The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-06-28
TUESDAY, JUNE %, 1904
ROOSEVELT vs.. M'KINLEY

It is no wonder that those Repub-
ncan newspapers and those Republican
voters that have insisted upon some
relaxation of protective duties and
some modification Of tariff monstrosi-
ties are inclined, even in the midst of
their agonies of enthusiasm over
Roosevelt, to venture a few kicks at
the platform. The longer that volum-
inous and insincere document is studied
the less hope will any man find in it
of relief from extreme taxation or Of
expansion of our foreign market.
The standpatters did their work
thoroughly. Rates of duty, says the
Republican platform, should be read
justed only when conditions have so
changed that the public interest de-
mands their alteration, but this work
cannot safely be committed to any other
hands than those of the Republican
party This, of course, is equivalent
to a definite and permanent denial Of
all tariff reduction. The Republican
party is to be sole judge of the occa-
sion, as we'll as the sole executor Of
the act. The country is to wait until
it is convinced that conditions have
so changed" as to require tariff
changes. Then it must wait until Re-
publicans are in power and are ready
and willing to pass a bill. This means
never.
Now as to reciprocity. Republicans,
while not in the least turned from their
purpose of bolstering up prohibitory
tariffs, were a little alarmed by the
universal demand for some nominal
concession in the line of reciprocity.
SO they put into their platform, as
supposed sop to this element, the fol-
lowing declaration: I'VE have extend
ed widely our foreign markets, and we
believe in the adoption of all prac-
ticable methods for their future extern
sion, including commercial reciprocity
wherever reciprocal arrangements can
be effected consistently with the prin-
ciples Of protection, and without in
jury to American agriculture, Ameri-
can labor or any American industry"
The Interpretation Of this declaration.
carefully hedged about as it is with all
sorts Of limitations, has already been
made by Republican congress. It has
decided that there can in practice he
no such thing as reciprocity Proposed
treaties have been brought before it Of
such number and variety that if the
Republican party could ever be brought
to sanction reciprocity in any measure
and in any form it would have ap-
proved one or more of these documents.
They have died the death.
No reciprocity treaty can be framed
without agreeing to admit to this
country some commodity at a reduced
rate of duty. Instantly some interest in
the United States shows that, directly
or indirectly, mediately or immediately.
1T is going to be affected and demands
that the treaty be killed. That demand ;s
always granted; and with the Repub-
lican party in power, it always will be
This is the policy and this is the prac-
tical application of 1t which the Re-
publican party represents today; and
for which Theodore Roosevelt accent
Ing the nomination for president on the
platform as it stands, must be respon-
sibie Let us, in this connection, con-
slider what were the dying words of
that other president whom Mr.. Roose-
welt succeeded, and whose views he
N!edged himself in his first public ut