Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-02-27
EVIL OF RECIPROCITY
TRUE REASON WHY THE IDEA IS
UNSOUND.
II Favors Producers In Other Coun-
tries at the Expense Of Homo Con-
sumers-Some Cases In Point Which
Prove This Truth.

Inc american trOteCtlVe idTHu
league has issued its circular No.
1856" in the form Of resolution OF
that singularly altruistic association
adopted at some annual meeting which
seems to have been held in New
York about the middle Of January.
The resolution declares that "reci-
procity in competitive products by
treaty Is unsound in principle, PERM
ciOus In practice and condemned by all
experience. 1t Is neither
ethical nor economic, since 1t seeks to
benefit some industries by the sacri-
fee of others. which is the essence Of
injustice"
It is not often that the American
Protective Tariff league tells the truth
even by accident, and when 1t does 1t
should receive a measure of credit
proportioned to its good intentions.
It is true that reciprocity in COM
petitive products" or any other prod
ucts by treaty is unsound in prin-
ciple." 1t is not only unconstitutional
as an invasion of the province of
Congress by the treaty-making power,
but, as the resolution afflrms, 1t is
'unsound in principle" AS the reso-
luton further affirms. it is not con-
ducive to friendly relations with other
countries, because it favors some Of
them more than others.
But, what the resolution does not
say, it is unsound chiefly because it
favors producers in other countries or
importers of their products at the
expense of home consumers.
Tor instance, we reduce the duty on
sugar imported from Cuba 20 per
cent, leaving the duty on all other i'm
ported sugar the same.-..--The effect
is not to reduce the price of sugar to
American consumers In the least. The
duty on other imported sugar is added
to the price of every pound that goes
into consumption in this country,
Louisiana or Michigan.
The American consumer pays just
the same on Cuban sugar as on Ger
man sugar, but the government does
not get the money. 1t goes either to
the Cuban producer or to the Have
meyer sugar trust or they divide it be-
tween them. And 1t is the same in
any other case of reciprocity decker
The American protectee, however,
should be the last man to complain.
He gets his pound of flesh just the
same. The only thing he has to fear
is that the same reciprocity terms will
be made with all countries, which
fould be equivalent to lowering of
rates all around by the direct process
of legislation. But there is no dan
ger Of that under Republican rule
The league tells the truth also when
it says that reciprocity seeks to bene-
fit some industries by the sacrifice Of
others, but this Is true only when
reciprocity in the case Of any article
is carried to the extent Of reducing
the duty on that article from whatever
source imported
{: The league. gets down to the bed
rock of truth, though unintentionally.
when it says that the benefiting of
some industries by the sacrifice Of
Others sis the essence Of injustice"
This is precisely what protection seeks
to do in every case. 1t fastens the
protected industries as parasites on
those which are and necessarily must
be self-independent.
What the league says of reciprocity
is strictly true of the whole scheme
of protectionism. 1t "opens the door
to the grossest favoritlsm in legisla-
ton, promotes the growth of a cor
rupting lobby and increases the power
of debasing bossism."
The league did not intend to tell the
truth about itself and its system when
it used this language, but it hit the
nail squarely on the head.
~. L.