Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 86.djvu/363

Rh years ago found itself, nationally and internationally. So far had this new movement developed that President Wilson said of it last September:

This furnishes acceptable proof to the country that the antagonism between government and business has disappeared and that there has come upon business the spirit of generous rivalry and cooperation, which is the essence of statesmanship.

The business men of Germany, of England, and other successful countries, perform a very great part in governmental, economic and social development. It is only by this union of the elements of practical experience with philosophy and sociology that the best national development is possible. The future historian will probably find nothing of more consequence in our present history than this new spirit with .which business cooperates, as in other countries, in true greatness of spirit and vision with the forces of government and society. Its effect upon the foreign trade is of supreme consequence.

When government and business cooperate as government and agriculture have, we shall visualize foreign markets, measure them, and go after them with a degree of intelligent service and enlightened accomplishment that will be as helpful and satisfactory to the foreign buyer as to ourselves.

The Tariff.—We must be friendly if we would have friends. The American tariff for generations has been made for the purpose of preventing imports and decreasing foreign trade. Taking us at our clear intent, substantially every other country, free-trade England excepted, has made a target of our trade. Needing revenue, wherever there was a choice the foreign country has, even though unconsciously at times, made its rates high on our products and lower for countries that courted its good will. Repeatedly, foreign countries have evidenced a willingness to reduce their rates on various American products whenever we would be fairly reasonable in reducing our rates on their products, Germany, for instance, offering to lower her rate on our bacon, and materially to modify her restrictions on our beef under which she was, and is, prohibiting its importation, greatly to our detriment. For the American eats willingly only the choice cuts and one fourth of the beef carcass. These would be much cheaper could we favorably market the poorer cuts in countries that want them, these poorer cuts including, as they do, three fourths of the animal.

One of the strangest things in our history was the McKinley Bill and the purpose that actuated McKinley in its making. Said Colonel George Tichenor, general appraiser, who framed the bill under McKinley's direction, as he later did the Dingley Bill, in a letter to Mr. Dingley:

The controlling idea in the preparation of the McKinley Bill was to dispose of, and prevent, the accumulation of surplus revenue. It was in that view that