New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-05
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
RECIPROCITY TREATIES.

~ RECIPROCITY TREATIES
PRESENTATIONS AFFECTING THE PROPOSED con-
vENrroN WITH MEXICO AND ALL OTHER LIKE
ARRANGEMENTS.
ga the Editor of The Tribune.
sye: notice that the State Department has
bevo officially Informed that the Mexican Govern
,ueut after full consideration of the subject. has
y,eeded to appoint Commissioners to meet the Com
,nissioners appointed by the United States for the
purpose of negotiating commercial treaty Dc
tween the two countries
Tho work of this Joint commission should COM
ysnd close attention and careful consideration poth
ON She part of the Government and on that OF the
whole people of our Nation. The most serious
danger before us is the negotiation Oh specal com
xpsrcial treaties with separate nations, danger
tAa more real because it Is most insidious. COM
sercial treaty is negotiated by the Department of
State either at the Suggestion of our own Execu-
live mr. at the wish OF the other Government By the
usage of the Department everything relative to the
treaty Is kept profoundly secret no citizen is per-
1uitted to know what is being considered. The
treaty thus secretly negotiated to the satisfac-
tion of the representatives of the other contracting
marty il submitted to the Senate of the United States
and referred to its Committee on Foreign Affairs
where il is considered in secret and reported back
xp the Senate With recommendation affirmative or
debates upon it with closed doors. aud If 1t should
be approved il is, when signed by the President
and ratified by the other party the supreme law OF
the land although no one outside of official circles
can properly have Rad any opportunity to Know
what are its provisions.
{ Should the treaty be a commercial one. Ike
the scandalous Reciprocity Treaty with Canada
negotiated under the direction OF President Grant Ny
Secretary Fish on part and by the Hon: George
Brown on the part of the Dominion OF Canada, bnt
fortunately elected by the Senate, or like the
treaty with Hawaii. which has done such injustice
TO the sugar re6ners of the Atlantic coast by eratu
isously releasing 70 few SPECTATORS duties on Ha
waaian sugars. 10 much Difference is paid TO the
House of Representatives that the treaty Is stipu
lated to become biuding when the necessary legis
lation shall have been enacted This, however III
practice avais hing because il is held that the
National faith has been fully pledged by the consti
turional treaty-niaking power. the President ana
the Senate and that the Representatives oil the
people must meekly and passively ratlfy the acts
III their superiors. It avails nothing, even though
one of the most important rights OF the House OF
Representatives OF originating all measures
relating to the revenues quite nullifed by the AS
snmptiun that rates of import duty may thus be es-
tahlisbed which have not only not originated H.
but'perlaps are disapproved by, the House or Keep
resentatives.
The natural suggestions that the Senate need not
ratfy treaty, and that the House need not legis-
late against its will, have less force than might al
first appear for Executive influence upon hdlvld-
nails and watchful choice of time and opportunity
are hard to resist.
II ia very obvious that such autocratc or arlsto-
cratic style of fixing duties upon imported goods Is
totally unsuitable fox this country
g FY-sf-The NATIONAL existence depends, in emer-
cencics at least If not constantly, upon the Ma
t,on's power to alter freely, promptly and at VIII
its laws for the raising Of revenue; foreign OF
intestine war may Imperatively require That TAXA
tion shall be Immediately increased, that the reVe-
uue from CT stoms upon imports shall be douoleu'
NOT when some foreign power or powers Snail con-
sent. but now. Yet if we have tied our hands by
stipulatng with sundry nations that no change
.ball be made In the rate of duties on articles i'm
norted from thcm for term of years, this vitality
necessary increase cannot be made except at the
risk of offending powers capable perhaps OF In
flicting upon us grievous disasters.
Seoond-That most important safeguard OF re-
,,hl,can. or even constitutional government, that
The lower House alone the direct representative OF
the people, shall have the power TO originate money
bills or measures affecting the revenue. 10
thoroughly evaded and sacrificed by the subterfuge
- t,st Hedging the National faith through its
1reaty. making power, and then calling Oh the Rep
resentatiyes of the people for modification of
a,mesiic laws in obedience to the treaty stipula
tons
T8;rd-Tbe State Department directly or through
n special con mission, 10 incompetent 10 decide
wisely what rates of import duty are wholesome Tor
the interests of this country, secret power, Ig
noranilv debating the most important changes
xTifhout the consent or knowledge OF Inc
parties commemorative practical manufacturers.
merchants and other citizens-is In our form OF
government, monstrous anohaly.
Foayth-No matter what rates OF import GUY
ARE to-day suitable. it is most rash to presume Thar
ths eysting rates are certain to be most advantage
ons in ali respects for defined future period oil
years, ,oe u. -. 1,,s,o-;,o +or;l
LIS when the same articles coming from different
couptres are subjected to different rates OF duty
NAV perhaps be imagined
of course the intelligence ana PATRIOTISM OF
,bs President of the Uuited States, ana OF
his distinguished Secretary OF STATE are con
coded but Is it not too much TO exIect tbat'
sTnosed ma they NAV be to the urgent representa-
finns of interested foreigners, supported 10y
domestic in,riguers and trusting greatly to General
Grant of the Commissioners on the part OF 'ns ne
limited States they certain. In the absence Oh
any expression against commercial treaties TO resist
ALI such iniluencesY -,
tiops of North America whenever Canada, our
neighlor on the north and Mexico, our nelghbor on
the south ask for commeselal union ana eqins ny
fectly free exchange between the DUIninloh Oh 1al
ada the United States and Mexico under common
commercial law We are READY 70 M other paTt
az the world ever paralleed; but the three counes
must lie governed IN all thelI commercial relations
with other countries by q single Uniform lava law
a. rnutri ed as to promote the growth OF all the
Industries of the North American ContiheDt. buS
pending the time when one or both OF our n .
delasve reciprocity treaty must be entertained ior
= moment. Yours very respectfully. w., .nvvp
Philadelphia. Penn, Jan. 2, 1888.
EpENcU Sp0IIATION CLAIMS