New-York tribune., 1885-01-08
SENATOR -MORRILDS SPEECH.

Senator MOrrill's speech on the general poncy
of reciprocity treaties is powerful argument
| and is characterized alike by incisive analysis
| and caustio humor The most important
| passages will be found on another page, limita-
tons of space making condensation unavold-
| able. Under the rules of tie Senate he was
unable to make any direct reference to the
Spanish treaty, but his objections to the
Mexican treaty apply equally well to the entire
budget of commercial conventions negotiated
by the Administration. He strenuously opposes,
on economic grounds, ,.any and every reciprocity
treaty with an inferior State and he contends
that commercial treaties of this kind whether
with weak or powerful governments are uncon-
stitutional and are prohibited by the "most
favored nation" treatment accorded to
European States.
The Mexican treaty Senator Morrill, discusses
In detail arguing that the concessions made by
the United States will be large and important,
while those granted in return are OF trivial
value He describes it with grim pleasantly as
tariff for Mexico only, and counsels the House
of Representatives to postpone indefinitely the
legislation required to carry it into effect. The
same logic when applied to the Spanish treaty
would prove even more remorseless. III Mexico,
under the convention ratified last March, gets
the brandy and tho United States only the
water-a compact which the Senator insists not
even Mr.. St. John would accept-what dlutlon
of water will the United States have under the
proposed Spanish treaty? Or, to follow out the
Senator's "reminiscences of Sir Walter Scott,
would Senior Magnus Troll drink both the
brandy and the water, and leave the Yankee
Mordaunt TO hand him both and to do without
either? We are inclined to believe that the
Senator underestimates the commercial advan-
tages OF the Mexican treaty, so far as the
American export trade is concerned. If he can
succeed, however, in making strong
argument against that convention on economic
grounds, the Spanish treaty will End in him
most formidable adversary He VIII have no
difficulty in proving that it is tariff measure
for Cuba only.
Senator Morrilrs fundamental objections to
reciprocity treaties are based upon the Consti-
tuition aud Treaty law. He opens his Argument
with reference to the Zollveren treaty OF
1874, which was negotiated by that master of
international law, Mr.. Wheaton. This was
rejected by the Senate nominally on the ground
that laws of revenue should be passed by Con-
| gress, and that the Senate could not ratify a
commercial treaty without abridging that Con-
| stitutional right. Nevertheless, so we'll
| informed public man as Mr.. Calhoun wrote at
| the time to Mr.. Wheaton that while this was
the ostensible reason, the real explanation OF
| the action of the Senate was the bearing which
the treaty might have upon the impending
| Presidential election: Strong SUPPORT Mr..
MOrrll's view of this question unquestionably
receives from the speeches of many dis
tinguished public men Of the last generation,
| but the argument is not conclusive, and many
citations can be made on the other side. So far
as the argument based upon the "most favored
nation clauses is concerned, American dplO-
macy has invariably accepted I'm Quincy
| Adamss and Mr. Wheaton's Interpretation OF
the matter. They contended that the "moSt
| favored nation" treatment did not confer
| gratuituously upon any outsider advantages
granted, cOnditionally and for a consideration,
| to another State under reciprocity treaty.