Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-05

Of its market in the United States, and
upon the United States. because Of the
equal widening and the progressive control
IL will give to our people in the Cuban
market. This treaty is beneficial to both
parties and justihes itself on several
grounds. In the first Llace we offer to
Cuba its natural market. We can confer
upon it a benefit which no other nation
can confer. and for the reason that we
have started It as an independent republic
and that we are rich, prosperous and power
full It behooves us to stretch out a 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 manufactures, and it is
therefore in the interests Of our farmers,
manufacturers merchants and wage work
ers.
Must Control Military situation.
FINALLY, the treaty was not merely war
ranted but demanded, apart from all other
considerations, by the enlightened consid-
Grafton OF our foreign policy. More and
more in the future we must occupy a pre-
ponderant position in the water and along
the coasts in the region south OF us; not
a position OF control over the republics
Of the south, but OF control Of the military
situation so as to avoid any possible
complications in the future. Under the
Plat amendment Cuba agreed to give US
certain naval stations on its coast. The
Navy department decided 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. In other
ur1RAd NAn a.,,kINa - T.LA -. -.,..
a special relation to our international po-
litical system, under which 1t gives us out
posts Of defense, and we are morally bound
to extend to it in a degree the benefit Of
our own economic system. From every
standpoint of wise and enlightened home
and foreign policy the ratification of the
Cuban treaty marked a step of substantial
progress in the growth of our nation to-
ward greatness at home and abroad.
Equally important was the action on
the tariff upon products OF the Philippines.
We gave them a reduction Of % per cent
and would have given them a reduction Of
rs per cent more had it not been for the
opposition, in the hurried closing days Of
the last session, Of certain gentlemen who,
by the way, have been representing them
selves both as peculiarly solicitous for the
interests Of the Philippine people and as
special champions of the lowering Of tariff
duties. There is a distinctly humorous side
to the fact that the reduction of duties
which would beneht Cuba and the Philip
pines as we'll as ourselves was an%tagonized
chiefly by those who in theory have been
fond of proclaiming themselves the ad-
vanced guardians of the oppressed nation
alities in the islands affected and the ardent
advocates Of the reduction OF duties gem
orally, but who instantly took violent
ground against the practical steps to ac-
complish either purpose.
Moreover, a law was enacted putting
anthracite on the free list and completely
removing the duties on all other kinds Of
coal for one year.
Protection Aids Independent America
w are now in a condition OF pros
perity unparalleled not merely in our own
history, but in the history OF any other
nation. Tails prosperity is doep-rooted and
stands on a firm basis because 1t is due TO
the fact that the average American has in
him the stun out of which victors are mads
In the great Industrial contests Of the pres
ent day, Just as in the great military con-
tests Of the past, and because he is now
able to use and develop his qualities to
best advantage under our well-established
economic system. We are winning head
ship among the nations Of the world be-
cause our people are able to keep their
high average of individual citizenship and
to show their mastery in the hard, COM
pick. pushing life of the age. There will
be fluctuations from time TO time in our
prosperity, but 1t will continue to grow
just so long as we keep up this high aver
age of individual citizenship and permit It
to work out its own salvation under proper
economic legislation.
THE present phenomenal prosperity hes
been won under a tariff which was made in
accordance with certain fixed and definite
principles, the most important OF which is
an avowed determination to protect the in
terests Of the American producer, business
man, wage worker and farmer alike. The
general tariff policy. to which. without re-
gard to changes in detail. l believe this
country is irrevocabIy committed, is funda-
mentally based upon ample recognition OF
the difference between the cost Of produce
tion-that is, the cost of labor-here and
abroad. and OF the need to see to It that our
laws shall In no event afford advantage in
cur own market to foreign Industries over
American Industries, to foreign capital over
American capital, to foreign labor over our
own labor. This country has and this
country needs better paid, better educated,
better fed and better clothed workingmen.
Of a higher type. than are to be found IN
any foreign country. II has and 1t needs a
higher, more vigorous and more prosperous
type OF tillers of the soil than is possessed
by any other country. The business men,
the merchants and manufacturers and the
managers OF the transportation interests
show the same superiority when compared
with men OF their type abroad.
"The events Of the last few years have
shown how skillfully the leaders Of Amer
lean industry use In international business
competition the mighty industrial weapons
forged for them by the resources OF our
country, the wisdom OF our laws. and the
skill. the inventive genius, and the ad-
ministrative capacity of our people.
Tariff Business Proposition.
'Tt 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 a business proposition,
from The standpoint Of the interests Of the
country as a whole. and not with reference
to the temporary needs OF any political
party. II is almost as necessary tha our
policy should be stable as that II should be
wise. A nation Ike ours could not long
stand the ruinous policy Of readjusting its
business to radical changes in the tsrin at