| Show reciprocity A NECESSITY it is inevitable that national jealousies should play a largo part in directing the course of national trade already thoss countries whose products have been largely excluded from the united states hae shown a disposition to retaliate germany in particular has adopted a retaliatory tariff hat will inflict immense injury on both our farming and manufacturing classes in self protection great britain threatens a similar policy france italy switzerland russia austria and other countries of europe have adopted or are actively moving to adopt high protective duties in primarily to exclude american products in retaliation tor the similar protective duties by which the untied states excludes or restricts foreign products we sell to europe yearly merchandise valued at more than a thousand million dollars more than two thirds of our total exports the greater part of this immense trade is likely to be taken from us in the near future not only by the direct operation of prohibitory tariff duties but also as the result of discriminative duties under reciprocity treaties whereby the products of other countries will be much less heavily burdened than will those of the united states this country is therefore face to face with the question whether we shall become the victims of retaliation or the beneficiaries of reciprocal trade whether we shall sell our sur products to foreign nations at a good profit or keep them at home to cause a condition of overproduction and destroy our prosperity the policy of protection has developed this country enormously but commodities that can not be exchanged cease to b e wealth and in many lines of manufacture the conditions of non exchange recur with alarming frequency the way to prevent the recurrence recur rente of this disastrous condition Is to modify tha policy that has hitherto prevented exchange with foreign nations and to adopt instead of it a policy of reciprocity as advocated bya james G blaine alarmed by the danger impending over our export trade the chamber of commerce of new york the merchants association of new york the new york produce exchange the chicago board of trade the chicago commercial association the illinois manufacturers association the national association of agricultural implement and vehicle manufacturers and a number ot other important organizations have united to promote the adoption of reciprocal trade treaties with foreign nations these influential fluent ial bodies are now conducting a campaign of education by circulating a great quantity of literature throughout the entire united states with a to creating a widespread demand directed especially upon the senate for the prompt negotiation and ratification of reciprocity treaties in order to avert the reprisals with which the principal european nations now threaten us |
