Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-07

tlonal trade limits will destroy the basis
OF our national prosperity. There can be
no conflict between mod rate protection
lists and Canadian reciprocity There Is a
contlict between piggish protectionfsts
and Canadian reciprocity and the peo-
pie are noe on the side of the pigs The
tarln system under Which this country
has achieved much prosperity was not
designed for the latter parties
The reciprocity pact no matter how ii
originated, no matter how ii violates pre-
ccdent and understanding no matter how
II may for a moment iniurc business in
this section or that. is on the whole and
without question the most advanced pro-
gressve and lheralizing tariff measure
that has been brought before this coun-
Try IN many years. Politically il is also
true that it will be folly to delay It
much longer. The hearings that have
taken place in the Senate committee are
entirely proper, but they have been con-
tlnued long enough and, as the President
the Senate this week and the debate on
1t should be as quickly concluded as
possible.
The Senate is in "a peculiar and critical
position before the American public at
the present time. 1t is regarded with an
aversion verging ON hostility. ANY at
tempt of the Senate, therefore, to OPP
pose what is clearly the view of the en-
tire people of this country ON this ques-
ton will subject it TO even more antag
back of the objection To the election of
United States senators by the Legisla.
lures arise from the belief that the Sen.
ate has ceased to be a representative
body. 1t seems likely that the constitu-
uonal amendment providing for the cleo
ton of the senator's by the people will
be passed by the Senate at this session
and will be submitted to the Lcgisla-
lures next year. There are grave and
serious objections to this measure, in our
opinion. but the Senate has so long
angered the body of the people that We
have no doubt it will pass the needed
Legislatures 1t would be only adding
fuel to this fire for the Senate to keep up
long fight against reciprocity. Politi
callH ii would be the most absurd and
foolish thing for the Republican senators
to oppose it. 1t would endanger the
seats of every one of them, and ii would
particularly endanger the seats of the
senators from Massachusetts, Further
more, it would add another strong argu-
ment to the Democratic campaign prepa-
ganda, which is already, Heaven knows,
strong enough.
We do not share the fear expressed in
some circles that the reciprocity treaty
is i'm danger. We believe that the growth
of popular sentiment in favor of the free
dom of commercial intercourse between
neChbors is so strong throughout the
country that il will show its hand in each
State far above any local interest or
consideration The people are So earnest
and enthusiastic in favor of the underly-
ing principle of this treaty that they are
going to overlook any slight imperfee-
tons and injustices even to themselves.
They are going To instruct their senator's
By voices which cannot be dsregarded
such as Speaker Walkers despatch to
Senator Lodge, that the measure must
go through, and We cannot conceive of
situation by which this new expression
of popular sentiment can be defed.