Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-09-25
NO SOP in TExr BOOK


NO SOP IN TEXT BOOK.
One characteristic of the republican
text book for the congressional cam
palgn Is that there Is no sop handed
TO the persons who have been assault
ing the republican doctrine of protec-
ZION or who have been assaulting the
Dlngley law by referring to it as
robbery. That is as 1t should be. Eff
forts to pacify people who are directly
opposed to the doctrinal principles of
party, even though they may be
masquerading as sympathizers of that
party. always end disastrously. There
may be compromise on details, but
there should be none on principles.
The text book stands squarely for pro-
lection of American industries, against
reciprocity in competitive products,
and gives no quarter to those who ad-
vocate Canadian reciprocity in natural
products. 1t says:
When our bank clearings exceed an
nually ,0O0,000,OO0, three times the
amount attained in 1896 under the
Wilson German tariff, then it is that
protectionists say: Let we'll enough
alone and leave revision till such a
time as the conditions of our finances.
commerce and industry demand On
the other hand, our free-traders, or, as
they prefer to call themselves, reform
ers and revisionists, maintain that the
time has come when our industries no
longer need protection and that the
tariff Is simply method cf robbery
and condition which enables our man
ufacturers to form monopolies and con-
troll prices. 1t will be we'll, therefore
to study this question most carefully,
both in the light Of past history and
with an investigation of more recent
and present figures and conditions
"The fact that we are importing
$500,000,000 or $60O,O00,0O0 worth of
manufacturers yearly show that even
with the protection that we now enjoy
we are not able to keep out the wares
of foreign competitors. A slight re-
duction in many of our schedules
would result in the dumping into our
market Of perhaps billion dollars
worth of manufactures annually more
than we now import. That would
mean resort to one Of two things:
We would have to close our mills or
reduce wages. There is no other al
tentative"
The congressional committee Is
equally positive in it's statements con-
corning Canadian reciprocity. On this
subject it says:
"The free trade press, despairing Of
any immediate change In the tariff.
have sought most vigorously during
the past two or three years to foster
a sentiment toward reciprocity treaties
with other countries, and particularly
with Canada. The American Free
trade league frankly acknowledges that
such reciprocity treaties would be a
long step toward free trade, and has
even said that reciprocity is free trade,
and in this case protectionists are
quite willing for once to concede that
free traders are frank and honest"
Taking the tariff up further 1t Is
shown now disastrous it would be to
the farmers should there be reciprocity
with Canada in the products Of the TIL
lers Of the soil. Canada naturally
would like to secure the United States
as market for her grain products, for
as it is now the greater portion of the
export has to go across water and 1t
would be greatly to her advantage to
have the tide turned toward this coun-
ITy. vi COURSE IHe young INDUSTRIES Ol
Canada are seeking protection and the
manufacturers of that country are on
record as opposing any reciprocity that
will place them in competition in their
own country with goods made in the
United States.
Happily the farmers are able to see
what reciprocity with Canada is aimed
at and wherever it has shown its
head they have hit it with the big
stick, and anything that has color of
free trade or reciprocity in natural pro-
ducts with Canada will get the blow at
the polls this fall.