Show DEiF1tOi1NG nisi FAIUIS L Mr BLAIXDS strongest argument for ro ciprocity is that the Democrat in the Senate Sen-ate voted against it It Is u curious urgu ment but it is not trilo Democrats voted against the McIvivLfcV bill which increases taxation in general but has a reciprocity tag attached to it Many Democrats would have voted in favor reciprocity wit South America if they couid nave done so without voting for the McKixiev bill but to vote for that measure iu order to get what little advantage ihticis In reciprocity with South America would hao been a pcnnywise and pound foolish proceeding Besides tile reciprocjty par of the bill has a string to it and can withdrawn at any time by the Presidqnt The Diinoerats did right in voting against the bill But what does this reciprocity with South America mean I Does it help tho farmer with untaxed coal iron salt clothing cloth-ing or other articles No These come from Europe From South America come hides wool and agricultural products generally gen-erally which may enler ictb competition with what our farmers have to sell It means therefore that agriculture shall not bo protected No proposition for reciprocity i recip-rocity with England is mentioned as that would be of benefit to the farmers and I would subject the manufacturers to foreign competition This reciprocity scheme i leaves the situation practically unchanged the manufacturers are protected more highly than ever while the farmer Is really left unprotected so far as the countries south of us mostly agricultural regions I are concerned Tho farmeris still to be taxed for every species of manufacture be uses but is to I I ft J < M have reciprocity with countries that sell agricultural products and buy manufactured manufac-tured articles This suits the manufacturers manufac-turers well enough it gives them cheap products of the soil through freotrado with Mexico and Central and South America while the tariff on manufactures is increased in-creased all round and no reciprocity is i proved with any country that has manufactured manu-factured articles for salo tho goods tb farmer must buy 1 Protection for the east for the small numbers engaged in manufacturing but free trade for the west for the large numbers num-bers engaged in agriculture this is the proposition pro-position It is still tho farmers who must bear the burdens of tho most iniquitous tariff on earth without securing from it any real anvantages |