The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-05-31
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
LAUNCHES new ISSUE
Wants Protection for American Nam
ufacturers When Fair to Home
Consumers.

Washington, ID. c., May 27.-"The
protected hogs must take their hind
feet out of the trough; Il demand
the most favored nation treatment
for ourselves in the construction of
the Panama canal: For American
manufacturers to sell TO foreigners,
at a profit, at prices from one-third
TO one-half lower than they sell the
same goods at home is not square
deal to the folks at home" With
these characteristic and forceful,
homely phrases, President Roosevelt
has launched a new issue, at least
new one for the republican party,
and there are strong indications that
he will gain the support of the Amer
lean people and put some hide bound
ultra protectionists to confusion.
"
In his message TO congress last De
cember, the president wrote: 81
will have something to say on the
tariff question later on" but promi-
nent members of the party who were
permitted to read a proof of the mes
sage before it was made public per-
suaded him to strike out the SEN
tence. He yielded TO their request,
but then endeavOred to secure some
sort of an agreement from the lead
ers that a readjustment of the Ding
ley schedules later on. They had
urged that agitation of the subject in
advance would unsettle business, SO
he called them to the White House
and asked them what they thought of
calling congress in extra session this
spring for the purpose of readjusting
the tariff schedules. The standpat-
ters claimed that it would require
time for investigation. and that the
session had better be called in the
fall. 70 this the president agreed,
and October was fixed as the date of
the special session. The president
supposed. of course, that congress
would make provision for an inyesti-
cation of the existing schedules dur
ing the summer. and the senate did.
but tho standpattcrs who control the
house failed to do so and adjourned
in fancied security. surprising that
they had defeated the president, but
they counted without their host
4 g s.
When tho Panama canal commits
sion came to purchase the large guam
titles of supplies and machinery
needed for that enterprise they found
that the prices they would have to
pay 10 American manufacturers We're
far in excess of those CHARGED by the
same concerns To foreigners. They
could even huy American made steel
rails. of which they needed a large
quantity to relay and double track
the Panama railway, for $40 a ton
abroad, and all charges paid to Lon
Il A,, I'm al . -
the price asked in New York was 1913
a ton. The prices for structural steel
showed a similar variation, the Amer
lean price being about 80 per cent
greater. II was estimated that il
would require about $50, 100000
worth of structural steel TAT the do
nestle price, for the canal which
amount could be brought abroad for
$50, 600, 900. Two ships which were
needed would cost about 81 400, 900
If purchased in this country, $780,
600 if purchased abroad, and so on
Had the French company been con
structing the canal, American manu-
facturers would gladly have accorded
them the full foreign discount, as
they would have any other foreign
nation, but they proposed to hold up
domestic price, and the undertaking,
being a most expensive one at best,
the president determined that the
supplies should be bought from the
cheapest bidders whether American
or foreign. He demanded "the most
favored nation treatment for our
selves
The presidents decision has
thrown the standpatterS into fren-
zy. Their protected constituents are
enraged because they cannot sell at
top prices to the United States. but
no more so because the presidents
decision will prove an impressive OBJ
ject lesson to the American people,
will demonstrate that it is not an oc-
casional surplus which the American
manufacturers and trusts are selling
abroad at lower prices than the do
nestle, but that they are continuous
ly supplying the foreign trade, and
at a point. at prices far below the
prices they charge the folks at
home.' as the president puts it. The
standpatters believe the president has
won victory over them, and that,
backed by the great mass OF the Re-
publican party, he will compel them
TO readjust those tariff schedules
which changed conditions have made
too high.
The president is himself gratified
at the turn the affair has taken.
He believes in all the protection nee