Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-08
TALKS THE TARIFF II
The Presidents Views on the Prin-
ciple of Protection. =.
speaks Of Question Of Revision In
General and in Specific Instances
Amendment Of the Cuban and
Philippine Schedules. :.
delivered at Minneapolis, April Al

Ny Fellow-Citizens:
At the spcial session Of the senate
held in March the Cuban reciprocity
treaty was ratified. When this treaty
goes into effect, it will confer sub
stantial economic benefits alike upon
Cuba, because of the widening of her
market, in the United States, and,
upon the United States, because of
the equal widening and the progress
sive control it will give to our people
in the Cuban market. In the first
place, we offer to Cuba her natural
market. We can confer upon her a
benefit which no other nation can
confer; and for the very reason that
we have started her as an indepen-
dent republic and that; we are rich,
prosperous and powerful, it behooves
us to stretch out helping hand to
our feebler younger sister. In the
next place it widens the market for
our products, both the products of
the farm and certain of our manufac-
lures; and it is therefore in the in
terests of our farmers, merchants
and wage-workers. ~:Finally the
treaty was pot merely warranted but
demanded, apart from all other con-
siderations, by the enlightened con-
sideration of our foreign policy.
More and more in tho future we must
occupy a preponderant position in
the waters and along the coasts in
the region south of us; not a posi-
ton of control over the republics of
the south, but of control of the mill
itary situation, so as avoid any pos
sible complications in the future. I'm
der the Plat amendment Cuba agreed
to give us certain naval stations on
her coast. The navy department de-
c1ded that we needed but two, and
we have specified where these two
are to be. President Palma has con-
cluded an agreement giving them to
us-an agreement which the Cuban
legislative body will doubtless soon
ratify.
Equally important was the action
on the tariff upon products of the
Philippines. We gave them reduc-
ton of Is per cent, and would have
given them reduction of Is per cent.
more had it not been for the oppose
ton, in the hurried closing days of
the last session, of certain gentle
men who, by the way, have been rep.
resenting themselves both as pecu-
liarly solicitous for the interests of
the Philippine people and as special
champions of the lowering of tariff
duties.
The present phenomenal prosperity
has been won under a tariff which
was made in accordance with certain
fixed and definite principles, the most
important of which is an avowed de-
termination to protect the interests
of the American producer, business
man, wage-worker and farmer alike.
The general tariff policy, to which,
without regard to changes in detail,
I believe this country is irrevocably
committed, is fundamentally based
upon ample recognition of the differ
ence between the cost of production
that is, the cost of labor-here and
abroad, and of the need to see to it
that our laws shall in no event af-
ford advantage in our own market
to foreign industries over American
industries, to foreign capital over
American capital, to foreign labor
over our own labor.
It is, of course, a mere truism to
say that we want to use everything
in our power to foster the welfare
of our entire body polite. In other
words, we need to treat the tariff
as business proposition, from the
standpoint of the interests of the
country as a whole, and not with ref
erencc to the temporary needs of any
political party. It is almost as nee
essary that our policy should be sta
BILE as that it should be wise. A ma
ton like ours could not long stand
the ruinous policy of readjusting it's
business to radical changes in the
tariff at short intervals,
In making any readjus tment there
are certain important considerations
which cannot be disregarded. If a
tariff law has on the whole worked
well, and if business has prospered
under it and is prospecting, it may
be better to endure some inconveni.
ences and inequalities for time than
by making changes to risk causing
disturbances and perhaps paralysis in
the Industries and business of the
country.
One point we must steadily KEEP
in mind. The question of tariff re-
vision, speaking broadly, stands Who'll
~ apart from the question of deal
ing with the trusts. No change il
tariff duties can have any substantial
effect in solving the so-called trust
nr0hlem Certain great trusts n1