Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-11
GOV. CUMMINS' SPEECH
AT RECIPROCITY CONVENTION IN
DETROIT YESTERDAY.
He Declares That Certain Tariff
Schedules Are in Need Of
Revision Now.

At the afternoon session of the national
reciprocity convention at Detroit yesterday
Governor A. B. Cummins of Iowa spoke on
Reciprocity and the Tariff" He said:
There is spirit abroad in some quarters
which condemns a reciprocal treaty with
out regard to the advantage it tenders If 1t
be found that any home industry, however
insignificant may be injuriously affected
by it. If this spirit is to continue and to
prevail, reciprocity may as well be at once
abandoned and the country left to choose
between the unalterable schedules of the
highest possible protective tariff and the
disastrous consequences of absolute free
trade.
Little or nothing can be accomplished
until we are willing to approach tariff
schedules in precisely the same spirit that
we approach any other subject of legis-
lation. So long as the controlling minds of
Congress insist that the welfare of the
country demands that the tariff be let alone
there is no hope for practical or substantial
reciprocity.
Reciprocity will never win it's way until
we shall be willing to treat the tariff
nationally instead of Historically, and the
first step in the process is to be willing to
make such changes as from time to time
may be necessary to bring tariff schedules
into harmony with the principle which vim
dicates their existence.
II believe some changes are demanded
now without respect to a modification of
duties levied by any other country upon
our exports. I am unalterably opposed to
readjustment for light or trivial reasons
Changes should not be made unless it shall
be clear that duties are too high or too
low. Tariff schedules, like all other laws
are to be made, unmade. and remade &C
cording to the public needs; and we not
to be warned off by the cry that we are on
holy ground and that the sacred vestments
H., ~cto ,<, - nI,aI
fame hands.
There duties notably in the iron and
steel schedule. although not confined to it,
which are absolutely indefensible. which
no man will ever attempt to defend, and
which are as much at war with the real
object Of protection as free trade itself
They can greatly be reduced and still the
American manufacturer will occupy the
whole American market, pay the highest
American wages, and be rewarded with
ample American profit; and therefore they
ought to be reduced, not years hence, but
now. There are materials which our ex-
perience has shown us should be admitted
free simply because they would give our
people more work to do In preparing them
for their ultimate uses, and it should be
done not years hence, but now.
ut is said that in order to change any
schedule or any part of any schedule the
whole tariff must be taken up and revised
the work of years discarded and a new law
substituted l deny the propoSit ion. 1t is
the unworthy shelter of two divisions in
the army of the opposition; first those who
want to perpetuate something which they
know to be condemned under impartial in
vestgation; and, second, the timid souls
who would rather not vote at all than vote
right or wrong. ], for one have stood too
long and too often before the people of my
country, defending the principle Of protec-
ton, to admit that the schedules which
carry 1t into execution are the result of
miserable and contemplate barter and ex-
change among the special representatives
Of industrial interests
I'VE who believe that the time has come
in which to make certain changes are in
favor Of no modification that will admit ex-
cept through fair reciprocity, which will
increase rather than diminish the work to
be done in this country, a single dollar of
imported commodities. We do not favor
the reduction of any schedule below the
point at which the American manufacturer
can if he will, monopolize the whole Amer
lean market at a fair price. We stand for
tariff duties adjusted that the potential
competition from other countries will pre-
vent producers at home from exacting more
than a just and reasonable price for what
they produce.
I'VE must either approve or disapprove
the doctrine of reciprocity upon the as
sumption that any treaty or bargain which
carries 1t into effect will be advantageous
to both the high contracting parties and
that both will receive from it those benefits
which 1t promises. We must assume that
any such treaties or bargains will have the
effect Of admitting to the United States
competitive commodities upon better terms
than heretofore received; that Is to say,
upon such terms as Will enable the foreign
purchaser to at least fairly compete with
the home producer, and therefore it is not
only probable, but reasonably certain that
any such arrangement will result in dimin-
ishing the output Of the home producers in