Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-06
COMM|N&' And
KAS9)NS VIEWS
Comparison Shows Former Has
Followed Nelson Dingley
Lines Pretty Closely
). A. kAssoN's SUGGESTIONS
His Clear Statement 81 Republican
Party's Position az q Whole on Tar.
iff Revision and Reciprocity leads
to Some Convincing Comparisons -
Political Gossip Fron, State Capital.


Des Moines. June 6.-ln view OF the
very clear statement Of the position OF
the republican party as a whole on
tariff revision and reciprocity made by
John A. Kasson and offered by him as
a suggestion to the republicans OF
Iowa, some comparisons have been in
stituted as between his view and that
OF Governor Cumnins uttered i'll sup
port Of past party platforms in Iowa
and in the nation. 1t has been adver-
tised a thousand times in the standpaf
papers of the state that the party in
Iowa had gone astray and was not
standing on good national ground the
past few years. The statement of Mr..
kasson as to the view of reciprocity
taken by President Mckinley and Nell
son Dingley and worked out into prac-
tical treaties by Mr.. Kasson himself in
association with these. great leaders OF
protection will prove interesting for
comparison with the principles which
have been advocated for years by Gov
ernor Cummins. In his address deliv-
cred at the annual banquet OF the Bos>
ton Merchants Association, Dec. 10
last. Governor Cummins stated clearly
his view of reciprocity. and among
other things said:
There never was a protective tariff
law enacted that did not impose some
hardship upon some man. but It's mis-
sion was fulfilled IL. upon the whole, it
gave the people more work and better
wages than they otherwise would have
had. If these premises be sound, what
follows? With tariff duties so adjusted
that the burden is laid upon competi-
tive things In the main. any trade ar
rangement with another nation mus.
involve the lowering or abrogation OF
duties upon competitive commodities.
We have nothing else to give in ex-
change for the advantages we secure.
What, then. should be the criterion to
test the wisdom of the trade? Obvious
ly this: Shall we acquire more in tho
foreign market than we surrender in
the home market. will more capital be
employed at home and more men at
work at home under the new arrange
ment than the old? 1t matters not thai
q particular manufacturer may suffer if
the country at large is benefited,
All of which shows that the governor
was following pretty closely the lines
of Nelson Dingley as explained by Mr..
Kasson Continuing further in expand
ing ..the Iowa idea" he said:
CO. win
ought to, if we can. secure treaties that
will hurt nobody. but to allow an inter-
est that puts million dollars OF goods
annually into our markets to stand In
the way Of series of interests putting
ten millions Of dollars of goods into
foreign market is turning the doctrine
of protection from beneficent policy
which bestows its largess upon the
country as unit. into an instrument
of avarice and selfishness 1t must not
be understood that am for any trade
any industry whose existence is neces-
sary to make us Independent OF other
nations. In so far as our natural re-
sources can make us independent. Here.
again, the principle which l invoke
sways the situation-the good OF all the
people. The reciprocity which I here
outline is the reciprocity for WHICH l
believe Blaine expended his maturest
wisdom and which he Illuminated with
the best thought of his ripest years. 1t
is the reciprocity which Mckinley saw
as he uttered his last word to the
American people 1t is the only reci-
81 a IN,
their struggle for the trade of the
world: and if we are not ready to stand
for it and fight for it. we ought to con-
sign the word and the thought to the
oblivion of outgrown heresies."
This was also the central thought of
Cummins in his inaugural
message to the people of Iowa one
month later than the Boston speech, in
which he referred to the general prin-
ciple Of reciprocity and discussed 1t
thus:
There are two opinions upon the
subject which have now crystallized.
and which make d clear. sharp issue.
There are those who assert that they
believe in reciprocity, but insist that no
trade arrangement shall be made which
will permit any article or commodity
which we can produce to enter our
ports upon more favorable terms than
is prescribed in the existing tariff
schedules. or in other words, that it
shall include only such things as we do
not and can not produce in this coun-
try. 1t is hard to believe that any
person holds this opinion,
coupled with an expectation that such
a trade arrangement can be made. or
that ii would be of any value to the
people of the United States, if made.
No one can reach such conclusion
who at the same time believes in pro-
lection. for one Of the fundamental
of the system is the free adj
mission. or the admission with rev.
enue duty only. of things we can not
produce. More than that. no one viii