Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-12-12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
No Call for Disturbance of the Policy
That Has Made the Nation
prosperous.

lie interest has been aroused in the
subject of reciprocity. This interest
has been made very apparent in the
proceedings of the reciprocity conven-
ton at Washington. There is no
doubt that the general principle of
trade reciprocity with other nations,
as favored by James &. Blaine, Will
liam Mckinley and other great repub-
lican leaders and as embodied in re-
publican platforms, is full of the most
benefcent possibilities to American
interests. But any attempt to en-
ploy reciprocity as a means to uproot
protection, as some overZealous per-
sons are trying to do, will certainly
be resisted by all who realize what
protection has done for the country.
The abandonment of protection was
the last thing that James &. Blaine
or William Mckinley would have
counseled, and those who are using
those great names with which to
further causes the reverse of what
the dead statesmen stood for
throughout their lives are doing the
country poor service, says the Troy
Times.
There is ample room for reciproc-
ity alongside of protection, but the
latter cannot and must not be sup
planted. The American producer
needs markets for his surplus prod
ucts, but he is not ready to surrender
the matchless home field in order to
ct them. Nor need he. The United
States, with it's industries developed
under the fostering care of protec-
ton. has so much to sell and is in a
position to buy in such large guam
titles that it can command favora BILE
terms without sacrificing domestic in
terests. 1t was Lord Salisbury, the
British premier, who once lamented
the fact that free trade had left Eng
land economically defenseless. He
said in substance that his country
could exact nothing from other ma
tiOns in return for trade concessions
because it had already given up
everything and there was no oppor-
tunity for quid pro quo. The United
States, on the other hand. is eco
nomically impregnable. Protection
has aided it in perfecting a wonder
full industrial system, and it is in a
position TO sell to all the world. 1t
has almost illimitable resources in
the form of products which the world
needs. 1t is able to buy vast amounts
of goods which other parts of the
world supply. 1t holds masterful
place, and can make reciprocity min
lister to its own interests as well as
to those of its customers.
This is the principle contemplated
by the statesmen who have favored
reciprocity. The benefits are not to
be one-sided. If the United States
yields something in the way of trade
advantages, the reciprocating nations
must be equally obliging. Reciproc-
ity will not be used to destroy what
protection has built up. The two
must go hand in hand. When we have
reciprocity it must be with protec-
tion. That is sound Americanism and
the true republican policy.
And this is precisely what the reci-
procity convention agreed to, for just
before its final adjournment it adopt
ed a resolution declaring that this
convention recommends to congress
the maintenance of the principle of
protection for the home market, and
| to open by reciprocity opportunities
| for increased foreign trade by special
notifications of the tariff, in special
| cases, only where it can be done
without injury to any of our home
interests of manufacturing, com
merce or farming" The convention
was non-partisan body. It's mem
bership included republicans, demo
Gratis and those not actively identified
with any party. Every branch OF
American industry and commerce was
represented in the gathering.
The convention adopted the resolu-
tions unanimously and enthusiastic,
ally. 1t was typically American in
standing for reciprocity with protec.
tion and against reciprocity without
protection.