Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-16
HURD ON THE TREATIES.
CONSTITUTIONAL POINTS VERY
WIDELY DISCUSSED.

The Claim that Legislation Affecting
the Revenue and Tariff Laws Should
Receive the Sanction of the Lower
House not Shared in by the Ohio
Representative.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-The Senate briefly
considered in secret session to-day Mr.. Van
Wyck's resolution, which proposes such an
amendment OF the rules as to permit discus
sion of commercial treaties in open session.
The resolution was referred to the Committee
on Foreign Relations.
THE CONSTITUTION AND TREATIES
There were wide differences of opinion
among the members of the House as to the
extent of power the Constitution Intended to
allow the President in the matter of CONNER
cial treaties. II is argued that when the
treaty making power was vested in the Presi-
dent and the Senate 1t was not supposed that
commercial treaties affecting the revenue
laws would be negotiated under this clause of
the constitution. Several members of the
Foreign Affairs Committee express the belief
that all legislation affecting the revenue or
tariff laws should originate in the House and
that treaties which interfere with the rev.
enue should only be negotiated after the House
has signified its desire that such should be
made. Representative Frank Hurd, of Ohio,
on the other hand, takes an opposite view.
Asked to-day as to his opinion of the chances
for the passage Of the Mexican treaty bill, he
said: 81 favor the Mexican treaty, but con-
slider 1t absolutely unnecessary for the House
to pass bill to put it into effect. The cOnsti-
tuition gives the President absolute power to
negotiate treaties, which are to be ratified by
the Senate, only the House has nothing to say
upon the subject. When the bill comes up for
discussion l intend to speak. 1 shall confine
my argument, however, to the general ground
that the House has nothing to do with ratify-
ing treaties whatever"
ANOTHER VIEW.
'But 1T is said that the constitution did not
conceive OF revenue legislation through treat
les, and that in giving the President and Sen
ate absolute power, commercial treaties were
not meant to be included?"
"That is absurd said Mr.. II urd. "Before
the constitution was adopted we had four
commercial treaties with European countries
During the Constitutional Convention Mr..
Lansing, of New York, attempted to have in
cOrpOrated clause which would have re-
moved from the President the power to nego-
tate treaties affecting the tariff. He was not
successful. Later Virginia attempted to have
the constitution amended, so as to curtail the
prerogatives of the President by removing
from him the power to negotiate commercial
treaties. This was unsuccessful. | hold
therefore, that treaty signed and ratified by
the Senate is the supreme law of the land
ana even though 1t may repeal all our reve-
nue. laws, the House has no Jurisdiction in the
matter"
HOW HE STANDS.
''Do you then favor these recently negoti-
ated treaties?'
81 am not prepared to say yes to that ques-
ton. l favor them as they give us free trade
IN piecemeal, as l believe that they will be
followed by such prosperity as will be a con-
vlnclng argument in favor of the free trade
policy which l believe will eventually be
adopted to the good of the country"
DO you think that the Spanish treaty will
be ratified?"
II do not think the necessary two thirds of
the Senate will favor it. | do not know that
favor it myself 1t removes the duty on su-
gar, which is purely a revenue duty. AS we
have got to have tariff for revenue pur-
poses the sugar tariff should be the last to be
removed, as it produces O,0O0,00O annually.
OF which nine-tenths goes into the Treasury
and One-tenth into the pockets of the plan
ters. No other tariff is so purely for revenue.
Hence, believe it should remain as long as
anV tariff eXistsO