The Montgomery tribune., 1906-05-04
SEEK AMERICAN TRADE.
Protection of Home Industries Does
Not Mean Unfair Discrimina-
tion Against Foreign.

The recent adjustment OF tariff mat
ters between the United States and
Germany by which all OCCASION for
friction In the interchange of products
mas been disposed of is emipently sat.
isfactory, considered from either an
economic or a political point of view.
| Everything that tends to make more
| harmonious the relations between ma.
tions is to be welcomed and the better
understanding that Is one of the re-
suits OF the negotiations in question
is not the least gratifying feature.
| And there Is another point. 1t can.
not have escaped the attention of
| those observant of world movements
| that 1t is much easier for the United
States to reach such understandings
than was the case formerly. From
| time to time there arise little differ
ences, but they are always readily
disposed of when frankly considered.
The truth is, says the Troy Times,
that the nations of the earth have
come to deep appreciation of the
value of American trade. The idea
that the advantages are all on one
side and that severe restrictions upon
the admission to foreign countries Of
American products is beneficial to the
domestic interests of those countries
has been effectually disposed of by ex.
periences that have proved the oppo-
site. This does not involve discussion
OF the principle of protection to home
industries, for the United States, hav-
Ing adopted that policy, has neither
the desire nor the justification for op-
posing 1t when tried elsewhere. Pro-
lection, adjusted to the varying re-
quirements of the nations that adhere
to the system, unquestionably is pro-
ductive of good, and the fact that it is
so generally practiced is its vindica-
ton.
But production of home productions
does not mean unfair discrimination
against those of foreign countries The
continental nations of Europe, with
Canada on this side of the ocean and
far-off Australia, all have protective
tariffs of one kind or another, yet
that fact does not prevent American
goods from having a large sale there
any more than the Dingley protective
tariff prevents enormous imports from
other countries into the United States.
The truth is that there are many
things in other parts of the world
that we want and which it is to our
advantage to buy, and the United
States Is a market which few nations
would care to lose, while the articles
obtained here are the most satisfactory
to foreign purchasers. That is the
secret of the worlds unwillingness to
get up tariff wars" or any other sort
of commercial disagreement.
A breezy writer on this subject puts
1t thus: Americans are hardly
aware of the position secured by their
country during the years since the
civil war. The habits of mind which
grew out of our subordinate position
when we were divided by slavery and
cramped by it's ally, free trade, still
cling to us, and we hesitate to count
influence. The America of yesterday
was a farming country, with small
accumulation Of material wealth as
the outcome of centuries of saving and
toll. The America of today is the
most populous, the wealthiest and the
most powerful among the civilized
nations. We are the first manufac.
turing country of the world, and of
our immense exports 35 per cent. is
manufactures, where ten years ago
1t was but 20 per cent. There
is no country in the world which can
afford to try issues with us in con-
flict of tariffs. No country is so i'm
portant to us as we are to It,"
That may seem over-enthusiastic
and self-assertive, but it does not ex-
aggerate. Nor does it imply any but
the friendliest and fairest spirit to-
ward contemporaries. 1t recognizes
the situation as it is, and shows that
other countries need us in their bust
ness and that our trade and good will
are valuable.
OPINIONS OF THE EDITORS,