The record-union., 1897-07-03

Of such bounty or grant, however the
same be paid or bestowed.
Gray Del.). spoke against the amend
ment, saying he regarded it as opening
the way to a disregard of our treaty
obligations with at least two European
countries, Germany and Austria Hun
gary. He read the speeches of Baron
Won Thielman, the German ambassador,
and Baron Won Hengel Mueller, the
Austrian Ministerp, against the pro-
posed discriminatory duty:
Caffrey Gouisiana}, differed with
Gray, arguing that no breach of inter-
national obligations was involved and
that action of this character was in the
nature of self-preservation to which
any country could resort when it's in
dustries were threatened by the pay
ment of foreign export bounties.
White of California argued that if
Germany had the right to give an ex-
port duty which in effect operat ted
against the United States the United
States could adopt measures to offset
this and he would not even call it re-
taliatory.
Chandler of New Hampshire said he
would vote for the retalatory clause
with extreme reluctance. He had been
told that Germany would begin a course
of commercial warfare against the
United States and he would make sac
rifices to prevent friction between the
empire of Germany and the United
States. But the Senator said he did
not see how this retaltory clause could
be avoided if the protective character
of the bill was to be preserved. The
retalitory clause was agreed to- 33 to
~ TWO Democrats, Caffery and Nc
Emery of Louisiana and Messrs. Allen
and Kyle voted with the Republicans
in the affirmative and Messrs, Mantle
and Teller with the Democrats in the
negative.
The reciprocity section was next con-
sidered, Allison offering the new pro-
vision, the purport of which has been
heretofore given. 1t was changed slight
ly by providing that the reciprocity
treaty ''be made by and with the con-
sent of the Senate"
In brief, the section authorizes the
President to negotiate commercial
treaties to extend more than five years,
and granting a reduction of the duties
imposed by this Act to the extent of
not more than 20 per cent thereof"
or for the transfer during that period
of designated articles from the dutiable
to the free list, being the natural prod
ucts of such foreign countries and not
the United States"
Mills of Texas stated in a few words
that the proposed amendment sought
to deprive the House of Representatives
Of it's constitutional right to originate
and participate in all revenue meas
ures.
Vest took the same view, while Alli-
son and Hoar contended that the par
ticipation of the House in the passage
of this bill was an authorization of the
treaties. Vest spoke of the assaults
of this bill on Germany, Japan, Ar
gentina and other countries, and de-
clared that not one of these countries
could want a reciprocity treaty with
us after being thus assaied
Lindsay of Kentucky referred to the
recent trip of South American officials
to cities of the United States with a
view to encouraging trade, and said it
would be futile when the American peo-
pie by this bill turned their backs on
the rest of the world and made COM
merce a crime
Morgan said the United States Su-
preme Court had passed upon the reci-
procity clauses of the Mckinley law,
and he held that it in no way disre-
garded the rights of the House of Rep
resentatives The reciprocity provision,
he said, reduced the severity of the bill,
and he would support it.
Gray supported the reciprocity amend
ment, saying the treaties contemplated
were clearly within the treaty making
power.
Teller argued that a grave question
was involved in taking from the House
of Representatives, the power to CO.
operate in making reciprocity treaties
1t was too grave a question to be
brought into the Senate during the
closing hours Of the tariff debate. The
Senator said he wanted to vote for
some reciprocity clause but not for
one in violation of the Constitution.
The reciprocity clause was agreed to
80 to 1S-two Democrats. Gray and
Morgan, and Harris of Kansas and
Heitfeld, Populists, voting with the Re-
publicans in the affirmative and Teller
and Stewart with the Democrats in the
negative
Just before adjourning Allison tried
to secure an agreement on a time for
a final vote, but Teller said it would
be useless to try to fix time for a
vote until Senators knew what amend
ments would be proposed.
At 6 o'clock the Senate adjourned.