The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-29

RECIPROCITY ROW.
The Abrogation Clauses of
the Tariff Bill Very
Seriously Modified.
yIRULENT SENATOR HILL
Is Sugar the Only difficulty
Sherman Fayors the
Treaties.

the appropriations for the support of the
Government, was taken up in the Senate,
this morning, and, in the absence of Mr..
Hoar, rep, Mass, who had ~interposed OBJ
~jections on Wednesday and Thursday, re-
ferred to the CommitteeIo on Appropriations,
and without a moments delay was reported
back by Mr.. Cockrell, dem, No. Chair
man of the committee, read, and without
any objection passed.
Mr.. Hoar having reached the chamber
and learned what had been lone in his
absence, moved to reconsider the vote. He
had made up his mind, he said, not to in ter
pose any further objection to the passage of
the joint resolution, but he owed it to himself
to say that if he had his own way he should
not nave consented, notwithstanding the
public inconvenience which might have been
occasioned to making public appropriations
in that way under present circumstances. The
reason why this extraordinary proceeding
passing appropriations for one-twelfth of
the entire year in the twinkling of an eye,
without the consideration of the Committee
on Approprlatlons-waS that the dominant
party in the Senate had compelled the Sen
ate to give its attention for three months to
a tariff bill which had never been considered
in committee at all. So that the Senate had
been doing committee work for the last
three months. He should be perfectly salts
fed himself to say that the minority
would not permit that, and to appeal 10 the
country for its vindication of the decent and
becoming methods of legislation. But he
knew that Senators on the Republican side,
especially those who were members of the
Finance Committee, had been carrying on
their shoulders a very heavy burden under
very difficult circumstances He knew that
the judgment of these gentlemen as to
- 49, u--,rktA- 4l~ kA-sH Iii
was not only better than his own, but was
recognized by his political associates who
had placed them in that position, as better
than his own. Therefore he has not taken
upon himself the responsibility of insisting
ON ii -individual judgment without the con-
eurrence of the wisest and best informed of
his political associates. Therefore he had
not insisted. on OBTAINING the joint resolution
and he now withdrew his motion to recon
slider. -r-re18 ~
THE RECIPROCITY CLAUSES.
At half past ten o'clock the tariff bill vas
taken up, question being on section 104, alb
rogating the reciprocity treatise.
Mr. Hale, rep. Maine) moved to strike out
the section. but yielded to Mr.. Vest, dem.
Mo- to modify it on the part of the Finance
Committee, which he did by inserting a pro-
viso that nothing contained in the section
should be held to abrogate such reciprocity
or commercial arrangements between the
United States and other countries, except
where such arrangements are inconsistent
with the provisions of the act.
Mr.. Hale said that the only effect of the
modification would be to raise a doubt as to
the abrogation of the reciprocity orange
ments that had been made, with such happy
results, with the different nations of Europe
and Of South and Central America. 1t
Guilty which Senators found in fol
lowing the sinuous course which the
Finance Committee pursued on those
subject matters. Whether or not the
amendment now presented by the Senator
from Missouri for the first time did abrogate
the reciprocity agreements was a matter
Of augmentation. For the last two weeks
the section had been clear and distinct
that by eonc fell swoopn the
whole fabric of reciprocity, with all
its munificent and favorable results
to American trade. was struck out. He
has little or no doubt that the Interpretation
of the amendment just submitted by the
Senator from Missouri would be the same,
and that the change of form-uhat they
should not be ~abrogated unless they were in
consistent with the general terms of the act
should be construed as operating their alb
rogation.
Mr.. Hale then went on TO argue in favor
of the continuance of the reciprocity ar
rangements.
The discussion on this question was tenn
porarily suspended in order to permit Mr..
Hoar rep, Mass.) to offer an amendment to
section "a, which would allow alcohol used
in the arts and manufactures to be free
from tax, Under rules to be
prescribed by the Secretary of the
Treasury; and under a promise that if found
to be impracGicable he would afterwards
vote with the committee to reject it. The
amendment was agreed to, with the consent
of the Finance Committee.
The discussion as to the abrogation of
reciprocity arrangements was resumed, and
was participated in by Senators Allison
rep, Iowa. and Sherman rep, Ohio, in
opposition to the section, and by Mr..
Vest dem. Mo- III defence, and
explanation of it. One of the points made
by him was that the absolute repeal of sec
ton 3 of the Mckinley act was to take away
from the President in the future all the au-
thoriety which be possessed under that sec
ton.
GREAT IMPROVEMENT
Mr.. Higgins rep. Dell-Is it the Senator's
proposition that, in the future, the power to
make reciprocal conventions will be left to
the treaty making power-the President and
Senate, and taken from the President aioneY'
Mr.. Vest-That is the object.
Mr.. Allison-This amendment, of course,
is a great improvement upon the original
amendment of the Finance Committee be-
cause if it shall turn out when this bill
finally receives the signature of the Presi-
dent instead of having a duty on sugar,
g will be free. Then these reciprocal
arrangements already entered into will not
be changed. ane
Mr.. Sherman stated facts and read COM
m-unications to show that the ~abrogation of
the reciprocity treaties would be a great
blow to the milling industry, and to other
industries of the United States.
Mr.. Gray dem, Dell asked him whether
there was anything in the way of continu-
ing the reciprocity treaties except the duty
on sugar. He said hat he was himself in
favor of reciprocity I'd
Mr.. Sherman replied that there was, but
that he would not now undertake to state
the others. He argued that the treaties
ought to be continued in force until abro-
gated by the consent of both parties. He
never wanted TO see a treaty abrogated by
legislation. If a law of Congress should prove
to be inconsistent with a treaty, the Presi-
dent of the United States should present the
facts to the other government. Then
purpose of seeing whether some other sub
substitute could not be found. When
treaties were undertaken tofbe abrogated by
legislation, there was no time given to oil
away by kindly language and Blythe process
of negotiations the difficulties iii the way.
Mr.. Hale asked Mr. Vest to state whether
he had any doubt that, under his amend
ment, the reciprocity treaties would fall to
the ground, if the bill went through.
MI. Vest replied that that would depend
entirely IN the Importance which foreign
countries attach to the expectation of sugar
from them to the United States. He did not
know how much importance they attached
to it.