The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-01-02

PROVISIONS ana manufactured goods.
This treaty was very profitable to both
parties.
Early in the eighties it was dis
covered by our statesmen az Wash
ington that the high tariff, which had
been maintained with more or less
notifications since the civil war, was
producing more revenue than we need
ed for the expenses Of the government
and for gradual reduction of the
public debt. Two methods of reduc-
ing the revenue were considered, one
by general reduction of the tariff,
and the other by placing on the free
list sugar and other articles of
universal consumption. The fact was
taken into consideration, however,
that reduction in duties often had
the effect Of increasing the amount of
revenue, which had been demonstrate
ed by experience in 1857. At the
same time the feeling in favor of
maintaining the tariff as protection
to our industries was pronounced.
AS a result of the agitation tariff
commission was appointed which made
a report that formed the basis for the
tariff law of 1883, in which certain
articles were placed on the free list.
but there was also general reduc-
tion in the duties. 1t had been pro-
posed TO place sugar on the free list,
or to reduce considerably the duty on
it, but this proposition was strongly
resisted by the friends of the Louisiana
sugar planters. AS the years passed
the sentiment in favor of reducing or
dropping the duty on sugar increased,
and out of this agitation grew the
policy voiced by James G.. Blaine for
an American Customs Union which
was considered by the Pan-American
conference of 1889.
Before this convention, however,
steps had been taken in the direction
of reciprocity with the countries to
the south of us. In 1888, General
Grant in behalf of the United States
negotiated reciprocity treaty with
Mexico. This treaty failed to receive
consideration in congress chiefly be-
cause it made concessions TO Mexico
on sugar, and the feeling in congress
was so strongly in favor of protecting
to the limit the planters OF Louisiana
that our people would not consider
concessions on even the small amount
of sugar that we might import from
Mexico.
The first clear definition in recent
times of the policy of reciprocity, as
we now understand it, was in Presi-
dent Arthur's fourth annual message,
in 1884, which, curlously enough, fol-
lows almost the same lines as were
laid down by Jefferson. President
Arthur proposed:
A series of reciprocal treaties with
the counties of America which shall
foster between us and them an un-
hampered movement of trade. The
conditions of these treaties should be
the free admission of such merchan-
disc as this country I,6cs not produce,
in return for the admission free, or
under a favored scheme of duties, of
our own products. xs4
1t is by no means desirable, however,
that the policy under discussion should
be applied to these countries alone.
The healthful enlargement OF our trade
with Europe. Asia and Africa should
be sought by reducing tariff burdens
on such of their wares as neither we
nor the other American states are fit-
ted to produce, thus enabling our
selves to obtain in r-turn better
market for our supplies of food, OF raw
material and of the manufactures in
which we excel.
1t seems to me that many of the
embarrassing elements in the great
national conflict between protection
and free trade may thus be turned tol
good account; that the revenue may
be reduced so as no longer to oyer-tax
the people; that protective duties may
be retained without becoming burden
some; that our shipping interests may
be judiciously encouraged \ = = y and
above all such unity of interests es-
tabiished among the states OF the
American system as will be of great
and ever-increasing advantage to
them all.
One of the pioneers in this move
ment to secure recognition for the
policy of reciprocity was Senator AID
rich of Rhode Island, who introduced
in the senate in 1885, the following
resolution:
That the President is requested to
enter upon negotiations with the gov
ernments CT the several principal SUI
gar producing countries of the world
with view of securing mutual agree
ments by which the United States
shall agree to admit at its ports, free
of duty, sugar and mola-ses, the pro-
duce of such countries or their colon
les, when transported in vessels under
the flag of either of the contracting
parties, and upon which no export
taxes or other export charges shall
have been levied. upon the condition