New-York tribune., 1894-01-27
CHARACTERISTIC STTPIDITT.

The Democratic House has acted with char
accristlc stupidity in repeating the Reciprocity
clalIsc of the Mckinley act. Since coffee sugar,
molasscs and hides were left on the free list or
the Wilson tariff the basis for the treaties ne
gotiatcd by the Harrison Administration re-
mained although there was al implication that
countries which had not complied with the con-
ditions Of Reciprocity could enter the free mar
kct on terms Of equality with those that had
lowered their tariffs on produce exported from
the United States Chairman Wilson and the
Democratic majority in order to hasten the
abrogation of these treaties have repealed the
Aldrirh clause outright. Nothing whatever Is
gained by this action. As coffee sugar, mo-
lasscs and hides are retained on the free list.
there can he 10 increase OF revenues from ihe
repeal Of the clause and The abrogation Of the
treaties. The only effect Of this wanton act or
Democratic folly will be to enable foreign Gov
crnrncnts 10 restore duties on American man'l-
features and farm products which were lowered
by the Reciprocity conventions.
Mr. Coombs, who is one of the few Demo
cratic members familiar with the conditions OF
the export trade argued earnestly against re-
peal and Mr. Hendrix. his Brooklyn colleague,
supported him with equal good sense; but Mr..
II.
associatcs into lire and struck out the Adrich
clause Mr.. Cochran objected to the Reel
procity system because it made the President,
as he said, " the dispensing power In view
Of the decision Of the United States Supreme
Court he could not attack the Aldrich clause
on constitutional grounds but he raised Il
finical objection TO system which was recon-
mcndcd by the Pan-American Congress. and
which Is practically employed by all the En-
ropean nations except England. Mr. Cochran
apparcntly does not know that the commercial
treaties of Germany, AustraIIungary, Italy,
France, Spain and other Continental nations
are based upon give-anG-take principles and
that England is the only great Power In the
world that surrenders its markets uncondtiOn-
ally lie does not pause TO consider that the
Congress Of 1890 was the dispensing power ="
when IL placed certain articles on the free list
with the reservation that equitable conditions
of reciprocity must be received In return. and
that the President was simply required to en-
force the law. 1t is enough for Mr. Cochran
to know that the Reciprocity system Is not Eng
llsh He is against it because his English Free
Trade textbooks are against 1t.
Let us look ut this thing practically. The
duties on American flour and pork have been
heavily reduced in certain countries In conse-
qucnce of Reciprocity. Other countries. ike
Venezuela. which have not complied with the
conditions have kept the duties where they
were. The Democratic House decides, first.
that Venezuela shall sell its coffee. sugar and
hides In the American market on as favorable
terms as Brazil and the Spanish and British
West Indies: and, second that the latter coun-
tries, which have made large concessions to the
American export trade. shall be under no obli-
cations TO maintain the lower schedules OF the
Reciprocity treaties. Spain can restore the old
duties on American -four and pork In Cuba and
can have the same market for sugar in the
United States which 1t has now-indeed, q