Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-05-31

Washington, May 25.-Yesterday
Gustav II. Schwab of New York, be-
fore the southern industrial parlia-
ment spoke on foreign commerce ana
ocean transportation. We business
men of the north, he said, cah not fail
TO recognize the enormous strides
made throughout the south IL the
material development of her internal
resources during the last twenty
years, a development that has set tho
wheels of industry humming and has
opened the hidden treasures of the
earth to the miner. The internal
trade of the great south has wonder
fully grown ana has reached proper
lions full of promise for the future,
but you no doubt realize that the
fullest development OF a nation lies
in the cultivation and enlargement or
it's foreign trade. 1t has ever been an
incontestable fact, although decried by
some political leaders, that we CANNOT
forever continue to trade among our
selves and that the fullest utilization
of our resources demands an exchange
of our commodities with those pro-
duced BY other nations of the world
Short of such an exchange our trade
will remain one-sided and our de-
velopment incomplete.
Il cannot believe that the intelligent
farmer, merchant and manufacturer of
the south will endorse the benighteo
theory advanced by some in high
places that after adding cubit after
cubit to the height of the Chinese wall
of protection, with which we nave
auctions TO be made without doing harm
unapproachable, we should calmly sit
down behind that wall, should invite
the nations of the world to trade with
us, and should proclaim that we are
perfectly willing to sell to anyone who
will pay us our price. International
trade in the last analysis is inter
national barter, as everyone knows or
should know, and if while inviting
people to trade with us we slam the
door in their faces and tell them to
climb the wall if they want to have
any commercial dealings with us, we
must not be surprised if the invitation
to trade is somewhat coldly received
and if the civilized nations of the
world feel that one sided trade ar
rangement such as we propose, by
which we ask that our products be re-
ceiyed while we refuse to admit the
products of our foreign neighbors, has
it's Objectionable features, however
satisfactory such an arrangement E1dy
appear to some of us. This truth was
fully realized by our late president in
his well-known dying speech at
Buffalo"
Many of the supporters of our
present high protective system
recognize the fact that the Dingley
tariff act Was purposely framed with q
view to permit and invite reciprocal
arrangements with fore-on nations as
not Only were sections providing for
concessions inserted in the act, but,
many of the tariff rates contained in
the act were Intentionally raised to
figures that would allow reciprocal re-
Guctions to be made without doing harm
to the sacred principle. When it came
10 the application of the reciprocal
principle under this act, however the
protected infant industries did not feel
strong enough to staui the shock of
the wild reductions proposed by Mr.
Kasson, the commissioner appointed
by the president to negotiate re
ciprocity treaties with important
European nations, and the French
reciprocity treaty, which was the first
result of Mr.. Kasson's labcrious eff
forts and which was regarded as open.
ing the way for other treaties, when
submitted to the United States senate
for ratification met an ignominous
death owing mainly to the opposition
of one industry that feared it might
be hurt Reciprocity in the abstract
is regarded as most commendable by
the protected interests, but when it is
proposed to introduce it practically
one is reminded, said Mr.. Schwab, of
the Gid rhyme:
Mother, may l go out to swim?
You may, my darling daughter,
But hang your clothes on hickory
limb,
And don't go near the water.
MIR. Schwab thought there are signs
of a change of views in influential
circles. In his annual address at the
meeting of the National Association OF
Manufacturers of the United States in
Atlanta on May 18th, the president OF
the association, D. NJ Parry, laid
stress upon the necessity OF obtaining
broader foreign markets for our pro
ducts, and made the following remark
able admission:
This association has in thu past
declal ed Itself in favor of reciprocity,
but the reciprocity it has favored has
been rather that of the kind when
offers concessions for non-competitive
articles alone As it is frequently
stated. it is reciprocity, which does
not injuriously affect any home in
dustry. Now in my opinion. such re,
ciprocity means practically no re
ciprocity at all, for the range OF
articles produced abroad which can
not be produced here, aside from the
natural products Of the tropics IS ve1y
narrow. Inasmuch as it is not reason
able to expect that We can obtain
something for nothing. and as re-
ciprocity implies concessions by both
sides of their mutual benefit, be
lieve that the position of the associa-
ton on reciprocity could wei be mod
fled The necessity of enlarrIng the
foreign market for our growing in
dW=trjpS is of uaramouuf iD4norFalre