New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-13
MR.. BRECKINRIDGES IDEAS.
RECIPROCITY AND THE TARIFF A. eEtN
THROUGH Hi >PECTACLES.
FEW FACTS WHICH THE HOUSE MIGHT WILL
sTUDY-wHAT THE PRESIDENTS POWER Is

A FEW FACTS WHICH THE HOUSE MIGHT WELL
sTUDY-wHAT THE PRESI DENTS POWER IS'
rBY TELEGRAPH TO The TRIBUNE!
Washington jan l2.-When Representative Brech
nrdge, OF Kentucky was a member OF 'he Commune
OF Ways and Means in the Lth Congress II uS'd 10 U"
said OF him by Democrats whose opportunities 10 ho"
were good that he probably knows less ABOUT u'0
tariff or anything relating TO 1t than any o'her nun
In the House OF Representatives. That was probably
an extreme II not an exaggerated statement ana YET
even his warmet friends realize that Colonel lrech
inridge has never been close or careful STUDENT vi
the facts and figures upon which farms afr UaNeu'
They might admit too that he Is subject to sch n"Sne
Of genius as he showed yesterday when he ohcreu
q resolution for what may be termed Hemisphere
cal Reciprocity OF course he did not mean awning
By the proposition that the House shall declare me
Tariff act OF 1890 to be unconstitutional but he I'M
doubtedly did and does believe that recprOcy WIN
what he calls the " American Hemisphere would De d
grand and glorious thing. lie never sought 10 kho"
whether or not his plan, ~ adopted would anect as
much OF foreign trade the act now IN existence
u never to him probably that outside inc
limits I'm the American Hemisphere within which
tho present Reciprocity Act does may operate ABOUT
the only fields OF which remain are hawaii
British North America and New Zealand. and that the
nrstnamed country already enjoys the privileges VI
reciprocal commercial intercourse with the rm'eu
states. Perhaps 10 the other two should be added
Colonc, Breckenridge viii, not contend In behnif
Of the commercial possibilities OF Greenland. Nam
scbatka and the innumerable Isles OF the Sea Whch
lie within the limits o. the American Hemisphere
lie to believe that The Reciprocity Act is some
how limited by geographical boundaries when as mat
ter OF fact the agreements already made Is with
Germany. which. In consideration Of the continued
free admission of her sugar and hides. has granted
conce ssons vhica viii be of inestimabe value to
American producer trade with that country far
exceeds our trade with all Of the countries OF the
- American Hemisphere with which we ere not al
really or soon be a footing OF comm, 'oial reel
procity. Reduced To igurs. the matter stands as
follows
Imports rom Germany. 073IG.3s3 exports TO
Germany 81 as4o si total ~ 80 col .364. Imports
from Canada $50 S3s $50 export" 10 Canada. s3''-
- bl5 N pors Argentl'o. - l699-"; exports
20 Argentine. s. 7i- 075 imports from Chill. $S44s'
2yO export 81 ChM S3.133.9@i; Imports from GO
'Omhia. ~. &c. .3j4: exports 10 Colombia, S3loeosS
imports from Ecuador and Bolivia s53,ooo exports
% Ecuador and Bolivia. s9O9i Imports from lioh
auas and Near Aua. s2.64OO04; exports T. Hon
earas and Nicaragua, 81 792 704 imports rom Peru
s35i 695 eXpors TO Peru. ~ 306.3r7 imports froi
Uruguay. a. $50. 100 eNp'rts TO Uruguay @loo2"''
imp,-t, from Venezuela. si.O775ti exports - Vet
uela. s:..Ii $50; total s13o,033. 8l4
~ 10 this total be dded Si.OOoOOO on account OF
New 2,aland, which is probably fair estimate the
aggregate Is about 5.ooo.O 900 S54Ooo.OoO less
than the trade It'll Germany. But this Is by no means
all. Leaving out Germany and also leaving MeNioo
out Of consideration. with which our trade last year
exceeded AL 900 900, and with which IL Is well
known a reciprocity agreement is about 10 be pro
claimed the reciprocity agreements already concluded
nv virtue of Section 3 of the act OF 1890 AFFECT an
i'm port trade which amounted last year TO more than
81 so 900 600, and export trade which amoun"n
TO about ISL O0O. 900, making n total OF S2"l,
OOOO 900, or SOC, 100000 more than our total trhe
tQfnis MI
with which no such agreements have been concluded
About one fourth Of entire foreign trade with
all countries. dncudng our enormous expor trace ID
bread stufs, provisions. cotton and petroleum, Is al
ready covered by reciprocity treaties or agreements
now or soon to he in force. In some cheerful com
ments on his resolution Colonel Breckenridge sara
al believe that the third section of the Mckinley
act is unconstitutional in comforting upon the Pesi
dent tho power to impose taxes without Congress
slonal action.
In 1861 Colonel Breckenridge believed firmly
that it was "unconsttut onal' for the Government TO
exercise the right of seprescrvation that although
bis own state did not attempt to leave the Cnon he
drew his sword to uphold the right OF seocssiN. lie
was certainly mistaken then; perhaps he Is equally
mistaken now. Now after Congress has deliberately
clothed the President with power, and directed nm,
not to impose taxes" but u carry out his expressed
wall in regard to the commercial relations between inc
United states and certain foreign countries and aiter
the President has exercised that power and gwen
notice of his intention TO carry out the oirecuoh'
Colonel Breckenridge calmly declares that the act Is
"uncons tituu onal' and he proposes that the Hose
siao sustain his declaration. lie argues ul't tne
President, under authority Of Congress NAV remove
what he calls taxes and that that VIII be true
reolprodty." The President may "0pen the ports on
America 10 the free entry OF foreign goods by virtue
N authority granted by Congress, says colonel brccH
ridge and his act will be "indutdtabE CONSTITUTIONAL
INIT Ii under like authority he shall clS the Ports
OF America to the free entry OF foreign goods wch
Congress has in express terms declared shall be SUP
isct TO duty his act j. individually unconstitutional
nn only S. but the act l. one Of retaliation, winch,
when @tadopted only to certain nations, makes al
unjust Discrimination which may also not only DC
arbitrary but may be not free from corruption"
az course Colonel Brecknridge knew hat he was
driving at when he said that, but no other man can
understand what he by his suggestion OF cor
rupion7 in the open. public execution OF puDhc law
the Plain. open performance of public duty by tne
President Of the United States. Not one wor1 mas
Colonel Brecknrdge TO say about the benefits ALREADY
derived and the still greater benefits In futre 10 DC
cnioyed BY the producers-the farmers, the SIOUX
growers the miners and manufacturers. as well as tc
carriers and exporersof the United states from the
operation OF the act which he denounces IL j. 10 be
doubted il he has ever read one of the reciprocity
agreements 20 out the nature OF such DEMENT'S or
If he has sought TO learn whether the agreement
with Irazii with spain with san Domingo mas
stimulated our foreign trade, and II So 10 what extent