The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1902-05-02
rs IT OUT OF DATE?
CLAIM THAT PROTECTION HAS BE-
COME OBSOLETE.
Has the Doctrine OF Blaine, Mckinley
and Dingiey Served Its Day and Out
lived It's Usefulness to American Labor
amt Industry"

In its issue Of March "a the Pough-
keepsie Eagle" says:
THE American Protective Tariff
League asks us to join in protesting
against any change in the Dingley tar
if in connection with the pending re-
ciprocity treaties or reciprocity con-
%cessions. We respectfully decline. We
believe with all III heart in protec-
ton, but we believe just as fully in
reciprocity. The old-fashioned pro-
lection, which built up a wall around
our country to keep foreign imports
out, has served its day and become OBJ
solete. The protection of the future
will take into consideration all Amer
lean interests and will be as much con
cerned with bringing into the u
try things that we need, and in pro-
noting the export of things which
others need, as in keeping out arti-
cles which compete with our produc-
tons. The American Protective
Tariff League has in time past done
some very good service, but it wants
to get out CT it's rut and take a broad
er view Of things. Some of those who
assume to speak for it are showing
such a disposition to initiate the Dem
ocratic policy of organized negation
that they are greatly reducing its rep
utation and influence"
Welcoming fair criticism and hon
est controversy, concerning our aims
and methods, we gladly print the
above expression. 1t is typical Of the
view entertained by a very consider
able number of important newspapers
of Republican proclivities, newspapers
which, like our Poughkeepsie neigh
Dor, formerly believed ~unreservedly in
the principle and policy of protection,
but now are of the opinion that it
has served it's day and become OBJ
solete." The American Free Trade
League hold precisely this view, with
other view; it always believed that
there should be no wall around our
country to keep foreign imports out.
Free Traders never did and do not
now want to keep foreign imports out.
They want them to come in without
restriction of any kind. On that line
Protectionists and Free Traders have
divided ever since the organization of
government.
Is the line about to be obliterated?
Shall we now tear down the wall and
let in the foreign imports? Is that
what the Poughkeepsie Eagle" means
when it avows its acceptance of the
new doctrine of reciprocity" and its
rejection of "the old-fashioned pro-
lection which built up a wall" etc?
If it does not mean that, what, then,
does it mean? Reciprocity" as now
advocated by many newspapers of Re
publican proclivities, either contem-
plates a larger importation of COM
p%etitive articles and al equivalent dis
placement of domestic production, or
it amounts to nothing. Reciprocity
Gin articles which we do not ourselves
produce" and which will not lessen
the sum total of employment and
wages in this country, would be of
relatively little value to foreign pro-
ducers. That kind of reciprocity we
already have. With "the things we
need" We are amply supplied, and
they are nearly all on the free list.
A trife less than half of the total bulk
Of u imports are non-duitable. We
are liberal buyers of "the things we
need" and there is no tariff on those
things. Reciprocity takes no account
of articles of this kind. They are
wholly excluded from the scheme.
What it aims at and insists upon is
that we shall tear down the wall and
let in a lot of things which we do not
need. If we don't do that, we don't
'~reciprocate." That is the situation in
a nutshell, and we are indebted to the
Poughkeepsie Eagle" for presenting
the issue in a shape so practical and
tangible. 1t has assisted in the plain
presentment of the question, Has the
old-fashioned protection Served it's
day. and is it "obsolete?" The Re-
publican party is now engaged in
wrestling with that problem in con-
nection with the domestic production
Of sugar and tobacco. What will be
the solution? Not such, we hope, as
shall register the decision that pro-
lection for each and every domestic
industry is "old-fashioned," is "obso-
!ete," and has served its day."