Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-07
Cedar Rapids Wants Us to
Limit Reciprocity to Non
1 Competitive" Products
a LOCAL ATTORNEY ACTIVE
linn County Enemies of Governor
cummins Request Their Friend in
Marshall to Prepare Platform Plank
That Will Support Their Criticism of
The Governors Tariff Views


days that any interest has been aroused
In the Marshall county republican con-
vention which meets in this city next
Saturday. If 1t We're not for the con-
test over the conventions favor as to
supervisor and the efforts being made
BY local off OK to secure platform
ers in Cedar Rapids the coming con-
vention would sadly lack for an issue.
In response to a letter from Linn
county this man has drafted a reel
procity plank which will put Marshall
county republicans on record as favor
ing reciprocity only on non -competi-
tive products. BY the average repub-
Ncan the distinction sought to be
drawn Is not we'll understood, but,
since the limitation OF reciprocity to
mon competitive" products is the con-
tention raised by the anti-Cummins
newspapers to excuse their attack
upon the governors tariff views, such a
plank in the Marshall county platform
could be heralded across the state as a
reputation OF Governor Cummins
hence would create great rejoicing in
Cedar Rapids from whence the sug-
gestion has come.
This same contention as to recd-
procity on 'non-competitive" products
was raised prior to the state conven-
tion last year and resulted in the Cum
minis Allison Blythe harmony plank of
the 1908 state platform. In brief the
etandpatters are opposed to all reci-
prOcity which proposes to trade any
tariffs on products that we produce In
this country. They favor trading only
duties on articles which are not pro-
duced In this country. Governor Cum
minis contends that under all protec-
tive tariff laws and especially in the
Mckinley and Dingley bills nearly all
'.non- competitive products have either
been admit tied free OF duty or have re-
ceived very small tariffs and as a con-
sequence il we limit our reciprocity
offers 10 concessions on these schedules
alone we are simply talking to the
winds for we have not got anything to
trade. And he is sure we can't make
any bargain with foreign nations for
Increased markets abroad for our sur
plus corn, wheat and hog producth I'M
less we are willing to give something
in return.
II was because of this stu
,ation that the Cunr1lins-Allison plank
of the state platform last year declared
"Reciprocity between nations is trade
for mutual advantage and both sides
must give and take. 1t was then held
by Senators Allison and Dolliver and
Governor Cunmins AS we'll as the other
leaders that unless our reciprocity
talk was all hot air, we must be will
ing to trade down some OF our protec-
tive tariffs, duties on articles we do
pro 1uce, wherever same can be done
without loss of the home market in that
line of production. All of these leaders
then believed and still believe that
there are many schedules on articles
produced in this country that are no
longer needed. 1t was Dolliver who
had, only a few months before, risen
IN the United States senate to say that
he was on the committee Of ways and
means in the house when the Dingley
bill was framed and that he knew per-
sonally that many schedules in that
bill had been purpxsely placed higher
than necessary with the expectation
that we would have something to trade
without injury to our home industries.
Senator Dolliver then called for a con-
eidera tion Of the Kssson treaties which
President Mckinley had negotiated
with several foreign nations all Of
which provided for concessions on COM
petitive products. AS contemplated in
the Dingfey bill, in return for enlarged
markets abroad. In. order to cover this
point there was added to the Cummins-
Allison plank last year this language
Schedules that are too high should
be lowered schedules that are too low
should be raied.'
For the past week our local
standpatter has been button
boiling delegates in favor of the
Cedar Rapids brand of reciprocity
and in support OF his plank he
contends that Governor Cummins is
advocating democratic views when he
proposes reciprocity on competitive
products. 1t has already been called to
hts attention that the late Nc
Kinley In his Buffoh address declared
..rhe period Of exelusiveness Is past.
The expansion Of our trade and com
arerce is the pressing problem. Rect
procity treaties are In harmony with
the spirit of the times. IF perchance
ses,r,e of orr tariffs are no longer needed