New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-26
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
REIMBURSEMENT OF TARIFF.
Reciprocity Rather Than Revision Should
Be the Keynote
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir; am pleased to note the decidedly advanced
and ousnessilke position which you take regarding
the course to be pursued in the consideration Of the
proper readjustment Of the tariff schedules.
The plan which you propose of establishing
commission composed OF representatives OF the
business interests. to consider and report such
changes as they may agree upon to Congress for
action is statssmanlike
It is advisable that this commission should also
be empowered to ascertain and prepare a state
ment of conditions that would be acceptable 70 for
eign countries on which to establish reciprocal re-
lations, particularly with Canada
You will do wen to press this proposition as a
plan to be followed by the Republican party. You
viii recall in my letters to you in the month OF
August that / outlined the conditions which have
since come TO pass: that I predicted the largest
vote for President Roosevelt that had ever been
poIIed in Massachusetts: that also called to your
attention the dissatisfaction in the Republican
party with machine domination.
The political machine and the party boss
very serious menace to the perpetuation Of civil
liberties guaranteed by the Constitution but pract
caIv nulIihed by the usurpaton OF power and the
avoidance OF responsibility on the part OF the die
tators.
Mr.. Bates's defeat for Governor was brought
largely because the impression had gone forth
that he the instrument of the party boss in
his unreasoning opposition reciprocity The
marked difference between the vote for the Presl-
dent and that for Governor Bates, you will admit,
does not indicate accident The question FORE
most in the minds of the public which mad been
pressed in the convention by Mr.. Foss and others
was Republican reciprocity. Had progressive Re
publican business man who had been identified with
the reciprocity movement been nominated. MI
Douglas would not only not have been elected D-J
he would not have been nominated.
Because of the apparent lack OF sincerity on the
part of the Republican party. Mr. Douglas was pu'
forward. and with what result is now apparent
70 those who warned. but refused TO believe
1t should be significant TO those who will see that
the Democratic convention, called on the same day
as that Of the Republican party, did not organize
until late in the dav and not until after the ad-
journment of the Republican convention
The Republican reciprocity movement was started
BY those who believe in the protective principle
tempered by reciprocal treaties. forestaH gen
eral propaganda FOX free trade and the consequent
unsettement of business conditions
With both parties committed 10 reciprocity and
Mr. Roosevelt thoroughly identlned a. being raFor-
able to it and independent OF machine influences.
with sixty thousand voters in Massachusetts lead
ing the way and pledglng themselves 10 Hoosevelt
and reciprocity, what else could the country do nut
elect him with the most complete Endorsement ever
given?
Now 10 use Mr.. RooseveIt's words. reciprocity
rather than revision should be the watchWord-
and a commission headed by Mr.. Foss. 10 labor
earnestly bring about better trade relations viii
give confidence. encourage exchange and produce
business boom the like OF which this country has
never seen WILLIAM J. ANtTt4IN
Brocktou Mass, Nov. IS. 1904