Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-09-29


ciples could be applied by United
States courts in cases involving inter-
state commerce in the absence of Unit
ed States statutes specifically cover
ing the case. Such is the law CT the
land.
Reciprocity.
In my address to the notification
committee / said that tariff reform lis
demanded by the best interests of
both manufacturer and consumer. =
With equal truth it can be said that
the benefits of reciprocal trade trea-
ties would enure to both. That the
consumer would be helped is unques
tionabIe. That the manufacturer would
receive great benefit by extending his
markets abroad hardly needs demon
stration. His productive capacity has
outgrown the home market. The very
its significance Once. from the manu-
facturers' point of view. it meant eX
pansion; today the marvellous growth
of our manufacturing industries has
far exceeded the consumptive capacity
of our domestic markets, and the term
rather than expansion. If we would
run our mills to their full capacity,
thus giving steady employment to our
workmen and securing to them and to
the manufacturer the profits accruing
from increased production, other mar
yotc fOI1T11 ENi1pf horn
when our manufacturers are depend
ent on raw materials in whole or part
imported, it is vital to the extension
of their yparkes abroad that they Sc
cure their materials on the most IA
Yorable terms.
Our martyred president, William Nc
Kinley, appreciated this situation. He
people that we must make sensible
trade arrangements if 1--WE shall ex-
tend the outlets for our increasing sur
plus He said: "a system which pro-
vides mutual exchange of commodi-
ties is manifestly essential to the con-
tinued and healt. full growth of our ex-
port trade. The period of exclu-
siveness is past The expansion of our
trade and com cree is the pressing
problem. Commercial wars are unprof
liable. A policy of good will and
friendly relation will prevent repris-
ais Reciprocity treaties are in har-
mony with the spirit of the times;
measures of retaliation are not"
This argument was made in the in
terest of our manufacturers, whose
products, he urged. have so multi
piled that the problem of more markets
requires our urgent and immediate at
tention" He had come to realize that
the so called stand pat policy must
give way; that there must be a reduc-
ton of duties to enable our manufac-
turers to cultivate foreign markets.
The last words of this president, who
had won the affection of his country
men, ought to be studied by every man
who has any doubt of the necessity of
o reduction in tariff rates in the inter
est of the manufacturer. They present
with clearness situation and pro-
posed remedy that prompted the proyi-
sion in our platform which declares
that 1--WE favor liberal trade arrange
ments with Canada and with peoples
of eother countries where they can be
entered into with benefit to American
agriculture. manufactures, mining or
commerce.
The persistent refusal of the Repub-
lican majority in the federal senate to
ratify the reciprocity treaties nego
tiated in pursuance of the policy adj
voeated alike by Mr. Blaine and Mr..
Mckinley, and expressly sanctioned in
the Dingley act itself. is a discourag
ing exhibition of bad faith. AS already
mentioned by me, the exorbitant duty
imposed on many an imported article
by the Dingley tariff was avowedly in
tended by its author not to be perma-
nent, but to serve temporarily as a
maximum, from which the federal gov
eminent was empowered to offer re-
duction in return for an equivalent
concession on the part of a foreign
country President Mckinley under
took honestly to carry out the purpose
of the act A number of reciprocity
agreements were negotiated, which, if
ratified, would have had the twofold
result of cheapening many imported
products for American consumers and
of opening and charging foreign mar
kets to American producers. Not one
of those agreements has met with the
approval of the Republican masters of
the senate. Indeed they did not even
permit their consideration. In view
of the attitude of the present execu-
tive, no new agreement need be ex-
pected from him. Nor does the Re
publican platform contain a favorable
reference to one of the suspended
treaties. The reciprocity clauses of
the Dingley act seem destined to re-
main a monument of legislative cozen-
age and political bad faith unless the
people take the matter in their own
hands at the ballot box and command
a reduction of duties in return for
reciprocal concessions.