam
| phleteer and speaker on behalf of the
Republican party, and the pictures he
presented of poverty, destitution, and
| absolute pauperism in England, and all
| on account of free trade. were about as
| black as his imagination could paint
| them.
| To one who reasoned along logical
| lines. and drew valid conclusions from
| existing conditions, it seemed very
! strange that Great Britain had become
! the first of commercial nations and the
worlds financial centre under a policy
which, according to the extreme protec-
| ton philosophy. as voiced by Mr. Por
| ter, meant utter ruin to any country
adopting it. The explanation was that
England was a land of palaces and
| novels, and while the country was very
| rich, some of the people were stepped
| in poverty This was all ascribed to
| free trade. but with no serious attempt
| to show how that commercial system
| produced SO anomalous "a result. How
ever, this is ancient history, and it is
| only referred to for the purpose of EN-
| piasizing Mr.. Porter's intensely radical
| views on the subject
Now, in urging reciprocity. Mr.. Por
ter admits that free trade is in the
highest degree beneficial to England.
In order TO be entirely fair, let US quote
him literally upon this point. He says:
England is the only country in Europe which
is looking the tariff war unconoernedly. She
is on bedrock of economic security, and while
she has lost some industries she Is building up
others She has actually reached period where
her persistently consistent policy has taken
turn for the better. Free trade fits her in the
way as protection fits The result is
as | have pointed out, that many new industries
springing up on her soil for the simple rea-
son that as a free trade country she has benefits
to cffer which other countries lack, and is thus
the natural distributing centre Of Europe.
Twenty years ago. when was sent over to
England TO investigate conditions there, ! found
that English factories were establishing branches
in America. Now the proposition Is reversed.
Now we are building factories in England. To
be sure this shows that instead OF being economic
infants we are ahead of the game, hut it alsS
shows that England is profting by her policy
in way never dreamed OF
same position identically at the very
time when, twenty years ago, MIR. Por-
ter was frightening audiences and
readers out Of their seven senses with
his descriptions of the frightful condi-
tions which he declared prevailed in
that country. In fact, her condition
was relatively better then than it is
now The United States has outgrown
her, and, to use his own simile. become
commercial Napoleon among ma
tions.
1t is not to be expected that men who
have been lifelong champions of pro-
hibitive tariff will admit that they were
in error Naturally they want to slide
easily from an untenable position.
They do this by proposing reciprocity.
which is simply letting down the bars
a little at time. They claim that this
course is advisable because conditions
have changed, and we may give them
the full benefit of that claim. Condi-
tions are all the time changing, and it
is easy to see that the Industrial posi-
ton of the United States is very differ
ent now from what it was twenty years
ago On that point we need have no
contention.
But no one should be blind to the fact
that the arguments of reciprocity Re-
publicans in favor of that policy are es-
sentially free trade in character. In
some cases they are revamped and par
APPRAISED, but in others they are almost
literal repetitions of free trade truisms.
Among these is the late President Nc
Kinleys statement at Buffalo that I'VE
must not repose in fancied security that
we can forever sell everything and buy
little or nothing" That statement is a
distinct admission that trade must
have two sides, and il directly contra
yenes the whole system of protective
philosophy. as promulgated in this
country. The extreme protectionists
have proceeded upon the theory that we
could sell everything without buying
anything, and the whole tenor of Mr..
McKinley's Buffalo speech shows that
the present tariff law is framed upon
the assumption that we can sell just the
same whether we buy anything or not
II we closely scan Mr.. Porter's recent
ly published interview, we find that ii
IL full of statements and deductions
which, carried to their logical conclu
sion, would mean the overthrow of the
entire protective system in the United
States 1t is enough at this time to
mention his frank admission that Eng
lands commercial position is stronger
than that of any other European coun-
try, and that it is owing to the circurl-
stances that she is on free trade bas S
while the other leading nations are
hampered by tariffs more or less re-
strictive of trade. Probably nobody
seriously expects the United States to