The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-04-21
HIGH TARIFF GONE DAFT.

HIGH TARIFF GONE DAFT.
 l It is generally assumed that manufac- turers, as class, are protectionists. Oi course there are notable exceptions, but 1t is probably true that the majority ot
 those engaged in industrial enterprises
 protected by high tariff are indentified
 with the political party whose cardinal
 principle is the protection of American 1 industry" These gentlemen want to in
 crease their business, to sell more goods
 to the foreigner. They recognize that | the American export trade cannot be expanded without making it to the in- | terest of foreign consumers to buy
 more of our products; they know that 1 trade is merely matter of exchange
 and yet they balk at reciprocity.
 l In his annual report to the National | Association of Manufacturers, now in session at Indianapolis. President Search showed that there has been a | marked falling off in the exports of
 manufactured goods in the past two years. The monthly average for the fis- cal year ended June 30 1900, was $36,-
 
 was 1000, 900, and for the eight months
 of the present fiscal year only $2S,617000
 If this decline in manufactured exports
 is maintained until June 30 next our
 sales in the fiscal year 1901-1902 will be
 less by $S7 ,000,0 900 than they were in
 1S99-1900. So great a reduction in for
 eign commerce cannot be viewed with
 indifference. How shall the lost trade
 be regained? In his Buffalo speech
 President Mckinley suggested that
 more liberal treatment of the countries
 which buy American products would be advisable. The president of the Nation al Manufacturers Association is evil
 dently in favor of commercial reciproc- ity if such a policy can be adopted
 without injury to American industries
 Reciprocity he says, lis not a dead issue by any means It is a problem that is bound to press upon us more and more urgently as our trade extends abroad" Yet he fears that any depart ure from our present protective policy will invite "a continuous tinkering of the tariff, the possibilities of which We can only view with distrust and alarm"
 American manufacturers, as a rule, are energetic, enterprising, level headed men. It is strange they do not realize the necessity of establishing more friendly relations with the for eigners who buy their products The tariff wall which has been built around the United States may be very admir- able piece of economic architecture from the manufacturers point of view. It eri1 hi of prove tower of strength to him. But why not occasionally look at this wall from the point of view of the Euro peans who trade with us? The foreign CT is human, just like the American. The conditions which excite alarm and dstrust'' abroad are the invasions of trans- Atlantic markets by the manufac- turers of a country which has fortified itself with high tariff wall and refuses to give the foreigner what he considers a fair chance to sell his goods in the United States Trade exclusiveness | might be sound policy if our manu- facturers were content to confine their 1 to the home market. Then we | could afford to treat the foreigner in an economic way at least just as we chose.
  agency of a high tariff and expect him l 70 welcome our competition in the mar | <ets across the Atlantic. That isn't | human nature. The foreigner is quite | IS susceptible to the emotions of dis gust and alarm as our own people
 There are infatuated protectionists- nigh tariff votaries gone daft-who im- agine that the foreigner cannot live without American goods Unquestion- ably the life of the man across the ocean is better worth living because the enjoys the products of American skill md industry. But in a pinch our for ign brother can manage to exist with ut the aid and consent of the United States Not very long ago we barred Russian sugar from our markets. Prior o that time Russia had been buying American machinery and agricultural implements. The Russian Minister of Finance issued a decree dcreasing the uties on these articles The Russian Is LOW managing to get along without American blows and machinery. He can 'uy both in England and in Germany, life is not altogether dark and dreary O him In the past month or so we ave been importing hemp from the Philippines on very much better terms han we allow it to be exported from he archipelago to Great Britain and termany. The result is that the gov : rnment of these countries have lodged
 vigorous protest at Washington gainst a discrimination which threat ms to ruin their hemp industry. It may be quite natural for our manu- acturers to view with disgust and larm" the prospect of the foreigner in- ading the markets of the United tates. It may not only be natural, but atriotc and commendable. Let us be lir, however, and look at both sides of le question. When we find our exports , manufactures shrinking from S36,- 70, GOO a month in 1900 to BPS, 677 ,00O a lontb in 1902 let us consider whether e deserve more liberal patronage from 9 lr brethren across the sea. Of course : e may be superior people and the 'reigner ought to be grateful for our | in permitting him to buy I any terms. But it is quite possible uropeans are too thick headed to fake |, lls view of the matter. They may even f link they can get along without us. an we get along without them? If SD us make no breach in our tariff wall. n The Baltimore Sun
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