The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-11-14

treaties is said to be finding that none
of the treaties can be ratified. So re.
ports the Washington correspondent IT
the Boston Journal and others Sena-
tor Aldrich we are told fatty informed
the president that practically all the
senators from the Northwestern states
would oppose the French reciprocity
treaty, which lowers the duties on
hosiery, cheap jewelry and "A few other
things; and the Western Republican
senator's will oppose the Argentine trea-
ty, which lowers the duties on wool and
hides Even the West Indian treaties
fall under the ban of some protected
home interest," or other, and they will
meet the same fate. Besides, senators
who vote against one treaty on behalf
| of interests in their own section of the
country, cannot well vote to jam little
dose of free trade down the throat of
another section. And so the whole lot
of pending Kassol arrangements is like
ly to stand and fall together now seems
to be their assured fate.
Gas party opposition to specific
schemes Of reciprocity developes, we be-
gin to hear suggestions of another Tariff
commission to take into consideration
the whole subject and report to con-
gress. This is just about what was to
have been expected under the circunl-
stances. 1t is easy enough 30 build up
an indiscriminatingly high tariff, for
Senator HOar and others have Told us
how it is done-a work largely clerical
which consists of recording the demands
of the various interests seeking protec-
ton. But it is quite another task to
revise such tariff in the downward
direction and nearly impossible task
for its friends To them it becomes
like performing surgical operation on
a member of ones own family, and the
longer the high tariff makers and ben
ehciaries have successfully worked to.
gether in politics, the harder becomes
the job.
Revision by its friends. To the
country this has long been familiar
phrase. and everybody by this time
ought to know what it means. Itmean,.
80 far AZ it has any meaning in practical
experience, commission to consider
the matter and nothing more The Re
publican congress elected in 1880 faced
general public demand for lower
duties and an adjustment of the war
tariff to peace basis. Its friends wee
there to do the revising They could
agree upon nothing but a commission
came 1t reported in favor of rum
Der of material changes and reductions.
And then the friends took hold of the
report and so emasculated 1t that the
commission performance of 1888 has
ever since passed in national politics as
joke or an idle dodge.
IF the Republican leaders cannot now
find it in their tender, friendly souls to
cross one single oyerprotected interest.
even so far to adopt the generally
picayunish reductions of the Kasson
treaties, how much better are the re-
commentators of Reciprocity com
mission likely to fare at their hands
The commission suggestion is significant,
simply Of II policy of delay and avoid
ance in the matter And this is all
that the coming session OF congress
promises just now, The last counsel of
President NJ, Kinley will continue, no
doubt, TO the word but otherwise ignor
ed Let well enough alone is the
answer Mr. Hanna and the party in
Ohio are making to it, and there is great
Likelihood that the party in congress will |
also adopt it,