Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-04-18

DlthuttlS Is lI'' hlllNlut iNt 4FlilS tlo
to the threateend tariff imbroglio with
France. The fact that the announce
ment was made through the Associat-
ed Press sufficiently indicates its au-
thority and origin. There is no mis-
taking the purport and the intent of
the opening paragraph Of the state
ment
Washington, March 6.-The eXecu-
tive branch of the government has
abandoned all hope of finding any con
cessions which it can offer the French
government to prevent the application
of the maximum tariff rates on Amcri-
can products not specifically exempted
therefrom by existing arrangements.
The situation as to France is there
fore similar to that as to Germany;
in neither case can this government
at present meet the demand for a re-
ciprocity treaty as the price of mini
mum tariff rates for American goods
and products. Through their embas-
sizes at Washington the two countries
named have been made aware of this
fact, and also that it remains for con-
gress to decide whether it cares to di-
vert these blows at the American eX-
port trade by approving Feciprocl'y
treaties with france ana Germany"
If it had been framed by the Amcri-
can Reciprocal Tariff league, this pre-
sentiment could hardly pe more suG-
SestlVe OF an intention TO tamper WIN
our protective tariff system under the
alleged stress OF a necessity TO divert
these blows at the American export
trade
How are these blows to be aVerted?
not by the executive branch OF the
government Tor 1T mas abandoned all
hope we are told.
by the action OF congress. then. But
congress mas adjourned ana VIII not
meet again in regular session unul
next December.
SO congress cannot divert these
blows inside OF ten months Ihat IS,
unless the country can be sufficiently
frightened to demand tHat congress be
called together IN extraordinary ses-
sion TO meet and avert TINS learlul
danger. was me oiiclal promui&aiion
through the Associated Press pre-
pared With Ihls end IN view! POSI-
bly, so.
II ihe scare produces the desired
eitect, II the American people can be
thrown INTO pane merely because
Germany and france nave threatened
to at some time or other do something
aWIul TO our export trade, unless they
are permitted OF force downward
revision OF the American taritt. then,
OF course, there VIII be general dem
onstration IN behalf o. prompt action
through an extra session OF congress.
is TINS the object OF the scare procla-
nation or March .? Is there nothing
to be done that viii save the situation
except the hasty summoAing OF con
gress into extra session and the hur-
ried passage OF law authorizing the
executive branch OF the government
to allow foreign nations to dictate
what the American tariff shall be?
Yes; there is something else that
can be done TO divert these blows -
The executive branch can assert its
dignity and its courage by calmly
awaiting the progress Of events; by
not lodging before blow is struck;
by not squealing until il is hurt; and
then, when the threatened blows shall
have been dealt, by taking prompt
measures of defense and retaliation.
If the emergency of actual tariff
discrimination shall present itself
next June or July, or at any othd-
time between now and the first Mon
day in December-and we have not
the slightest idea that either the Ger
man or the French bluffs viii be car
ricd into effect before next December.
if at all-then congress can be called
into extra session.
TO do what? Certainly not to "1ay
down to Germany and France To
str. e back and hit hard by the adop-
tion Of high maximum tariff that