Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-23
WORK 0F CONGRESS
Senator Allison. Of Iowa. Out.
lines the Subjects to Be
Disposed OF.
Action on Reciprocity Treaties
10 Desirable. But no Tariff
Revision Likely.
Proposes New and Unique Plan
For Building Canal = New
Cabinet Department.

Allison. of Iowa, who spent the after
noon and evening yesterday at the
white house, is here to stay until con
gress opens. He postponed his arriva
SO he would not have to go back tt
Iowa before the meeting of congress IN
December The Iowa senator, as now
generally understood, is the recognized
republican leader in congress, and it i:
probable that more than any one man
1t least, he shapes the course OF legisla-
tion.
On all matters relating to the flnan-
ciai condition of the government, IN the
way either OF receipts or expenditures
Senator Allison's authority is well nigh
supreme in the opinion OF careful stu
dents of governmental methods. His
outline of the work before congress
therefore, is of extraordinary import
ance.
During the course Of long interview
with Senator Allison he outlined what
he believes will be the general legiela-
tive program for the winter. His view
OF the situation may be summarized by
saying that he thinks there is not the
slightest chance of q serious attempt to
retire greenbacks, nor does he expect
any revision OF the tariff. A new de-
partment of commerce and industry
seems likely to be provided for. and a
beginning OF work will be made on the
Nicaraguan canal Senator Allison
makes suggestion in that regard
which is entirely novel. that any one OF
several different syndicates would prob
ably undertake to build the whole or
large parts OF the canal at contract
price and within specified time.
4 Senator Allison apparently has solved
the problem OF successful reciprocity
with Cuba without running against the
favored nation clause by suggesting
that we trade on reduction of the
tariff on sugar and tobacco for the free
entry Into Cuba Of our meat and flour,
and allow other nations to enter into
reciprocity on the same basis.
!. The senator expects some important
legislation in the Philippines. the char
acter OF which will be determined by
the decision OF the supreme court.
A heavy river and harbor bill. large
expense for public building turnout the
country. the building OF the Nicaragua
canal and decided extension of the
rural free delivery service will. he
thinks, help to cut down. the surplus.
That will be only slight relief, SO there
Mnat- necessarily be q sweeping reduc-
tion In the war revenue taxes, 1t being
impossible. he says. to wipe out all Of
the war taxes without causing any en-
barrassment to the treasury.
II do not seen any Indication" said
Senator Allison. .'of any desire to re-
tire the greenbacks. II we undertake tc
retire the United States notes we must
not only be prepared to supply their
places with something equally as good
or better. but we must also be prepared
In all probability. to provide at the same
time ior the redemption of all the sill
yer dollars. amounting to over $500, 900, e
900.
The actual retirement OF the green
backs would not be so difficult an oper-
alton. There IL non,inally in circulation
the sum of s34s, 0oo, 900 OF these notes.
The people are perfectly we'll satisfied
with them, and II the treasury should
undertake to redeem them 1t probably
would take at least ten years. and pos
sibly longer, to do it,
There ought to be some decisive
action at this session on the pending
reciprocity treaties. We owe 1t to the
countries which have negotiated with
us IN good faith. They fully under
stood that these treaties were subject
to the ratification or rejection OF the
senate, but they are still waiting for
that action.
AS matter of common courtesy to
many friendly nations we ought to
taSe-np these treaties and do some
thing one way or the other. II the
treaties are not satisfactory let them
be amended until they are right. II
they can not be put into shape by
means Of amendments let US reject
them without further ado. It is not
courteous of us to delay action any
longer, and foreign nations which have
offer US tariff concessions cannot un-
derstand q policy which neither ac-
cepts nor declines their offers.
II we are going in for central
policy of reciprocity we shall have to
make some considerable changes in our
tariff system. It may be possible to
establish q maximum and minimum
tariff which is apparently the simple
way of securing reciprocity, but to do
this work would probably take the time
OF congress. and possibly of two con-
crosses.
Our duties are both ad valorem and
specific, and are based on weight, the
character of the material, its value. and
other contingencies. Foreign tariffs are
largely based on weight alone, and
hence 1t ID easier for them to establish
maximum and minimum rates.
In any reciprocity system 1t will be
necessary for US to take large number
Of articles on the free list so as to Sc
cure something with which to trade.
Most people DO not understand that
two-ffths Of our imports now come in
free. For instance. II we want to force
Brazil to grant concessions to us all
we would have to do would be to AK
q tariff on coffee. When we took Off
the old tariff Brazil instantly put on
an export duty first and then make
heavy concessions to us to secure re-
auction on coffee. because the United
states II the largest coffee consuming
country in the world.
II speak OF this merely to illustrate
that most OF our foundation for reel
proelty must come from articles now
on the free list, but which must be as
uessed d duty before we shall have any
thing u trade with. In this way we
shall avoid to large extent inter-
ferences with industries now properly
protected.
we must do something to secure bet
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