Evening star., 1901-07-27
THE TOPICAT CANTON
Reciprocity Occupies the Presidents
Attention.
how TO MEET new CONDITIONS
Proposed Sliding Tariff Schedule
Discussed.
OUR RELATIONS WITH CUBA
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
CANTON, Ohio July &c. 1901.
Canton is no longer a Mecca for political
| pilgrims Occasionally office seeker
comes along thinking he can present MS
| own claims better than his congressman
but since there are few offices to De given
out during the second term of national
/ administration, this class OF pilgrims Is
| not large. Those of them who are well ed-
vised know also that it is wiser not to ig-
more the hints that Washington is the pest
place to press claims for position.
President Mckinley is passing the sum-
mer, not in seclusion, but almost with the
same degree of privacy that he could re-
tain if he were private citizen His Can
ton neighbors know his habits and are
| gratified that he is among them Some OF
| them talk reminiscently and even regret
| fully of the old days when the town was
| crowded with brass bands and political
| delegations or of the later days when every
| train brought a number of distinguished
| visitors, whose missions were more or less
/ mysterious But, though local pride was
gratified during that period, everybody in
| Canton knew that this condition could not
| be of indefinite duration. Now the town
| people are almost as much gratified to nave
/ their most distinguished citizen living
quietly, with few of the evidences that It
| is the chief executive of the nation who
is passing the summer among them
| 1t hardly can be called a vacation. Nor
| can President Mckinley be said to be en-
! joying his leisure, for President has no
vacation and no leisure. However, he has
! this advantage. that he is free from many
of the petty duties which are forced upon
| his attention while in Washington. and is
unhampered in working out some of the
broad policies of his administration. My
| impression is that good deal of this quiet
/ working out Is going on at the present
| time, though the results may not be under
! stood for months to come.
| Sometimes a senator representative In
| Congress comes along who has something
| more to say than to make recommended
| tions for office. Sometimes it is a nember
| of the cabinet on routine business relating
| to his department, but with subjects that
go beyond routine.
Reciprocity the Topic.
If I were to make a guess / would say
| that the subject which is now receiving
the most attention is reciprocity. This is
| not because of the constant talk Of Eu-
ropean commercial league against the
United States or even the threats of
tariff war. Doubtless they are given the
weight which is due them from competitors
in the world struggle for industrial SUI
premacy, but threats themselves do not
seem to be likely to influence the policy
of the Mckinley administration. Nor is
there any Indication of a purpose TO Ell
courage general tariff legislation as do
mestic policy. What seems to be in mind
is to meet the new conditions which
arising, and especially those which have
arisen as an outcome of the war with
Spain, by means of reciprocity. Apparent
ly the President and his advisers still be-
lieve in negotiating reciprocity treaties. No
intimation is given that the failure of the
Senate to act on the French and the West
Indian treaties which have been submitted
to 1t within the last two years will be
| fol- for a1.o
treaties. The disposition seems to be to
| move along the lines of least resistance
but with infiexible purpose to reach
certain end and to reach it, too, before the
next national campaign.
Discussing Porto Rico.
Several things have helped to bring out
these signs. One of these is the Porto
Rico proclamation of equality" as the
Porto Ricans designated it. 1 called on the
President earlier in the week at the home
on North Market street, where so much
history has been made. He was in the IL
brary, where during the period between his
first election and Inauguration his cabinet
was constructed and other matters were
settled.
He had just dictated the terms Of the Porto
Rico proclamation. and while waiting for
the stenographer's notes to be written out
he discussed with frankness and freedom
the full meaning of that action
1t was clearly source of much gratin-
cation to President Mckinley that Porto
Rico had been placed on tariff equality
with the United States. He reviewed the
conditions which had led to the enactment
of the Foraker law, with some incisive
comment on the differences Of opinion
which had existed in the republican party
previous to that legislation. The moral
was that where the same end was in view
there always would be room for liberation
If all were not of the same mind as to
the means by which that end should be
reached or the time within which 1t should
be reached. I inferred that the violent op-
position which was developed against the
Porto Rican legislation on the ground that
1t was precedent which would destroy the
policy of protection never impressed the
chief executive.
Aside from the tariff aspect of the Porto
Rico proclamation, the President showed
much satisfaction at the progress being
| made there in popular government. He
unrolled the engrossed copies of the reso-
lutions passed by the legislature, COM
completeness Of the official documents
They were engrossed by a native Porto
Rican and showed all the evidences Of care
which a characteristic Of Spar nish copy-
lists. Yet they were without the superflu-
GUS ornamentation which is supposed to be
necessary part of the old Spanish meth
DDS. Possibly the matter was trif1ing. but
the President had noted 1t as one Of the
signs of adaptabiity to American methods
Beyond this. he was full of hope over the
encouraging reports which Governor Allen
had given him.
Support of Reciprocity LegisIation.
Now that the tariff equality Of Porto
Rico is established. the precedent which
bothered some people a year or two ago
Is coming up again. That is one Of the
matters which makes the question Of reel
procity a live topic whenever a SEN
ator member of the House
who helps to shape legislation stops
over in Canton. No part Of the Pres
fdent's trip to the Pacific coast Is discussed
with SO much satisfaction as the evidences
everywhere afforded In the south and west
Of popular support for reciprocity legis-
lation as a part Of the program Of Con-
gress.
Admittedly, there is great difficulty In Sc
| curing two-thirds of the Senate to ratify
| these agreements, yet at this time there is
| nothing to show that the Presidents an
| nual message will not present this matter
| with urgency. infer that the idea is that
| reciprocity Is likely to develop as a ma.
| tional policy and that the tendency Is not
| to regard 1t as local issue for each con-
| gressional district Here and there a small
| Industry may feel itself unfavorably af-
| fected. but II the popular sentiment Is as
| widespread and as strong as 1t was shown
| to be en- the Presidents Pacific coast trip