The Washington times., 1901-11-20
FEAR FELT OF
TARIFF REFORM.
Reciprocity Delegates Not
All in Unison.
MANY FAVOR STRICT PROTECTION.
Trade With South America Con-
sidered at the Evening Session
a Department of Commerce Urg-
ed-To Wait on President Today

When General Hancock said that the
| tariff was local issue, his political op-
| ponents ridiculed him. The proceedings
before the National Reciprocity Conven-
| tion, which met at the Raleigh yester-
| of that much-discussed and little under
stood topic was too broad. and that really
it is an individual issue.
More than 200 men. coming from all
sections of the country except the Far
West, and representing upward of hun
dred different lines of industry, with mil
| lions of dollars of capital, had met to
talk about commercial reciprocity. They
4 are all business men, men of experience
in growing industries. men who have
wrought success in their respective lines
of activity, men of brains, push and en-
| ergy.
Protective Tariff Defended.
| Although there was at times consider
able political color In some of the utter
ances. the purpose of each was to main
tain and promote business and prosperity
| rather than political aims. Nctwithstand-
! ing the fact that the convention. called,
as it was. under tn. auspices of the Ma
tional Association OF Manufacturers, was
| for the purpose of ...Isidering the ques-
( tion Of reciprocity. during the greater part
of yesterdays session that entertaining
TOPIC was overshado II. BY arguments in
/ defence of the protective tarih system.
I In fact, reciprocity was relegated to a
position somewhat in the rear. while the
protective tariff vas brought to the front
as the bulwarl of American institutions
! and industries
/ Tariff reform was the great spectre
which all the delegates stunned. The
/ vast majority of the speeches were rem
dered to the tune of Don't Tinker with
the Tariff, and had for their. refrain. Be
ware of the Free Trade Dog
| Much of the morning session was de-
/ voted to efecting an organization, in
/ which T. c. Search. of Philadelphia. was
! selected as chairman. A. B. Farquhar. of
York Pa, a manufacturer OF agricultural
| implements. led off with a speech advo-
| eating reciprocity
| When he had concluded Charles Heber
! Clark, Of Pennsylvania, Was introduced
He makes yarn mittens knit jackets. and
]
to heroic defence of high protection,
and denounced every effort to make a
/ hole in the tariff wall He made a plea
/ for the women and children in American
factories, and pictured their condition if
/ the foreign manufacturer was permitted
| to get his goods through the custom
| house free of duty
One View of RecIprOcIfy
| lie denounced reciprocity treaties. de-
claring that this country would always.
/ owing to its large markets. be obliged to
take the unfayorable end of the bargain.
/ He likened reciprocity treaties to the
fable of the horse and the rooster in The
stable. making an agreement not to tram
! pie on each others feet.
Other speakers branched off into the
subject of reducing the war taxes, build
ing the isthmian canal, and promoting
| the merchant marine by ship subsidy.
The creation of a department OF com
/ merce, having under 1t the consular SER
vice, and with secretary who should be
a member of the Cabinet
). o. Bigney, a jewelry manufacturer of
Massachusetts. illustrated his remarks by
giving away pieces of rolled gold chain
made al his factory. He flung them out
| that an opera singer throws the roses of
her bouquet TO the occupants of the or
chestra seats, and there was a lively but
diSniiled scramble 10 obtain these sam
-les.
Mr.. Bigney struck at the French treaty
from the shoulder and landed a body
blow. The treaty. he said. would injura
the iewelry business. He pictured the
conditions in this country under a low
tarin from 1893 to 1897, and of American
citizens bedecked in tie gold and glitter
OF foreign made jeWelry because under
the tariff American jewelry makers could
not compete with the French Inanufac-
turer
Trade With South America.
The evening session was given over to a
discussion of reciprocity with the South
American countries. Upon this topic the
convention got nearer to its announced
purpose than It did during the day.
Considerable attention was given 10 the
matter of importation of hides from Ar
gentina. The South American steer locked
horns with the United States COW, and
each was supported by retinue of tOrea-
doris. The shoe and leather manufactrr-
ers wanted reciprocal concessions which
admit of the free Importation OF hides
and asserted that neither the American
bovine or the cattle man was benefited by
the tariff, and, furthermore, that it az
forded no revenue.
They declared that the Chicago butchers
were the only ones to receive the benefit |
The protectionists would yield nothing in
favor Of the hide OF the Argentine animal !
All the resolutions offered yesterday !
were referred to a committee. which viii |
report today Among the many speakers !
yesterday were George Seabury. of New |
York City. drug manufacturer: Frank |
Leske. representative of the Nanufac- |
turers' Club. of Philadelphia; George II. |
Barbour. Detroit stove manufacturer. |
Mr. Bass. Brooklyn, on The Inconveni- |
ence of Our Latin Neighbors;" Henry |
Dalleyn, New York City, manufacturer Of |
perfumes: Charles a. Sehieren, of New |
York; Mr. Rice. Of Boston. shoe manu-
facturer: Mr.. c. A. Carlisle, South Bend |
Ind, carriage builder. and many others
To wait on the President
A committee Of delegates will wait upon |
the President at noon today. merely to |
ray their respects formally.