The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-03-27
BENEFITS OF RECIPROCITY
set Forth by Congressman Hop
kins, OF Illinois.
In the beginning of the battle for
Prosperity tho Merits of the
Dingicy BiIi Arc Held
Up 40 View.

Mr.. Dingley. chairman of the commit
tee on ways and means, was the first
speaker, and he devoted his remarks 10
an explanation of the bill, which was
on fhe general lines covered by the com
mittee's report and his statement ac-
comlanying the bill when made public.
He was followed by Gen. Wheeler, of
Alabama, who trotted out the old free
trade arguments OF former generations
of congressman and carefully omitted
any reference TO the work of the free
trade law now upon the statute books.
Then came the chief speech of the
day, and one for which members had
waited with much interest that OF
Mr.. Hopkins. OF Illinois. Ii was well
known that Mr.. Hopkins had made a
special study of the reciprocity features
of the Mckinley law and their effect on
the business OF the country, and that
he had been the chief factor in framing
this portion of the present bill.
He devoted the opening portion OF his
remarks to an analysis of the Wilson
law, showing the great loss In revenue
the great depression in manufactures.
the great loss to all business interests,
the great suffering of the workingmen,
and the enormous losses 10 the farmers
of the country which followed IL, Civ
ing figures from official documents in
support of his statements. Upon the
reciprocity feature of the bill Mr.. Hop
kins spoke as follows:
what, however in my Judgment will
prove TO be the chief glory OF the bill. "
enacted into law, Is the reciprocity prin-
OH haf mas 10 80 mr. nj 4
OF the law OF 1890. The reciprocity portion
OF this bin is framed on somewhat different
lines from that OF the law Of 1890.
you will remember that under that law
the president was authorized to enter into
reciprocal agreements only when he be-
came satisfied that the government OF any
country or colony producing and export
ing to the United States certain articles
that were then upon the free list imposed
duties or eXactions upon the products OF
the United States which I'm view OF such
free importations he deemed to be un-
reasonable and reciprocally unjust. In the
present bill the principle OF reciprocity has
been enlarged and adapted TO our CONNER
cial relations with France. Germany. Bel
GUM and other European countries, as
well as Mexico and the Central and South
American states.
Provision of the New Bin.
ut provides that for the purpose OF
equalizing the trade OF the United states
with foreign countries and their colonies
producing and exporting TO this country
the articles named In the reciprocity
amendment that the president be author
ized as soon as may be after the passage
of this act, and from time TO time there
after, 10 enter into negotiations with those
countries exporting 10 the United states
the articles mentioned In the reciprocity
portion OF the bill. or any OF them, with
a view TO the arrangement OF commercial
agreements In which reciprocal and equiv
alent concessions may be secured In favor
OF the products and manufactures OF the
United States; and IL then provides that
when any such country producing any OF
the articles named shall enter into a COM
mercial agreement which, I'm the opinion
of the president, shall be reciprocal and
equivalent. he shall be and he Is hereby
authorized 10 suspend during the time Of
such agreement or concession by proclaim
alton 70 that effect the imposition and col
lection OF the duties mentioned In this
act on such articles exported 10 the United
States from the country named. ana
thereupon and thereafter the duties levied,
collected and paid upon such article. or
articles, shall be as IS specified I'm the
reciprocity portion OF the BILL which Is a
lower rate than.the one fixed as the regu-
lar duties TO be collected
To Make Reciprocity Popular.
1--WE seek. in authorizing the president 20
suspend the rates OF duty. and that there
upon and thereafter there shall be collect
ed a lower duty than the one specified IN
the bill, 20 make II an object Tor countries
producing the articles named In the first
part OF this reciprocity bill to enter into
these reciprocal agreements, or make
equivalent concessions IN favor OF the
products OF our farms and factories which
enter their markets. Let me ILLUSTRATES:
1--WE furnish for Germany to-day her
largest market for beet sugar Millions
OF dollars worth OF this product manufac-
tured In Germany Is yearly consumed by
American citizens In framing this bill
IN order 10 raise sufficient revenue 10 run
the government and meet all the eNpendi-
lures that the administration may be
called upon TO pay, we have Imposed n GER
tain rate OF duty on sugar. CommcncinG
with / cent per pound on all sugars that
will test Is degrees by the polariscopC
test and increasing $500 OF / cent on
every additional degree until we reach 100
and then adding onc-eighth OF cent pei
pound for refined sugar.
Now we have provided IN this reciproc
ity branch OF the bill a differential OF prac
tically one-eighth OF one cent per pound IN
favor OF those countries Importing sugar
here that enter into reciprocal agree
ments and trust that VIII be a sufficient
inducement TO the German government tC
reopen her markets for all OF the products
OF our farms and facotries.
Not Limited 20 sugar.
I'VE. however are not limited IN the bill
20 sugar alone. There are other articles
OF German production, like champaign,
anu al ul'AAhAiHN Nffi''f FAiA NAihff iiili't
al water. etc, that are produced anc
shipped IN large quantities from that coun
try 10 this They Will all have lowe
rate OF duty under the conditions | hav,
herein indicated than would otherwise b'
secured. IL Is hoped the part or IN,
members OF the ways and means commit
toe that the inducements we have place,
I'm this bill win be sufficiently strong 4
cause the German government to ente
irto the most friendly commercial agree
ments with the United States and permi
again our cattle. sheep and hogs TO hi
sold freely In her markets, We trust II will
be sufficient TO again create a demand 10
our wheat and -four and other cereal
raised on our farms.
II cannot, In the limited time allotted q
me IN this debate. speak OF the great beno
fts that will come 10 the farmers OF tn
United states. 20 say nothing OF our manu-
featuring interests.
France Is another country that rhOul