New-York tribune., 1902-03-16
THE RECIPROCITY RECORD.

Opponents OF reciprocity with Cuba seem TO
be fond of appealing TO the record. They try to
cite the platforms and pledges of the Republi-
can party against the present policy of the great
majority OF that party. Thus in one Of their
most detailed. deliberate and impressive pro-
nouncements they say
We reafirn our adherence to the Republican
national platform of 1896 insuring adequate
protection to the cane and beet sugar indus
tries of the United States, and to the policy Of
reciprocity declared in the platform Of 1900
One might ask why, after reaffrming in toto
the platform Of 1896, they think it necessary to
add a selected passage from that Of 1900. 1t
cannot he because that of 1896 silent upon
reciprocity, for it was not Here is what it said
about it, and this is Of the things to which
these beet sugar opponents of reciprocity re
affirm their adherence:
We believe the repeal of the reciprocity ar
rangements negotiated by the last Republican
administration q national calamity and We
demand their renewal and extension such
terms as will equalze trade with other
tons. remove the restrictions which now OBJ
struct the sale of American products in the ports
of other countries, and secure enlarged markets
for the products Of our farms, forests and fac
tories. Protection and reciprocity twin meas
ures Of Republican policy and go hand in hand
Both must be re-established.
That is the record. That is the Republican
national platform of 1896. on which the Repub-
What We're the reciprocity arrangements" the
restoration of which is demanded? One of them
was the Harrison Blaine Mckinley convention
with Spain. under which reciprocity was estab-
lished with Cuba and Cuban products received
great tariff concessions. And our beet sugar
friends 'reaffirm their adherence" to itI That
is to say, they demand the renewal Of reciproc-
ity with Cuba. on such terms as will eQualiZe
our trade with that island, remove the restric-
tions which now obstruct the sale of American
products in Cuban ports and secure the Cuban
markets for the products of our farms, forests
and factories Bravo, Messrs. Opponents OF
Reciprocity! None of us could ask more than
that! Let us have done, then, with the talk, in
which some beet sugar advocates have been in
dugng about reciprocity's being n doubtful
| policy, or at most a mere supplementary appen-
dix TO protection. The platform to which ad-
| herence is reafirmed by these very beet sugar
| advocates declares expressly that reciprocity
is a twin measure with protection not a subor-
dinate or supplementary one, and that the two
| ''go hand in hand"
oh, but, does some one say, the beet sugar
| advocates do not mean TO reaffirm adherence to
| that part of the platform OF 1S96-though they
| say nothing about excepting it-but they mean
TO substitute for it the reciprocity clause of the
1900 platform, thus making their creed elective?
| Very we'll. Anything to suit. Here is what the
| platform Of 1900 says of reciprocity:
| We favor the associated policy of reciprocity
so directed to open markets on favora BILE
| terms for what do not ourselves produce, in
return for free foreign markets.
There 1t is again. Reciprocity is not a sub