The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-02-06
STILL SOME
SLIGHT HOPE.
For the Ratification Of the Reel.
prOcity Treaties.
RESISTING AN INVESTIGATION
General Grosvenor, Considered the Mouth
piece of the Administration,
Wants the Gage Matter
Dropped at Once.
Special to News-Democrat.

| Special to News-D Democrat.
Washington, Feb. 5.-There is still
some slight hope for the ratification
of some of the reciprocity treaties
negotiated under pledge of the Republi-
can platform. The interests that OF
pose them have all been heard and
those that favor them are now COM
| ing to the front. For instance, France
| proposes to make substantial reductions
in duties on a number of American pro-
| ducts, among them cottonseed oil and
petroleum If the treaty Is not ratified
| maximum rates on these articles will
be imposed and Russia will probably
get monopoly of the petroleum trade
| with France, while cottonseed oil will
| be practically excluded. Naturally the
producers of these artices wish the
| treaty ratified. The United States is
now given an opportunity under the
! terms of the treaty to extend it's trade
with France while American consumers
of French products, by means of the
reciprocal arrangement, will be able to
purchase at less expense considerable
number of goods imported from France.
| There is, however, formidable opposi-
tion on the part of protected interests
in this country to the proposition to ad-
NIT French products at q reduced duty,
although they would, of course be glad
to send their goods to France duty free.
In case affecting the interests of
consumers the beneficaries of a high
tariff are as unwilling as ever to make
any concessions. They seem determin-
ed to keep the "home market" entirely
to themselves, and as long as the con-
sumer does not realize the eXtortion
which is practiced upon him they will
be able to exclude foreign competition.
The south has a cotton industry which
might develope into considerable pro-
portions through closer trade relations
with France and other countries
Southern senators should support the
reciprocity treaty.
! The probability that the proposed to
investigate the Gage bill will be
favorably reported by the ways and
means committee steadily increases.
Several of the Republicans of the COM
mittee are said to facor an inquiry
and three of these, Joined to the Demo-
cratic members, would be enough to
compel investigation. Naturally a
great deal is being said in regard to
the presidents attitude in the matter.
Mr.. Grosvenor, a representative from
Ohio, who is a member of the ways
and means committee, and who, as
many people seem to think, is the vocal
organ of the executive on the floor of
the house, is reported as vehemently
resisting an investigation of Mr.
Gage, the Standard Oil bank and GUS
tom house deals, or anything else con-
) nected with the management of the
! treasury, or its relations to speculative
! movements in Wall street. How far
Mr.. Grosvenor may be properly con-
sidered as Mr.. McKinley's personal and
responsible representative, there is, of
| course, no means of knowing.
| 1t is certain that the secretary S
latest letter, while pleasing, is decidedly
inadequate. For instance, he assures
the senate that no answer was returned
, to the suggestive Hepburn letter; yet,
: there is room for the suspicion that it
might have affected his policy and con-
duct. For little while before it was
received the government deposits in the
National City bank amounted to only
100000, while some months later, on
December Is, 1897, they aggregated $50,
+ OS3,652. Mr. Gage denies that there was
any agreement between the Standard
Oil bank and the treasury, between
June 5, 1897, and October 27, 1897. 1t
remains fact, however, that in Octo-
Der, 1897, the National City bank was
= designated by the secretary of the
5 treasury to distribute the Union Pacific
fund, amounting to SOS, ,44S, ,223. The
e senate asked Mr.. Gage, what amount
of bonds in the name of the Standard
\ Oil company did the treasury hold in
Y trust for the National City bank?" The
reply was that "only $1,914OOO were
assigned and delivered to the Standard
Oil company at the order of the Nation
., al City bank" The statement, though
. no doubt, strictly truthful, was not
what one might frankly call illuminat-
ing. 1t is reported that the greater
l part of the 1884, 900 in bonds assigned
by the treasury, on Mr.. Stillman's
order, belonged OF the United States
Trust company and other institutions
3 controlled by the Standard Oil company
s These are some of the matters which
+ still require investigation.
CRITTENDEN MARRIOTT