Evening journal., 1901-11-21
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER II, 1901
TARIFF AND RECIPROCITY

II
There is more agitation over the
tariff and its kindred issue, reciprocity
at the present time than at any other
period for a number OF years. me.
reason is that there is nothing else to
talk about. The financial question
has been decided. and the people oi
all parties will have no more OF II.
The Philippine agitation has prac-
tically ceased, since our people have
accented our control in the islands as
being final. The issue of he
trusts is regarded by many
as closely alied to- that OF
the tariff, and there is nothing
left but to fall back upon protection,
free trade and reciprocity, which, after
all. are united in one question.
Then too. Democracy is looking for
an issue It has made the best night
possible with popullstic vagaries, and
MANY of its followers have secretly
or openly repudiated it's national plat
forms. Therefore ii must have an is
sue. and all that is left is the tariff.
The Republican party being in power
and charged with the responsibility
of all policies, Democracy must take
refuge in negation. Il has done this
most of the time for forty years, and
is used to it, Could someone accur-
ately forecast the policy Of the Re
publican party. he could with equal
accuracy tell where Democracy would
stand.
The Democrats have not had re-
markable success with such legisla-
ton. and only glance at the measures
of the last two decades shows that tho
American people wanted none OF
them. The horizontal" bills Of Nor
rison and the radical measure OF Mills
did much to show the dangerous ten
dency of Democracy and even tho
Wilson bill was saved from its worst
mistakes by influences opposed to
Democracy. SO Democratic efforts at
tinkering with the tariff have not been
marked successes.
But conditions are changing. and
are not the same today they were when
the Mckinley measure was adopted.
They have changed since THE Dingley
act, perhaps to a greater extent than
in any similar period, and We doubt
not that the party will take measures
TO meet these new conditions. We are
no longer insular; our commerce is
worldwide and we have acquired
possessions in the two oceans. BE
sides our industries I'm certail
instances instead OF being de
pendent are powerful, and aggres
sive. Our goods are sold in foreigl
markets in certain instances lowe
than at home This suggests a nee,
Of adjustment, not an abandonment
of the fundamental idea.
Tariff Encouragement may take an
one of many forms. There may be
general lowering of duties withou
any radical departure from the presen
idea Or it may be considered wis
TO remove the protection from thoE
Industries which have grown so stron
as no longer 10 require it. The
again it is possible that il will
deemed wise to let the present tari
stand. waving its provisions by rec
proclty treaties.
But in the matter of reciprocii
there are wide differences of opinio
Certain treaties have been negotiate
which will be submitted 10 The Sena
for ratification. II is thought tn
these will fail. owing to a sentime
in favor Of a general and comprehe
sive measure under which it will
possible to extend or Withhold Z
reciprocity to any nation Our ms
kets are widely extended, owl
doubtless in large measure to the &
dellence of our products, and O
readiness to adapt them to the nee
Of the people for which they are
tended. but it is evident that we ca
not continue to sell everything a
buy nothing and there is one feat
of the reciprocity idea which sho
be extended: we should let in tn
products free which we cannot p
duce OF whose production with MS
the result of abnormal protection,
exchange for free markets in th
countries from which the prodI
oome This is not in conflict v
our present theory of protection
those Industries which are nor
and which need a reasonable encC
agement.
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