The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1905-10-04
LOGICAL SEQUENCE.
RECIPROCITY WOULD EMASCULATE
THE AMERICAN POLICY.

General Enlargement of Compete
tive Trade with Foreign Countries
Wouid Lessen Domestic Production
and Lower Wages.
The Washington Post, an indcpend.
ent Democratic newspaper of the first
class, puts the case clearly ana pun
that the Republicans of Massachusetts
should get warm under the collar and
scoll and wrnhgle over the question of
dickcring for foreign trade in view Of
the fact that there is no such thing us
reciprocity with anybody ana cannot
be unless the protective tariff system
is emaSCulatcd."
OF course the Post has in mind the
type of reciprocity that involves n low
ering of tariff rates to one or more es-
pccially favored countries so as to in
duce them to take more of a certain
class of our products, chiefly nOncom-
pCttive, while in return we agree to
take more of their almost wholly com
petitive products.
Reciprocity in articles which we do
not ourselves produce Is Il totally diff
ferent proposition. Blaine was strong
advocate Of this type of reciprocity
and of no other. 1T would" he said.
put In our hands a club with which
to force other nations to treat us fair
ly." Reciprocity of the Kasson sort
would place in the hands of every com
peting country a club with which to
force the United States to grant tariff
favors in order to avoid being treated
unfairly We should then bride other
nations-to do what? To be as good
to us as they were to everybody else
AS we have said, the Posts point is
well taken. 1t cannot be disputed that
whenever we consent to reciprocity in
competitive products we shall emascu-
late the protective tariff system. The
free traders know this perfectly well.
That II why they are such eager co.
adjutors In the reciprocity propaganda
Certain people who do not call them
selves free traders also know that pro
lection and reciprocity in competitive
products cannot exist side by side.
manufactured products are protected
| by patents and hence are not in need
! of tariff protection. Their attitude Is
one of cold blooded selhshness. and
they do not take the pains to deny It
| They candidly confess that If through
reciprocity they are able to increase
/ their own foreign sales IL does not mat
ter how much loss may fall upon indus
tries which are deprived of tariff pro
| lection that IL needed
! Still another class is made up of un
thinking men. who have been persuad
ed to join the reciprocity movement
without taking into account the oh
vlous facts, first, that reciprocity IN
competitive products must become gen
! eral If adopted ut all. and, second
that by so much as we increase the
imports Of competitive products as the
result Of lowering our tariff rates, with
that end distinctly in view, by so much
| we must displace domestic produc
ton and cut off domestic wage pay
ing. TO this latter class of nonthink
ers the sound remark of the Washing
ton Post should appeal with convinc
ing force-namely, that there can bt
no such thing as reciprocity in compel
tive products unless the protective
tariff system Is emasculated." W,
should think it would pay some Repub
leans in Massachusetts to take this
home with them and try hard to grasE
its meaning and Its truth.