Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-08-21
The Ambition of the Administration is
to Enlarge the Market for Agrl-
cultural Products,
And the Majority Of the Ways and
Means Committee is in Accord
With 1t.
The Presidents First Wish, However
is for the Passage of the Tariff
Bill.

tlemen who have been pretending to fur
nish the public with details of the social
ed conference between the president and
Secretary Blaine at Cape May have been
writing themselves down asses, says an in
teLllgent Washington correspondent. A
very considerable portion of those who
have been claiming to give the mlnutest
details OF the private conversation between
the president and Mr.. Blaine never obtain
any information from either of those of
fcials, even on subjects that are not regard
ed as confidential. Yet they expect the
public to believe that they have given ac-
curate detailed statements as to what
trsnspIred between them at the Cape May
cottage. The publications for the most
part are simply bosh 1t is not the habit
Of the president to take the opposition in
to his confidence, and senators who have
been endeavOring to ascertain what
transpired there confess that all approach
es which they have made to the president
have been courteous y repulsed. 1t may be
put down, therefore, as a fact, that the
sensational publication in the democratic
press as to these interviews, are as baseless
and sensational as they are improbable and
moons istent. 1t has been said that three
men cannot keep secret in Washington;
but it is admitted that two can, and
the two who can are undoubtedly the presi-
dent and his secretary of state. 1t can be
authorltatlvely stated as coming from both
the president and the secretary of state
that the reports as to radical differences of
opinion between them on the subject of
reciprocity or as to any other subject are
without foundation. Quite as absurd are
those other statements that Mr.. Blaine
contemplates retiring from the cabinet for
any cause. There were doubts whether he
would be disposed to accept a portfolio,
but no one with reason believes that Mr.
Blaine has contemplated surrendering
it,
There are many republican senators who
do not think that there will be any change
In the sugar schedule in the direction of
reciprocity. If any change shall be made,
1t is most likely to be in the direction
either of the proposition of Senator Aid
rich or of Senator Pierce. The PROPOSE
ton of Mr.. Aldrich has been commented
upon as a new device. As matter of
fact, it is several years DID, and was Of
fcially printed in 1886. Senator Pierce's
amendment to the pending tariff bill,
which has on many accounts a special in
terest at this time, provides that after
one year from the passage of this bill. the
president in his discretion may direct that
the duties on sugar imposed under the
laws now in force be reimposed as against
any nation or country failing to enter into
adequate reciprocal, relations with the
United States regarding the agricultural
products of this country and the president
is directed to pursue such negotiations as
may be deemed necessary to secure by a
treaty or otherwise, the unrestricted entry
into any such country, of thesagriculturaI
products Of the United States" Senator
Aldrlch measure, including in the arti-
Giles upon which duties can be imposed,
sugar, hides, coffee, tea and other products
of nations which do not offer any recipro-
cal advantages to our products, for the free
entry of their exports into the United
States. Congress has repeatedly placed
similar powers In the hands of the presi-
dent, and he possesses to-day power to de-
nounce the treaty with the Hawaiian Is
lands re-establlshing the duty on sugar at
the regular intervals provided by the
treaty for its extension. No constitutions
al objections exist, therefor, to this meth
Cd of procedure. 1t is possible that the
most favored nation clause in various trea-
ties may render it wiser to retain existing
duties and provide for their remission in
return for special privileges granted to
American products.
The president has not been converted by
Mr.. Blaine, nor has the secretary of state
been converted by the president. Mr. Har-
rison has not yet fully decided what his
own position ON reciprocity is His prime
wish is to have the tariff bill passed
whether there is recip1 ocity amendment
in it or not. He thinks it of supreme i'm
portance that the republican party should
redeem its pledges to revise the tariff, and
put an end to the existing uncertainty in
business circles. The president has decid-
ed not to send special message upon this
subject to the two houses. He does not
believe in this method of influencing leg
islation, but prefers the system of quiet
talks with the party leaders. He said to
some of those who talked to him to-day
that he was strongly urged to write a
special message on the silver question, but
he would not do it, and he believes that
the even justified his decision. 1t is wei
known that the president does not desire
now that the house has voted to make
sugar free, that the senate should restore
the duty, believing this to be an unwist
step in view of the bad effect it would
have on friendly governments with which
it might seem desirable to enter into
closer trade relations, and which might
regal d such ii step as an evidence of insin.
cerity, not to say unfriendliness. on oul
part But he does believe the chief
executive could safely be intrusted with
the power of restoring either as whole
or in part the duty on sugar as agains
countries which, after a certain period
should continue as they do no. to discrim
mate against certain of our products. l
is also we'll known that the president doe
not look favorably upon the proposition t.
pay a bounty, except, perhaps, in the cas-
of sugar manufactured from beet root
and sorghum But he does not on tina
account condemn the sugar schedule a
proposed by the house. On the contrary
In the main he favors its leadil g feature
and Is understood to have said so time ant
again.
Leading republicans in the house, it i
only fair to say, oppose strongly the Idle;
of investing any president with tn
extraordinary power of adding or CANCEL
ing by one stroke of his pen $4,000 .OOt
of the public revenue. They think sucl
power should remain vested in congress
In the senate there is undoubtedly mucl
less opposition expressed to the propose
of giving the president such power, repub
licans in that body believing that no presi
dent, with proper safeguards as to tim
and rates of increase or decrease respec
lively, would abuse his trust, Senate
Aldrich. when spoken to on the subject O
reciprocity, called attention to the fac
that up to date not single change ha
been made in the pending tariff bill un
less sanctioned by the finance committee