The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-10-28
TARIFF AS A WHOLE
This Will Be Included in the Range
of Discussion.
PERMANENT COMMISSION PLAN
Large Number of Congressman Fa-
VOr BabcOck's Bill for
Tariff Revision.


Washington, Oct. 2S.-In line with his
policy OF consulting influential members
Of the senate and house Of representatives
on public questions to be dealt with in his
first annual message to congress, Presi-
dent Roosevelt will to-day have a consul
tation with Senator Aldrich of Rhode Is
land, chairman of the committee on
finance. 1t is not known that the presi-
dent desires the advice Of Mr.. Aldrich on
any particular subject, but it is certain
that the general question of reciprocity
treaties will be OF those discussed. Sena~
tor Aldrich is one Of the many men in
congress who have persiste&gly opposed
the ratification Of nearly all of the treat
les that have been so long pending in the
senate, but he has never stated that he
opposes the policy of reciprocity He al
ways thought that the treaties negotiated
by the state department, under the special
supervision of Commissioner John A. Kas-
son, were jug-handle affairs in which very
ultle was obtained for the United States
for what was given away
Ihe senator believes that evenly bal
anced reciprocity treaties can be nego-
tlated and has not gone so far as to say
that this would not be advisable. Presi-
dent Roosevelt's ideas are well repre-
sented in the speech he made in Minnesota
last month in which he approved reci-
procity treaties in general way but did
not go into details.
Whole Tariff Question Up.
The tariff subject as a whole. with par
tcular reference to the desirability Of any
legislation by congress. will also be talked
over by the president and Senator Allison
to-day. The Babcock bill proposing to
remove the duties on such articles as are
manufactured more cheaply in this coun-
try than abroad, finds favor among large
number of congressman, some Of whom
have urged it in their recent conversations
with President Roosevelt. There is an
other class OF congressman, however, who
think 1t would be very unWise to tinker at
all with the tariff question, believing 1t
10 be every way more advisable to make
such tariff changes as are needed
through the medium Of reciprocity treat
les.
Another branch or the question that
has been brought to the presidents atten-
tion and which will be forcibly presented
TO congress is the proposition for a per-
manent tariff commission to which may be
referred questions relating to tariff
changes, including reciprocal conventions
with foreign countries. President Roose-
welt has given considerable thought to this
proposition and has been urged to recon-
mend in his message that congress create
such a commission.
President Roosevelt in a general way
fayors the appointment Of such a commits
sion and Senator Aldrich has often voted
in the senate for bills providing for the
creation Of tariff commissions of one sort
or another. The chairman Of the finance
committee is one OF that influential class
Of congressman who believe in letting the
tariff alone as far as may be and he be-
lieyes that a permanent non n-partizan tar
iff commission, If it could be composed Of
the right kind Of men, could rearrange the
tariff schedules when necessary with less
disturbance to the commercial interests
than is caused by the periodical enactment
Of tariff laws by congress.