The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-06

Is DEAD
SENATOR CULLOM LAYS Down DEs
FORE THE BATTLE HAS
FAIRLY STARTED
HANC0CK's VIEW INDICATED
Illinois Senator Specifies as To Just
Where the Opposition Will
Come From, and the
Reasons for 1t.
HANCoCK's VIEW INDICATED
PURELY LOCAL AND SELFISH
FROM THE GLoBE"BUREAU,
Washington, ID. C.

F'HOM GIObE
Washington, d. C.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 4-What
amounts to an official admission that the
reciprocity treaties are dead and that
there will be no tariff revision, comes
from Senator Cullom at the very opening
of congress.
1T begins to look now as if the treaties
would not be ratified" said Senator Cul-
lom when asked his opinion on the out
look.
AS chairman of the foreign affairs
committee Senator Cullom will have
charge of tho fight to make these treaty
cedents he should be the most optimistic
man in congress. 1t behooves the gener-
al leading an army to take a hopeful
view of the outcome. But cullom is
ready to lie down before the battle has
begun.
Il am in favor of tariff revision" the
senator, continued, 81 think there are cer-
tain alterations which might be made in
our schedules with profit to the country.
and with advantage to our increasing
markets abroad. 1 believe the revision
should be made carefully and by the
Republicans, who made the present sched-
ule. This is my personal opinion. But
l do not much think the Republicans in
the house will see it in that light.
There are many people who fear that IL
the tariff matter is once opened up 1T will
lead to wholesale readjustment, and
any such thing has tendency to unsettle
business. Manufacturers and shippers
get uncertain as to what is to happen to
the goods in which they are Interested
and they curtail their orders and cease
to make large contracts pending the ac-
ton of congress.
''This leads many members to conclude
that it will be best not to do anything
which will unsettle. business interests;
they favor letting the whole matter alone.
The Democrats are opposed to any moder-
ate revision, and with the Republicans
divided there is not likely to be any ac-
ton. So much for tariff revision.
Now as to the reciprocity treaties, the
California senator's tell me they are afraid
of the Jamaica treaty; they think it is
going to let in some fruits which will
compete with them and ruin their fruit
Industries The Connecticut senators tell
me they are afraid some industry there
is going to be hurt if the French treaty
is ratified The Maine senators have in
terests local to them which must be
protected from competition. And so it
goes.
"In half the states of the Union there
are some interests WHICH Inlnk tney arc
going to be touched IL the treaties are
ratified. The consequence is there are
enough senators to get together, and
by making a combination, defeat all
the treaties. Perhaps it Is early to say
just what will be done, but it looks now
as if the treaties had very little chance
Other veterans of legislation in the SEN
ate are disposed to agree with Senator
Cullom that the reciprocity treaties~can-
not be ratified. The tariff interests OF
the country have made common cause.
They have determined to down any and
all legislation which tends to disturb the
present tariff system. They started their
campaign the day after William McKin-
ley delivered his famous Buffalo speech3
and they have been busy ever since. They
have built up very strong organization
and there is little or no doubt they will
be able to head off any tariff revision.
They do not object to a commission whose
duties will be to recommend legislation
along these lines, but they figure that
they will be able to see that no recon-
mendations come to this congress in time
to be acted upon.