Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-04-01
President Harrison and Germany.

Under the above heading the New Y DIRK
Herald says, "there are not many voters
who realize that under law Of the last
Billion Congress President Harrison has
the power to put a stop to all importations
from Germany. That power was given to
him on August 80, 1890, and On October 1,
1890, he was also authorized in his dis
erection to suspend the tariff free list, which
exempts coffee, sugar, molasses and hides
from customs duties when arri wing from
Spanish America and levy thereon certain
prescribed rates. Do voters comprehend
what tremendous power that is to be put
into the hands Of any man? II President
be venal or nnder the inf uence of huck-
STEERING politicians. what sums of money
the spectators on the Presidents action
can realize, if they can only know in sd-
vance when the sugar and coffee free list will
be suspended and all importations from
Germany will be stopped. A crafty head
devised and cunning hand formulated the
legislation giving such unheard Of powers
to the President. The germ Of the legisla-
ton is an assumed unjust discrimination by
foreign government against our products,
or failure TO give equal reciprocity and
impartial shopping. OF course, the cause
Of the fear Of such retaliation by foreigners
So the hostility against foreign producers
displayed By ourselves in the Mckinley bill.
We beganrthe tariff war when the Billion
Congress suggested and enacted the Nc
Kinley law. Every one knew that the
governments Injured by that legislation
would display resentment, but not every
one even yet appreciates the discretionary
power given TO the President On August
80, 1890, to close all cur ports against
foreign imports of every sort whenever be
pleases. We wieh our readers would criti
cally examine the fifth section Of the law
of that date. Here it Isl
THAT whenever the President shall be
satisfied that unjust determinations are
mada by or under tho authority Of any
foreign State against the importation to Or
sale il such foreign State of any product OF
the United States he may direct that such
products Of such foreign State SO discrimi-
mating against any product OF the United
States as he may deem proper shall be OK.
s;luded from importation to the United
Etates and in such case he shall make proc
nation &C his direction in the premises,
I'D therein name the time when such di.
reetion against importation shall take eff
feet, ard after such date the importation OF
the articles named IN such proclamation
shall be unlawful. The President may al
any time revoke, modify, terminate or
renew any such direction as, in his opinion,
ths public interest may require"
Ii docs not cover merely Germany and
France-pigs ard pork-but any and every
foreign State and any product of the United
States. President Harrison can-f any
venal adviser shall persuade him so to do
by satisfying him that foreign State dis
eliminates unjustly against anything we
produce aud export-not only close oui
ports against all the products OF that
foreign State, but be may open and close
our ports in whole or in part from time to
time as sball suit buying and selling by
republican workers who may have his ear.
Was ever any legislation in our land so
prepos: erous? 1t was born of the Mckinley
bill end the home market fad !
Every competent expert realizes that our
complicated and delicate structure of cur
rency-which consists 80 largely of redeem
ing or exchanging at the Treasury On de
mapd token paper and silver dollars with
gold dollars-depends for its endurance on
maintaining the volume of our exports in
new equivalence with the volume of our
I, ,uorts. Take Germany as an illustration.
asst year these were the figures
ssmuorts from Germany.............. .S99.OUOUOV
Exports to Germany......" .......''.'.. o4,uoVOoo
Excess of imports"... .Sl5,ooO,ooV
President Harrison has the power to-
) morrow to stop the entry into our ports OF
that colossal volume of nearly one hundred
millions from Germany. Last year Ger
man beet root sugar came into our ports to
the extent of sixteen millions IN value Cd
which duty was raid, but after next April
FOOLS, Day sugar will be free. OF our ex-
orts to Germany (eighty-four million DOL
-s) the value of just onehalf was raw