THE WAR AND FOREIGN TRADE 359 



years ago found itself, nationally and internationally. So far had this 

 new movement developed that President Wilson said of it last Sep- 

 tember : 



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, ^hich is the essence of states- 

 manship. 



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 prac- 

 tical 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 agri- 

 culture have, we shall visualize foreign markets, measure them, and go 

 after them with a degree of intelligent service and enlightened accom- 

 plishment 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 pre- 

 venting imports and decreasing foreign trade. Taking us at our clear in- 

 tent, 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, pro- 

 hibiting 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 McKin- 

 le3''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 



