Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-14

| the subject, guided by the principle OF
| protection, with the. same fearless de-
| termination that has always charac-
| terized the work of a republican body.
.srhe platform to which have re-
| ferred also declares for reciprocity.
This is a subject concerning which
There has always been rlllch ambiguity
lin expression and much difference of
lreal opinion. The national platform of
j1S96 seems to declare for reciprocity in
lall commodities concerning which Ia
iyorable bargains can he made. The
Dingley tariff law of 1897 made express
provision for such reciprocaE treaties.
The national platform of 1900 seems,
however, to favor reciprocity only IN
non competitive commodities. With
lout therefore, impugning the motives
of any man who differs from me re-
specting this very serious subject, pc
Ilieye that the whole matter is now open
for the calm and careful consideration
of the republican party. believe that
II can favor a reciprocal treaty In com-
petitive things strictly within repub-
Ilican lines. / concede that another may
|object to reciprocity in competitive ar
lticles and still be within republican
lines. For myself l am profoundly con-
viaced that, as declared in the nauonal
platform of 1896, protection gives us the
home market, and to reciprocity we
Imust look for our riEhtfal share of for
|eign markets. With our brilliant entry
lin a sovereign way into the affairs OF
1.-THE world, which resulted from the
lSpanish war, our commercial relations
with other countries took on a different
phase. Our competitors seemed for the
first time TO fairly realize what inroads
we were making in the markets of other
nations. and from that time there has
been everywhere, not possibly a con-
certed but simultaneous movement. to
limit and hamper the United States
lin its dealings abroad. This movement
lis not temporary but permanent one,
INSPIRED by we'll grounded fear that
the unequaled energy and capacity of
the, Arne rican producer will conquer
foreign markets and hold them as se-
|curely as we have held our own. Un-
wonted and extraordinary activity,
therefore, has been noticeable every
where, and these conditions have made
reciprocity treaties OF vastly more con-
sequence in this country than ever be-
fore. Ii we are permitted to enter for
leigh markets with the products of our
Industry upon the same terms that are
given to competing nations, we will be
compelled to do so under reciprocal
trades and these trades will involve not
|only non-competitive but competitive
Particles. The whole object OF our laws
relating to this general subject, whether
they be laws imposing duties upon inn
ports or whether they he treatiss af-
fecting the interchange of business, are,
and must be. directed to accomplish
lust one purpose-that is. to increase
American production to the highest
possible point and thereby give to the
IworMngmen and workingwomen of the
work and to employ the greatest possi-
BILE amount of capital. Therefore. when
Ia reciprocal treaty can be negotiated
which will give us q better market for
our productions abroad. and which, If
lit does take away any of our home
market, will take away less than we
lacquire, l favor such a treaty. I think
the abrogation OF the reciprocal treaties
under the last Cleveland administration
was one of the most artocious political
crimes ever committed by the demo-
tcratic party. and do not want to see
the republican party convicted of the
lsame offense. We should understand
once for all that we must give as we'll
as take when we make a bargain with
la foreign nation. Our care must be
lsimpIy that the bargain is a good one
for US, that it will increase our produc-
ton, and give to our men and women
more work at good wages. The time is
lripe for such treaties. We ought to do
five-fold more business at this moment
with the Central and South American
countries than we are doing, and
firmly believe that reciprocal treaties,
following the line marked out by Blaine
and Mckinley, must be secured before
we obtain our rightful share in those
markets. l believe that q reciprocal
treaty can be made With Canada which
will very greatly increase the business
iof the United States, aud which will
IpreNsnt the gradual transfer of Amer
can enterprises to Canadian soil. be-
licve that q treaty can be made with
France, and possibly one with Germany
that will admit at least our agricultural
products into these countries upon the
er nations receive. ] believe that these
treaties, or many of them. would all be
! i part of the law of the land now We're
HIT not for the insane fear that opposes
tany change in the tariff schedules.
"One more suggestion and l shall
have finished. have heard some crit
icism respecting that clause in our
platform of last year which declares
that we favor any modification of the
tariff schedules necessary to prevent
their affording shelter to monopoly.
1t ought to be true, whether it is or not
I / leave to your judgment, that the
democrats should have a monopoly at
least of the perversion and miscon-
struction of this phrase in the plat
form. In my opinion 1t declares a fund
lamental truth in political and industrial
economy 1t does not contain the sug-
gestion even that the tariff is in any
wise responsible for the existence or the
evil of those large corporations which
are in this day commonly called
trusts" 1t is unfortunate that some
more apt and definite word has not
been employed to describe these cor
porations. That there has been Il ten
dency in recent years towards CONSOLE
dation and concentration. must be
admitted by every thoughtful observer
of affairs. desire to be absolutely
candid upon this subject, and | say
frankly that in my opinion the ten
dency itself toward larger corporations
can not be destroyed by law, nor am ]
prepared to say that it ought to be
Il CT Ia