Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-14
The Question of the Hour.

The President continues to receive good
many suggestions on the subject OF reel
procity. They come from men in office and
men out of office; from individuals and from
delegations; from enthusiastic advocates OF
the policy and from those who while talk
ing reciprocity dwell earnestly on the
difficulties they see In the way as to raise
the question of whether their real object Is
not to put drag on the wheel of the coach.
But all alike are greeted cordially by the
President. and encouraged to speak out
freely.
1t is reported of a delegation that called
at the White House yesterday that the
members, while the subject of reciprocity
was up. studied the Presidents face and
examined his words with great care for
sign pointing to his attitude in the prem
ises. They made no discovery. The Presi-
dent was not born yesterday He will con-
suit his own wishes about declaring him.
self, and If he chooses to take the country
into his confidence through the medium Of
Congress he will but follow time-honored
precedent. not to mention a certain consti-
tutional requirement. The question of the
moment relates not so much to whether
the paragraph of the Presidents message
to Congress dealing with the tariff is now
written and as written will stand, as to
what the message will contain when, in the
regular order, 1t Is permitted to see the
light And of course we shall all have to
wait for that.
But the most interesting, and upon the
whole the most suggestive. piece of news in
this mornings papers is the following from
Philadelphia:
THE American Iron and Steel Associa
ton has officially notified Theodore C.
Search. chairman of the committee of ar
engagements for the coming reciprocity con-
yention at Washington, that it will not be
represented, and it's management asserts
that every subsidiary organization in those
trades has taken similar action. This is
taken meaning that the iron and steel
men are generally opposed to reciprocity.
AT the headquarters of the American
Iron and Steel Association 1t was an
nounced today that all in the trade were
strongly opposed to having any subject
brought before the coming Congress that
will in any way affect the present tariff
laws"
This is one Industry which has grown So
strong under the fostering care of protec-
ton that it not only controls the home
market but is doing a thriving business
against stiff competition in foreign mar
kets. But. strange to relate, 1t exacts a
higher price for it's goods in the United
States than abroad. That is to say, the
people of this country. who have built up
this industry to giant proportions In order
that II might compete successfully with
the foreigner for business, now find them
selves paying a penalty to their creature as
a return for their benefaction. Its scale
of prices gives the foreigner a material
preference over them
OF course the American Iron and Steel
Association objects to any change in its
arrangements. With a black cat in its
clutches, IT purposes to skin 1t to the tail.
But what says the black cat? The Ameri-
can people are cast for that Interesting role
IN the associations drama. and they ought
to be able to keep their own hide on.