Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1892 — Bitter Reciprocity Fruit. [ARTICLE]

Bitter Reciprocity Fruit.

One hundred years ago Thomas Jefferson declared for “peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations—entangling alliances with none.” It is probably due to the observance of this principle that the United States has had almost continual peace with the rest of the world. Recently, however, there has been a departure from this maxim. The reciprocity clause, engrafted into the McKinley bill, gave our President the extraordinary power to declare discriminating duties in favor of certain countries. It was pretended that this reciprocity clause would open new markets for farm products, but as the President is practically restricted in his reciprociiy negotiations to the agricultural countries and islands of the western continent, it is evident that no important benefit from such treaties can come to the American farmer. Moreover, no benefit can possibly be given by it to the American consumer, because the President is not authorized to reduce taxes on any article, but only to levy taxes on tea, coffee, sugar, and hides. While, therefore, no benefits can accrue to our people from such reciprocity treaties, it is possible and even probable that great harm will be done to trade and commerce by the retaliation almost certain to occur from nations discriminated against. Indeed, this unamerican reciprocity tree is already beginning to bear bitter fruit. Our trade with Canada exceeds our trade with all the other countries on the western continent, and our privileges of transportation over Canadian soil and through Canadian canals are almost invaluable. According to the treaty of 1854 the citizens of the United States have had the same privileges of the Welland, St. Lawrence and other canals in the Dominion as the inhabitants of the Dominion have had. Since the United States has discriminated against Canada in favor of certain South American countries and has refused to negotiate reciprocity treaties with Canada-, the latter has shown her Western spunk by compelling United States vessels to pay heavy tolls when they pass through the canals and water-ways of the Dominion. President Harrison, smarting under this sting of retaliation, has now sent a message to the United State* Senate virtually asking that he be authorized to further discriminate and retaliate against Canada by having the power to suspend and to prohibit the right of free passage through the St. Mary’s Falls Canal, so far as it relates to vessels owned by Canadians or subjects of other Governments discriminating against the United States. A bill has already been introduced in the Senate authorizing the President to levy tolls upon freight passing through this canal, not to exceed $2 a ton, and upon passengers not to exceed $5 each. Such spiteful maneuvers as these remind us of times not entirely past in half-civilized countries, when nations made war against each other because of the personol quarrels between their kings or other members of their royal families. But the fun has only just begun. We will more fully appreciate the benefits of reciprocity and retaliation when our commerce with Canada has been entirely suspended and our army has been called out to protect “our rights” upon Canadian waters.