The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-23

important European countries are dis
United States, especially against Ameri-
can farm products. Flour, wheat, live
stock and meats are excluded from a
great market in France, and Germany
maintains excessive duties against us,
as well as other European countries
Germany buys $2O,OOO,OOO to $25 ,OOO, 600
of live cattle from Austria Hungary and
"other neighboring countries but excludes
/. American cattle by imperial decree
Spain and other countries where we
might have large markets for our sur
Eplus have tariffs that discriminate
against us.
g Representative McCleary of Minneso-
ia proposes that the United States shall
settle the question: and force the re-
moval of these determinations by a
maximum tariff law. Under his plan,
our tariff will be increased twenty five
per cent against any nations which do
!. not admit American products at their
/ lowest rates of duty. Many people be-
lieve that this is the proper way to set
:, tie the question, as they think that Eu-
ropean countries would hasten to re-
move all their determinations in order
to save their trade in the United. States,
If we examine these European tariffs
and restrictions carefully, we shall find
that what is needed is reciprocity rath-
er than club. These countries have
not really entered into any conspiracy
against the United States. They have
simply adopted, in their relations with
each other the common sense policy that
Blaine and Mckinley advocated. They
are discriminating against us merely be-
cause they have made mutual conces
sions to each other, for the purpose of
promoting trade. We are "not in it" be-
cause we are not willing to meet these
countries half way and make conces-
sions in the manner that President Me-
Kinley recommended. We have made
concessions to Cuba, and have received
valuable concessions in return, and no
European country has threatened us
with a club because of it. These coun-
tries have made concessions to each 9th
with Cuba, and we have no right to
shake a club at them. If we would fol-
low the Mckinley policy, all these coun
tries would be glad to give us their low
est rates of duty-the rates that they
give to each other-and this is the pol
icy we should adopt. We do not need a
McCleary club.
Any nation, in getting up tariff law,
is likely to do things that are unjust to
friendly nations. European nations have
followed the Blaine Mckinley plan of
getting together and comparing notes.
The German agrarians, for example,
have put into the new German tariff
provisions which are unjust to Russia,
and Russia. in like manner, has been
UNI Just to German manufacturing inter-
ests. The two countries have compared
i, notes, and agreed upon a reciprocity
treaty which corrects these un ust and
excessive duties on both sides. The
sugar trust, the steel trust and other
similar corporations, which have enor-
nous influence in our national politics,
have features in our tariff which are
unjust to Germany and other European
countries. We should correct these I'M
Just and excessive duties, and while we
are doing it, Germany will be glad to
remove or correct her excessive restric-
lions on American farm products.
80 This question is one of vital impor-
lance to American farmers Since 1850
our surplus of farm products, which has
been exported, has amounted to a great
ai er sum than the present value of all the
farms and farm property of the United
States. In recent years our surplus,
which has been exported, has amounted
to about four per cent year on the
entire investment of the American farm
er. The average gain in wealth of our
farmers, as shown by the census, is only
two per cent a year. Our foreign mar
kets amount to twice as much as the
average net profits of our farmers. And
it is the foreign demand that makes the
price.
Representative McCleary has made
some remarkable statements in which
he tries to behttle the foreign market.
he says VI
Our total sales of wheat to Germany
in 1905 amounted to only $4,000, ASP;
wheat flour only $63l,347; all other
bread-stuffs except corn only $l,S543O7;
i of corn we sold Germany about $1,000
600, to $l2,OO0.00O worth year ago.
This is only about l per cent of our
crop, and if we lost it we would scarce
ly know of the loss without being told.
How about meat products? Aside from
4, something less than $l5,OO0,0OO worth
of lard (which she cannot well get else
where any way) Germany took only ST.
TAOS worth of meat from us last
year.
For the last ten years our sales of
cattle to Germany have amounted in all
to $l0S,745, or about $4,000 year.
In sixteen years we have sold Ger
many ten hogs at $25s and one sheep
at $50.
After quoting few figures which are
correct, Mr.. McCleary makes some re-
markable statements which are false.
He says: eff we could sell Germany
IL no re tbof cbo fbo