The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-10-17
RECIPROCITY TREATIES
Why Those Pend 'ng In nc Sem
y ate Shouil 3e Ra .ifed.
NKINLEY's Last rUBsIU SPEECH
Was an Eloquent Plea For the Adop-
tion Of the Policy of Reciprocal
Trade with koret,u Natiaus


Commissioner Kasson, under the di-
rection of President Mckinley. The
latter, with his clear and piercing in.
tellect, saw that the time was ap-
preaching when the nations trade
policy must take long step ahead,
and he provided for 1t. His last pub
lie utterance-made at Buffalo the
day before he was laid upon his death
bed by the shot of cowardly assas-
sin--contained an eloquelt plea for
reciprocity as the natural result of
the prosperity caused by the protect.
i've policy.
Under the fostering effect Of protec-
tion our great industrial plants, our
mines and mills and furnaces, our for
Increased their productions. We
raised more than ever before; we
manufactured more. We supplied all
the wants of our own people and had
a large surplus of farm products and
of manufactured articles. We sold
that surplus abroad, and our export
trade advanced by leaps and bounds.
But the wise president realized that
this could not go on uninterruptedly.
Something must be done to hold the
trade already gained, and to increase
1t. I'VE have a vast and intricate
business" he said at Buffalo, in his
words of warning, built up through
years of toll and struggle, In which
every part of the country has it's
stake, which will not permit Of eth
er neglect or Of undue selfishness. No
narrow. sordld policy will subserve It..
The greatest skill and wisdom on the
part Of the manufacturers and pro-
ducers will be required to hold and in
crease 1t. Our capacity to produce
has developed 80 enormously, and our
products have so multiplied, that the
problem Of more markets requires an
urgent and immediate attention"
And what Was Mcxinley's solution
Of the problem? What was his policy
In this respect-which, along with his
other policies, President Roosevelt
has declared to be his own to carry
out? 1t was and is reciprocity. by
sensible trade arrangements, which
will not interrupt our home produc.
| tion," said he, I'VE shall extend the
outlets for an increasing surplus. A
system which provides a mutual ex.
change of commodities is manifestly
essential to the continued and health.
ful growth Of an export trade. We
must not repose in fancied security
that we can forever sell everything,
and buy little or nothing We should
take from customers such of their
products as we can use without harm
to our industries and labor
Continuing in the same strain of
warning and G-sulont he declared
chat what we produce beyond our do.
mestic consumption mist have vent
abroad. The excess must be relieved
through a foreign outlet; and we
should sell eve ywhere we can, and
buy wherever the buying will enlarge
our sales and productions, and there
by make greater demand for home
labor" More than This he set forth
plainly the danger &C foreign hostility
to an expanding tSde. invading the
nations OF Europe. and deprecated q
policy which would increase that hos
tility. Commercial wars are unprof
TABLE" he declared. "A policy OF
good will and friendly trade reiations
will prevent reprlsals. Reciprocity
treaties are in harmony with the spir
1t OF the times; measures of retalia
tion are no."
Brave, wise words are those of the
last public utterance of the murdered
president, and they meet the approva
Of the intelligent majority of tbs
American people. The only
voice In dissent yet heard comes
from Democratic theorists, welded tc
the old, condemned doctrine Of free
trade. With fatrlty born either oi
ignorance or demagcgy, they assert
that reciprocity Ia step toward free
trade, and daringly accuse Mckinley
the champion of protection. Of aband
onment of that policy. No more stu
pid falsehood was ever uttered.
What Is reciprocity treatye It is
a treaty In which the American gov
ernment says to that of foreign
country: "You need our manufac
lures of steel, our agricultural ma
chinery, our boots and shoes, oul
grain, our meats and other foodstuffs
for your people. reduce your duties
on these things bought of us. and In
return W., will reduce our duties or
this, and this, and this product oi
yours which we need. You will In
crease largely your exports to us, fol
you will have lower duty to pa,
than other nations have In return
we will increase our sales to you, fol
the same reason" Each nation give.
up something but gets an equivalent
the trade OF both is promoted, to the
benefit of both
But free trade would give to all ma
tions the benefits Of our markets
without any of them bein required
to nake any return. Only under &
protective tariff can there be reciproc
ity; under free trade there would bt
no advantage we could. offer to on'
nation over another The folly of tn,
Democratic contention is clear. Tht
duty of Ohio Republicans this fall II
to elect the party ticket by sweep
ing majority. that Republican legis
lature may send the peerless Forakel
back to the senate, to use his match
less powers in aid OF the ratification
of the reciprocity traties now pending
In that body.