The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-01-16
PART THREE

| "a II
In the preceding articles con-
secutive history has been given of the
principal events connected with the
development Of reciprocity in our rela-
tionS with foreign governments. The
fact is worthy of special consideration
that this policy has been broadening
continually in the past twenty years.
During President Arthur S administra-
ton. and the ten years following, our
idea was to place on our free list or to
admit at reduced rates of duty, the
sugar of the American countries south
of us in return fO- concessions in
their markets on our agricultural and
other products; and the sugar ques-
tiOn was also made the basis Of rec
procity treaties with Germany and
Austria. But there has been great
change in the past ten years in tha
condition of American industries.
The need for wider markets for OuI
manufactured products has become sc
great that the undeveloped countries
of Central and South America offer us
but little hope Of relief even though
they should admit our products free OF
duty. No one recognized these facts
more keenly or took broader view of
| the situation than did President Nc
Kinley, who was one of the foremost
experts in the United States on ques-
tions relating to the tariff, and was
therefore peculiarly fitted for graSping
the question in all its details.
In President McKinley's policy,
which was developed during his first
administration, broad foundation
was built for negotiating these
treaties on lines that are in harmony
with the usages of diplomacy and
commerce.
The Dingley tariff of 1897 in effect
was double tariff composed of maxi
mum and minimum rates Of duties,
inasmuch as the law expressly provides
for reductions not exceeding 20 per
cent from the specified rates in favor
of any nation that would make con-
cessions tou This is the identical
principle followed by France, except
ing that the difference between the
minimum and maximum French tariff
is much greater than the reduction of
20 per cent allowed in our law.
To obtain clear view Of the broad
outlines of President Mckinley S
policy We should refer to the republl-
can platforms of 1892. and especially
of 1896. In 1892, the republican
party first defined in plank in its
platform this great question. as fol-
lows:
We believe that all articles which
cannot be produced in tie United
States, except luXuries, should be adj
mitted free of duty, and that on all
imports coming into competition with
the products OF American labor there
S ould be levied duties equal TO the
difference between the wages abroad
and at home.
We point to the success of the re-
publican policy of reciprocity under
which cur export trade has vastly in
creased and new and enlarged markets
have been opened for the p-oducts OF
our farms and workshops.
In the republican platform Of 1896
the definition of reciprocity was
broadened considerably. and was put
in language SO strong and unequivocal
that it cannot be mistaken:
Protection and reciprocity are twin
measures OF republican policy and gC
hand in hand. Democratic rule ha.
recklesSly struck down both and oott
must be restored. Protection fol
what we produce; free admission fol
the necesSaries of life which we dc
, not produce: reciprocal agreements Of
mutual interest, which gain open mar
kets for us in return for our open mar
kets for Others Protection builds III
domestic industry and trade, an(
secures our own market for ourselves
reciprocity builds up foreign trade and
finds an outlet for our surplus.
Some of the opponents of reciproc
ity, or It's profesSed friends who al,
really anxious to postpone it indefinite
ly, maintain that we never got AVA
from the narrow principle that wa
advocated in the eighties. To main
tain this argument, however, woulC
place President Mckinley in a falls,
position before the American pecpl,
in almost every public act and state
ment on this question. The tariff o
1897 puts on~the free list PRACTICAL,
all the products that we import from
the American countries south of us
and which we do not produce ourselves
, How then can we offer them any con
cessions that would bring us conces
sIons of value on their part9
On the other hand our commerce,
, with Europe reaches enormous proper
tions, our exports amounting to NOR,
than twice our imports. We cal