The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-01

timent about this country being the
asylum for the oppressed of all man.
Kind, but he expresses the sturdy prin-
ciple that the duty of this country Is
to promote the progress and welfare of
our own country that IL Is neither
good ethics good economics nor good
statesmanship to permit any foreign
influences to operate which Will tend to
lessen or In any way prevent the prog
ress and prosperity of our own people.
There Will be ever so much hair-split-
ting opposition to the practical carry
Ing out of the presidents recommended
tion on this subject, but every true
protectionist, every friend of labor, ev
cry believer in. the principle that the
way to make the most of our own in
fuences Is to protect and everywhere
enlarge the opportunities for social i'm
provement among American citizens,
should support this recommendation.
We have dawdled with the immigra-
tion question long enough. The at
tempt at law-making on this subject
has been to run with the hounds and
hide with the hare. 1t has been to
make immigration laws in response to
the popular demand, but to make them
SO that they should have the minimum
restricting effect on the importation of
cheap labor. If we are really to have
the principle of protection endorsed and
established for our Industries, afford
Ing them the opportunity of maximum
development, consistency demands that
the same protection should be afforded
to the laborers against the competi-
tion of the drag-down and pestilential
influences which our present tide of
immigration is introducing into our in
dustrial life, especially in our large
cities.
PROTECTION AND RECIPROCITY.
On the subject of protection and reci-
procity the president is equally definite
and Ineligible. He has correctly esti-
mated the efforts to use President Nc
kinley's last utterance on reciprocity
as a means Of extending free trade by
the increase of the free list, and with
clarion note he declares in favor of
our tariff system as a national policy"
and truly says: 1.-The first requisite of
our prosperity is the continuity and
stabilitiYof this economic policy. Moth
ing corH be more unwise than to dis
turb tfrl business interests of the coun-
try by Shy general tariff change at this
time" 'fAnd, while entirely friendly to
recipro pty, he declares:
1t mus y be treated as the hand.naiden of pro.
lection. Hour first duty is to see that the pro.
lection stnnted by 'he tariff in every case where
it is nealed is maintained, and that the recp-
rocity ba sought for so far as it can safely be
done without injury to our home industries.
He then lays down the sound econo-
mic principle upon which all tariff re-
adjustments and reciprocity treaties
should be governed, namely, the cost
of production in the United States, re-
membering always, he says, THAT ev-
cry application of our tariff policy to
meet our national needs must be con-
duties must never be reduced below
the point that will cover the difference
between the labor cost here and abroad.
The well-being of the wage worker is
prime consideration in our entire
policy of economic legislation"
This states the true American as well
as the sound economic policy on both
protection and reciprocity. The presi-
dent here lays down clear scientific
principle which is easy to understand
and a thoroughly feasible basis of
practical policy. If congress will follow
this line, tariff adjustments may be
progressively accomplished with COM
parative economic accuracy, without
disturbing the industrial conditions of
the country.
MEANS A NEW REGIME.