The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-05
Hanna VS.. the Millers.

terday the Ohio republican state con-
ven ton and the Millers' National fedora
ton were in session at the same time,
the first at Columbus and the second at
Detroit. The Ohio republicans paid
flne tribute to the policy Of protection and
reaffirrned their fidelity to 1t, concluding
that plank thus: Changing conditions
and the possible benefits OF reciprocity
may call for timely readjustment OF
schedules, but protection as a principle
and as a policy must be administered by
the friends OF American prosperity and
must not be sacrificed Senator Hanna,
in his speech before the convention. Writ
ually condemned any tendency toward
reciprocity as imperiling the principle OF
protection and held that there was no
call for any reduction Of duties. With
couraged.
About the same time that the repub-
licans of Ohio were making the deliver
ance upon the tariff and reciprocity, the
important commercial and industrial or
ganization known as the Millers' National
federation. were declaring that the extern
sion Of our foreign markets Is the solution
Of the difficulties confronting their bust
ness, due to the exclusion Of American
flour from important foreign markets by
import duties, and they demanded with
much force the adoption by our govern
ment of "a broad, liberal and comprehen
siye policy Of genuine reciprocity" to
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flour. They very strongly favored the
fullest possible measure Of reciprocity
with Canada, which in her purchases in
this country stands next to England, and
made a strong deliverance against the
discrimina ting duties imposed by foreign
countries in favor Of wheat and against
flour.
It would appear from this. that Ohio
statesmen are not able to reflect the busi-
ness sentiment Of the country. The mill
ers Of the great federation, representing
a vast industrial interest and producing
half a billion dollars in flour, declare very
emphatically that they want the national
government to adopt. not at some in
definite, future time, but soon as pos
sible, "a broad. liberal and comprehensive
policy of genuine reciprocity notably
with Canada.
What is meant by genuine reciproc-
ity?"
AS defined by the gentlemen who are
afraid reciprocity in some way will trans
form this country into free trade pre-
serve for British, German and French
manufacturers, it means that we should
offer concessions only upon such products
of other countries as are not produced in
the United States, and, consequently, dc
not enter into competition with any Of
our home industries. Such a Limitation
upon reciprocity practically makes its
application valueless. There are very few
products of Importance and value which
are not produced in our own country. Or
the other hand, genuine reciprocity ii
quite another thing. It is reciprocity tina
means something and promises real ad
vantages for our commerce, thru actua
giving and taking Of concessions which
will open wider for us the markets Of tn
world, and very decidedly broaden tn
distribution of our products.
II the senate could be induced to tax
the broad view Of the millers, it woul
take a look at the pigeon -holed Kasso
reciprocity treaties and surely take u
the French treaty moldering there, as !
comedies to us an average reduction fror
the French maximum rate amounting t
48 per cent, including oils, and rs pc
cent, excluding them, and on many arti
cles the reduction from the maximum rat
is SO or 60 per cent, while our govern
mont has conceded an average of less tina
~ per cent from our tariff schedules.