Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 April 1901 — IS NOT PRACTICABLE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IS NOT PRACTICABLE.

NO DANGER OF A EUROPEAN TRADE ALLIANCE. Conflicting Interests Will Operate to Prevent a Retaliatory Tariff Combine of Foreign Countries Against the United States. The Bealieu plan of a continental trade alliance against the United States might be practical If Europe were one nation, within the several parts of which there was the commuillty of interests brought Into existence by a free Interchange of commodities. But It is practically impossible to form one general trade alliance against the United States while the several European nations tax each other’s products. A tariff schedule against the United States which would serve the interests of one European nation might not serve the interests of any other nation. The United States lias one legislative body which harmonizes to the best of Its ability the interest of the different sections. 'When a revision of the tariff is proposed representatives from all parts of the country are invited to Washington to represent the industries of their respective sections. When the revised bill Is submitted to Congress, representatives with votes take up the work of presenting the claims of the different parts of the country. While no section gets all it asks for, it usually finds upon examination that Its interests have been considered and its demands complied with to the extent that like consideration of the Interests of other sections would permit. In this way the United States presents a solid front against the foreign industrial world while preserving accord at home by unrestricted trade among the States and Territories. The Continent of Europe is divided into a number of little nationalities which have no interests in common. The fact that these several royal families are allied by blood creates no bond of union. One daughter of Queen Victoria shares the Russian throne with its hereditary monarch, and another daughter of the British Queen Is the mother of the present Emperor of Germany. But those ties do not prevent the three nations from an almost constant wrangle. Except each other, w-hat enemy has either in Europe that requires one-third of Its working population to be kept in military service and to feed upon the earnings of the other two-thirds? A way to meet American competition will be found when Europe reduces her military establishments to tlie proportion to its population that tlie American army bears to Its working people. The same level might be reached by an Increase In the American army to the European ■proportion, but the American people will see that that folly is not committed—San Francisco Bulletin.

Russia’s Retaliatory Unties. The wisdom and propriety of Secrataijy Gage’s action relative to the collection of countervailing duties on Russian beet sugar grow more and more apparent. Strong representations on this subject had been made to our government by tlie German ambassador at Washington prior to the decision of Secretary Gage, and a protest had been entered in behalf of Germany against discrimination in favor of Russian sugar, accompanied by an intimation that Germany might feel called upon to impose higher rates of duties on American products unless the grievance should be remedied. That such a course would have been taken by Germany under the continued irritation of having to pay a higher price than that paid by Russia for the privileges of the American market may be considered reasonably certain. Then, Indeed, would the situation be a serious one for our exporters. We sell to Germany every year $190,(XX),000 of our products, against only $10,000,000 sold to Russia, and of the latter sum not more than $2,500,000 is subject to the Increased tariff put in force by Russia. Retaliatory duties on $190,000,000, or retaliatory duties on $2,500,000 was the alternative certain to be sooner or later presented to Secretary Gage, and he naturally chose the smaller amount by ordering the collection of countervailing duties on Russian sugar [lending a judicial determination of the question whether Russia does or does not pay some sort of bounty to her exporters of beet sugar. For his choice of action In such a dilemma Secretary Gage is on all accounts to be commended rather than censured. It is of additional Interest to know that the United States minister at St. Petersburg confirms the statement of Secretary Gage that the additional duties lately imposed by Russia do not apply to Imports of agricultural machinery from the United States. It Is also stated on reliable authority that imports of railway materials and supplies from the United States, being' known in Russia as imports for tlie government are not subject to any additional duty.-’American Economist. Where the Fnriner Come* In. According to a recent announcement of tbe Agricultural Department, the farmers of the United States received $185,296,172 fiiore for their corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, i>otatoes and hay In 1900 than they did In 1899; the toital receipts for last year being $1,861,460,582, as against $1,670,170,410 in 1899. This Increase is In part accounted for by the fact that the average prices for each of the products enumerated were higher In 1900 than in 1899, although in some Instances the advance was but a fraction of a cent Tbe greatest advances were in corn and bay, the advance in tbe latter glv-

ing the Armers over $33,000,000 mort In 1900 for a crop of 50,000,000 torn) than was received In the previous year for the crop of 50,615,756 tons. If the increased value of stock and other property were added to the increase ia the value - of products, it would probably be found that the four years of Republican administration had returned to the agricultural interests of the nation a large proportion of the billion dollars shrinkage in values which resulted from the preceding Democratic administration. Springfield iMass.> Union.

CHANGED CONDITIONS.

From Good to Bad in 16:92, and front Bad Back to Good in 1896, Industrial conditions which prevailed in the United States four years ago have been completely reversed. Then and for three years before workmen were clamoring for employment; now employers are clamoring for workmen. Then the factories and railroads were burdened with more capacity than business; now they are burdened with far more business than capacity. Then the genius of manufacturers was strained to devise means by which production should be reduced to the minimum capacity of their plants; now all the skill at their command is called into requisition to provide means for Increasing production. Then the idle were struggling to secure employment, while the employed were straggling to prevent the fall of wages; now no bonesfand capable man need want for work, and the straggle of the employes is to raise wages. Unwise counsels so reduced duties In 1883 as to depress Industry and cause discontent. Then Cleveland was elected by a bare majority of 23,000 votes. He devoted an entire annual message to attack upon the protective tariff. He failed, however, to get a tariff bill passed, but kept Industry In hot W'ater till bis defeat by Harrison was assured. Then recovery began, the volume of business increased In 1889 by two billions of dollars, and wages rose higher. The McKinley tariff came in 1890, and wages rose still higher. The business In 1892 reached the highest point ever known up to that time—503,332,000,000 through clearing houses—and the workmen shared In the prosperity. In 1893 Cleveland came In again. Business shrank Immediately. The worst panic for half a century drove more than two million men out of employment and deprived the rest of nearly 20 per cent of their former wages. The volume of business In 1894 was 25 per cent smaller than in 1892, and the Wilson tariff taught the country the practical effects of Democratic theories. McKinley, framer of the tariff of 1890, was elected in 1896 by the heaviest plurality ever cast before for an American President, being 603,514, though in 1900 he increased that plurality to 859,824. The votes of workmen in the great Industrial States were overwhelming, and the election of a Republican Congress assured the return to the national policy which defends American labor. There was an immediate improvement In Industry, and this received a great impetus from the Dlngley tariff, so that the volume of business through clearing houses jumped from fifty billions in Cleveland’s last year to over ninety billions In 1900. Wages rose to the highest general level yet attained since the day when they were reckoned In depreciated dollars.—Leavenworth Times. Strange but Trne.

Astonished Free-Trader—How is it possible for ships to sail on such a sea? Condition Never Better. Contrary to the assertions of Democratic newspapers the condition of tbe masses has improved within the last half century and continues to improve, according to the report of Carroll D. Wright, the government commissioner of labor. Wages have not only increased, bat prices of necessities have decreased, or remain the same. Mr. Wright says that wages to-day are worth more than fifty years ago, or at any continued period - during the last fifty years. The world over, the economic condition of the workman was never better.—Lebanon (Ohio) Western Star. Remember This Fact. It is well enough to keep in mind that the only time since 1860 that the Democratic party was In control of both houses of Congress and the President was during the speond election of Cleveland, which occurred in 1892, and that great financial panic of 1893 followed the assurance of Democratic control. This fact should be remembered by every voter in the United States and read anew at each recurring election.—Medford (Okla.) Patriot No Boa***. A We hear no boas’ll from Bryanic organs about how much more prosperous the people would have been had th« boy orator beat; elected.—Little Bock (Ark.) Republican.