The Minneapolis journal., 1902-12-10

1ully avail ourselves OF that advantage,
we must assume what we dare not expect,
that we will be permitted, uninterruptedly
and completely, to pursue our plan OF pros
tective duties, and that all the remainder
OF the world will adopt the policy OF free
trade. sensible nation will not build
upon such an Illusion, and therefore we
are casting about us to see upon what
terms we can get our products into the
hands of buyers and consumers in other
countries; and thus reciprocity, o-called,
finds It's mission.
Let me at this point draw more clearly
the line which divides two fields In which
this doctrine may work. Roughly clas-
sify all the products of industry. viewed
from our standpoint, as competitive and
non-competitive, and in using these words
embrace within them the idea of poten
tial asrwell as actual competition. With re-
spect to all these commodities which are
not competitive, 1t is so clear that there
has never been a controversy about it.
that If we can make an arrangement with
any foreign country which will admit into
our ports non-competitive products free
and secure the admission of our products
into such foreign country free, we have
accomplished great deal Of good, and no
possible harm. However, as I suggested
few moments ago. with the exception Of
sugar and few high priced luxuries
upon which it Is thought desirable to
raise revenue, non-competitive commodi-
lies are dL the present. time dQHQlCISQ
free into the ports Of the United States,
and therefore the doctrine Of reciprocity
can have but little operation in the non
competitive fields without at least restor-
Ing to the dutiable list many of the neces
stiles of life which now enter free,
The real controversy respecting reci-s
procity lies in the other field; that is to
say. In the field OF competitive produc-:
tions, actual or potential, and it Is my
desire at this time to bring the questions
which there arise SO clearly before the
minds of the people that they will con-
slider them understandingly and decide
them according to the very right of the
matter. There are some things that must
be assumed In the investigation Of any
| subject. First that reciprocity treaties
will be negotiated with intelligence and
patriotism on both sides. 1t Is always
gratifying to our pride to believe that
| we are a little better, clearer, and more
| farseeing than the people Of other coun
| tries; but 1T Is not safe to proceed upon
| that hypothesis with respect to CONNER
cial treaties. Undoubtedly there will be
occasions when we will get more than
| 1t was intended to give us but on the
other hand there may be occasions when
we will get less. So we must either ap-
prove or disapprove the doctrine Of reci-
procity upon the assumption that any
| treaty or bargain which carries it into ef
feet will be advantageous to both the high
contracting parties, and that both will re-
ce1ve from it those benefits which it
promises. Second, we must assume that
any such treaty or bargain will have the
effect Of admitting to the United States
competitive commodities upon better
terms than heretofore they received; that
| is to say, upon such terms as will enable
the foreign producer to at least fairly
compete with the home produced, and
| therefore it is not only probable but rea-
sonably certain that any such arrange
| ment will result in diminishing the out
! put of the home producers in those things
upon which our duty is reduced or re-
| moved. It will help us to look this prop
osition in the eye. The time has gone
| by when we can satisfy ourselves or the
! people with mellifous phra ses concerning
reciprocity. If it. is intended to employ
! the doctrine only In those instances in
| which we can, get something and give
| nothing, it is but an idle dream, and we
| might as well eliminate the word from our
platform and expunge it from the litera-
ture of political economy It is possible
that the superior sagacity 3of the Ameri-
can diplomat might; occasionally commit
larceny of that charcter, but If it were
consciously done it would be stain upon
the honor of the American name, and
when understood would meet the swift
and enphat tlc condemnation of the Ameri-
can citizen. - s-ss,s-@ Il.
The conclusion is inevitable that in the
| great majority Of cases a reciprocal
treaty respecting competitive commoEi-
ties would interfere and injure some home
| producer or producers; and If that fact
| be bar to the operation Of the principle,
let us at once abandon it. for one, how
ever, am willing to be counted among
the ranks of those who believe that this
consequence is not a bar, and that great
| public policies should not be viewed from
I so narrow and illiberal a standpoint. The
| purpose OF any such treaty on our part
| would be to open up a new market or
enlarge one already discovered for our
products, and if those who are charged
with the responsibility of making in our
| behalf a commercial trade are of the
opinion that. upon the WHOLE the market
thus opened up or enlarged to us will
take more of our products, measured by
the labor required to produce them, than
the new competition admitted to our
shores will oblterate, then we should
| make the trade.
I cannot wonder that the renreson+o tive
in congress of district containing an in
dustry that might be somewhat injured
| by a reciprocal treaty should stand as it's
| opponent; but do wonder that he alone
shall be vested with power of veto. And
mere again l reach the substa ntial diff
culty OF the whole subject. The tariff is
not and must not be local question. In
all the history of our country have never
Known or an instance in which our legisla-
tive tribunals did not faithfully respond to
the will of the people when once that will
was aroused and expressed, And so it
Will be with regard to reciprocity Whcn-
ever the people pass up on it congress viii
! register the decree, Localized interests
may prevail when the people are quiescent.
but they cannot ride the storm of public
agitation and anger Every student of the
! subject knows that we can make a. treaty
with Canada that will give us more work
| to do in the United States than we have
now, and the time will come when the
adoption ofany such treaty will depend not
upon the will of any state or Of any dis
trlct. but upon the centralized, unselfsi,
| righteous will of all the states exercised
for the welfare of all the people, Every
| student Of the subject knows that the
treaty with France, negotiated upon our
part with consummate ability by one of
the most capable and patriotic statesmen
OF his age Will give to the people of the
United States more work in producing
things that will be exported under it into
France than it will take away from them
on account OF the things imported under
it: and when the people adequately under
stand this it will be more difficult for
| those who are interested in a special in
dustry to prevent its passage through the
senate of the United States = ..s
l again appeal to the sentiment with
which began, that our tariff laws whe:
er it is proposed to hange them by di,
| 1clric1a or, 1o1,