New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-04
THE RECIPROCITY CLAUSE.
PRECEDENIS FOR THE POWERS II GIVES.
OFTEN GRANTED TO THE PRESIDENT = THE
EVENING PosT,sn IGNORANCE OF HISTORY.

OFTEN GRANTED TO THE PRESIDENT - THE
EVENING POSTS" IGNORANCE OF HISTORY
Washington. Dec . CspeciaD.-In discussing the
question, pending before the Supreme Court OF the
United States to the consttuonality OF the reel
procy clause In the Mckinley act, "The New-fofk
Evening Post" displays amount # ignorance as 10
facts which would be surprising in any other paper
Whatever the courts decision may be on legal
grounds" says THE Evening POST there can be no
question that the lntstng Of such sweeping power 70
the President is wide departure from the practice OF
legislation from the beginning 1t is in fact,
reversion TO the old mOnarchlcal and dvineght con
ceptcn OF ruler, in accordance with which king
could not only do no wrong but could make no mis-
takes. being fountain OF all knowledge and wisdom
Aud on, through nearly thIee-quayers OF column
of more less accurate information. Now what are the
facts regards the practice Of our legislation from the
beginning? a boy might have given the pundit of
Tie Evening POST points that score. The perusal
Of many school history would have saved the Editor
OF The Evening POST the modification Of exhibiting his
ignorance in this glazing manner. The fact is. our
statute books show cOnclusively that similar
to that conferred upon the President under the Nc
Kinley act conferred time and again by Congress
upon his predecessors from the earliest times in the
history of this Government and that no one regarded
it wide departure" either believed that it
called for Omniscence the part Of the Executive
one Of the earliest laws passed by Congress soon
after the period Of the Embargo act. bearing
date of March 3, 1915. 1t provided, among other
things.
That SO much of the several acts imposing duties
on the tonnage Of ships and vessels. and on goods
wares and merchandise imported INTO the United
States as imposes discriminating duty on tonnage
between foreign vessels and vessels Of the United States.
be, and the hereby, repealed far as the same
RESPECTS the produce or o. Inc mao sutS
repeal to take effect In favor Of any foreign nation
AZ
Of sUch foreign nations. far they operate to the
disadvantage of the United States. have been abolished
The Act Of March g. 1917 entitled An act TO regli-
late the trade in plaster Of Paris and prohibiting the
importation in foreign vessels from countries whence
vessels Of the United States not allowed 10 bring
it, provides:
That this act shall continue and be in force fvo
years from the thirty day Of January, 1871 pro
vlded nevertheless. that foreign nation or It's
dependencies, which have now in force regulations on
the subject OF the trade in plaster Of Paris prohibiting
the expectation thereof TO certain parts OF the Uned
States shall discontinue such regulations the President
OF the United States is hereby authorized to declare tina,
fact by his proclamation and the restrictions Imposed
by this act shall from the date of such proclamation
cease and be discontinued in relation to the nation
or its dependencies discontnuing such regulations.
The third section OF the Act of March l, 1923, en-
titled An act to regulate the commercial intercourse
between the United States and certain British colonial
ports" provides: ,. -. A..
United States satisfactory to him, that upon the
vessels Of the United States admitted into the above
enumerated British colonial ports, and upon any goods
wares or merchandise imported therein In the s;'la
vessels no other or higher duties Of tonnage or i'm
post and no other charges Of any kind are levied OF
exacted than upon British vessels, or upon the like
goods. wares and merchandise imported into the said
colonial ports from elsewhere 1t should and may be
lawful for the President of the United States to Issue
his proclamation declaring that no other or higher
duty or impost on tonnage. and other or higher
dnty or charge Of any kind upon any goods wares OF
merchandise imported from the above enumeTatcu
British colonial ports. in the British vessels snail De
levied or exaced In any of the ports OF the Uhited
states Except in the ports in the territory OF Floda
than upon the vessels OF the United states, ana upon
the like goods wares, merchandise imported into
the ports OF the United States IN the same, etc
The act of January 7, 1924, entitled An Act con
corning discriminating duties OF tonnage ana imposs
provides for suspension OF discriminating duties against
any foreign nation upon evidence being given to the
President Of the United states that no discriminating
duties of tonnage or imposts are imposed or levied
within the ports Of said nations upon vessels, mer
chandse or produce OF the United states, the fresl-
dent to cause such suspension by proclamation anu
the same 20 continue long as the reciprocal eA-
emption shall continue
On April 90 1926, "An Act to equalize the duties
On vessels OF the Republic of Colombia and their
cargoess was passed After providing for the equai-
cation of duties on vessels and cargoes OF the hepuonc
of Colombia section enacts, in part .,. ...,,
And II at any time hereafter the said elaay Shu
not be reclprocaed in the ports OF the ssa epuDhG,
the President may and hereby authorized 10 issue hs
proclamation declaring that mct ~hefeupon 'ins A''
on NAV "a 1925 a like act was passed. Section
reads in part rs follows; A., -, ,,.- hall
And If al any time hereafter the said equality snail
not be reciprocaed in the ports OF Prussia ana her
donons the President may and he Is hereby here s sls sSd
ihereupon so much of this act as relates 10 ussia
vessels and their cargoes shall cease and determine
The act OF May 81, 1880, providing that tonnage
duties shall be abolished as TO American vessels In
certain cases, by Section p provides as follows
That from and after the said hTst day OF April he ~
all acts and parts OF acts imposing duties upon ue
so far as the same relate the imposition OF saSa
duties shall be repealed that the ~ y,
or cOuntervaiHg duties OF such foreign nation go ii
as they operate TO the disadvantage Oh uie ChiVeu
states have been abolished.
ON NAV 10, 1892 was passed "An act for giving
effect to commercial arrangements between tie United
sta es and the Republic OF Colombia Ii conferS
upon the President powers similar TO those cohleFreo
by the acts already referred TO like statute with
IKE powers TO the President, is embodied In An act
concerning tonnage duties on Spanish veseels' passed
July 49, 1885,. The act Of June 30, 1874, prsviung
that Spanish vessels from certain pors shai pay =
tonnage duty equal To the discriminating dutsee OF
American bottoms likewise resembles the acts ALREADY
quoted. SO does the act Of Marcel lo3I en nieS
and Belgian vessels and their eirgoe," and An act
regulating commercial intercourse with the iSta9as .,
NfGneon and ST. Pierre passed March ., 1s46, and
providing for the admission OF French ships OF these
Islands on the payment CT same auteS As American
ships. ,t,.- ...o ,roo,o,no
tons were issued by nearly every President run
Monroe TO Cleveland. So far from being q" wide De
Tartures or measure which lls the President " with
CONSERVATION" the reciprocity clause In the MCKINLEY
Law Is following in principle long line Of precedensi
and Instead producing CONSERVATION" + more app p
eUccessoTs i'm dealings with foreign nations. After
While even 1.-THE Evening Post" may be ready To ad-
nit this.
RELIEF FOR The NETWORK PO5ToFFlCE.
-IXTY NEW CLERKS ALLOWED, SALARIES RAISED
AND STAMPING MACHINES COMING.
Washington, Dec. 3.-First Assistant postmaster
General Whitfield stated to-day that the needs OF the