Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-09-12
WASHINGTON.
Mr.. HALE AND HIS VIEWS ON
RECIPROCITY.
Michigan Interests in the Mckinley
Tariff Bill.
The Duty on Lumber Causes a Sharp
Debate.
WAsurNorox. d. C., Sept. o, 1890.


the great lakes and their connecting
waters, has received the signature of the
President
Friday was quite a lively day in the
senate over the tariff bill. Early in the
day the question of putting binding Irvine
on the free list came up, and en- this
question the Michigan senator's parted
company, Senator Mcmillan voting to
place it on the free list, and Senator
StocSbridge voting against that PROPOSE
tion. The senate decided that the free
list was the place for that item, but the
house may not agree.
Then came turnip seed, which now
comes in free by virtue of a treasury de-
cision. Inasmuch as every farmer uses
the seed, and it can be grown TO advant-
age as TO quality only in France and
Germany, the senate put it on the free
list
In response TO the requests of the stove
manufacturers anu electrical men, Senator
Mcmillan labored with the committee I'M
til mica was placed on the free list in the
bill as reported 10 the senate, but the
friends of American mica were too many.
They showed that the stove manufacture
ers were already using American mica,
and that the total importation last year
amounted TO only 800, 900 worth. The
large sizes of soft mica needed for electri-
cal insulation can be had in North Carolina
and other states, as well as from Canada
and India. In fact, the mica men were
too many for the free list people, and there
will be duty on mica sure
The most exciting debate of the day
came on the lumber schedule, which had
been left for consideration under the five
minute rule The Nebraska, Kansas and
Iowa senator's were determined to have
free lumber. New England Michigan and
Wisconsin bore the brunt of the fight for
the 81 duty. A number of the southern
democrats who have lumber interests 10
look after voted for the duty. During the
| debate Senator Stockbridge spoke clearly
and forcibly on behalf of the Michigan in
| terests.
Mr.. Hale has offered the reciprocity
| amendment of which he had given notice
on the 10Th of June, and addressed the
senate upon it, The desirability of such
an interchange Of pro lucts as the amend
ment proposed, he said. had been a subject
which has given rise TO the closest attcn-
ton, and had resulted in grave and peril
ncnt suggestions from eminent public mon
of the United States during the last 80
|
| ing off of American trade with Central and
South America and the isles of the sea
! must have witnessed those conditions with
| the greatest impotence. The people of all
these countries had common interest with
the people of the United States. Abiding
the the late Pan-American congress, Mr.
Hale said that it proved that the same con-
sideratons which had their influence in the
| "a IN ia
minds of the eminent men from the sister
| republics who took part in the proceedings
of that congress, and that they pointed to
one sure inevitable end-the increase of
trade and commerce between the United
States and those peoples. Those consider
ations which applied to an extension of
! trade and an increased interchange of pro-
ducts, applied not only to the nations of
Central and South America, but TO the
islands of the Spanish main.
Mr.. Hale referred to the reciprocity
message of President Harrison and to Mr..
Blaine's letter and attitude in support of it
| and to the increasing and earnest discus
| sion Of the subject; also to Mr.. Freling-
| huysen's letter of Dec. II, 1884, transmit
ting the Foster treaty with Spain, also to
n reciprocity resolution offered in the SEN
ate by Mr.. Aldrich in December, 1886, and
| TO n report Of Mr.. Abram S. Hewitt III the
house OF representatives TO carry into ef-
| feet convention between the United
/ States and Mexico-which showed that
| Mr.. Hewitt was influenced by the same
idea that now prevailed with vast major
ity of the American people. Never until
this year had it been claimed, said Mr..
Hale, that anybody in public or private
life, who engaged in an attempt to broaden
the market for American farms and work
shops in countries that were not rivals
in the same products, was thereby oppos-
ing the system of protection to American
labor. That had never been claimed until
now Mr. Hale quoted, in support of his
position described as protection extended)
an article from the New York Tribune;
and he asked whether the disastrous ex-
pertinent that had been tried in 1872, when
the duty on coffee was removed. was TO be
now repeated in the article of sugar, He
also read extracts from Mr.. Blaine's two
letters TO Mr. Frye and commented upon
the fact that while the balance of trade
was very largely against the United States
in many countries, the result was much
more favorable in regard to Mexico, where
| American imports were nearly as large
as her exports. This was largely the
| Salul because OF TIC opening OF railrOau
communications with Mcxico; and that
fact bore on the necessity for the passage
of that steamship and postal subsidy bill
passed some weeks ago by the senate.
Leading republicans in congress arc
figuring upon an adjournment about the
25th inst. The tariff bill will probably
pass the senate by the middle of next
week and it is calculated that it can be
disposed of in the conference in from
seven to ten days. The general appropria-
ton bills are well under way, and can be
adopted in conference without much de-
lay. The anti-lottery bill is to be taken
up Immediately after the tariff bill is out
of the way, at least, that is Senator Saw
yer's program. IL is more than probable
that the land bill and the labor bills will be
disposed of practically as they passed the
house.
The river and harbor bill containing the
large appropriations for Michigan has
passed both houses. and awaits the Presi-
dents signature.
A Great Crop.
The New Orleans cotton exchange has