The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1902-03-21
YIELDS 70 TIE HOUSE.
Senate to Grant Lower Branch of
Congress a Voice in Framing
Reciprocity Treaties.
PENDING AGREEMENTS TO Be AMENDED
Member. Of Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations Declare In6t
This Concession Does Not In Any
Way Affect the Treaty-Making
Power of President and Senate.

power of President and Senate.
Washington, March 1S.-The senate
committee on foreign relations has de-
cided to again take up the reciprocity
treaties which are before the senate
with a view to securing such
amendments to them as will in
sure their ratification. There has
long been contention on the part
of the members of the house of
representatives that because these
treaties affect the tariff system they
should be passed upon by the house
as we'll as by the senate. The senate
committee on foreign relations was
not disposed to concede this point, but
because the Dingley bill authorizing
these commercial agreements con-
tanned a provision requiring the con-
sent of the entire congress. the COM
mittee has now taken position favor
able to the house contention. This 1T
has done in adopting the report pre-
pared by it's subcommittee, of which
Senator Spooner is chairman. This re-
port recommends that each of the
reciprocity conventions be amended
so as to provide that it shall take ef-
feet when approved by congress- The
committee has acted upon this express
sion in general way, but SO far has
made no effort to attach the amend
ment to any of the pending treaties.
| 1t is understood that the next step will
| be in this direction, and it is proba BILE
| that the question will be taken up at
| the next regular meeting to be held on
Wednesday of this week. Senator AL
| drich, who has contended that the
| treaties should be considered in the
light of tariff legislation will be in
vited to appear before the committee
| and give his views on the subject. If
| the amendment is made to one of the
treaties it will be made to all of them
and to all agreements of the kind
which may in the future be entered
into under the provisions of the Ding
ley act.
The members of the committee on
| foreign relations are Outspoken in
| their declaration that this concession
does not in any way affect the treaty.
making power of the president, and
the senate, which, they contend, is ex-
elusive of the house, but ma, ority
members say that as they voted for
the Dingley bill which contains the
reciprocity clause, consistency on their
part requires that they should insert
this clause. They also say that their
insertion of it will be a notice to all
| foreign powers that such provision will
| be required in all future reciprocity
agreements.
Senate Proceedings.
Washington, March 1s.-The senate
convened at II O'Clock Monday, this be-
| ing the day on which the final vote upon
the ship subsidy bill is to be taken. BY
agreement the voting on the bill end
all pending amendments is to begin at
three p. M, speeches on the measure to
be limited to Is minutes, except that
Senator Frye, in charge of the bill, was
granted 80 minutes in which to reply to
arguments made against the bill.
\ resolution providing for the APP
pointment of board to investigate the
project of constructing an inter-
oceanic canal across the isthmus of
Darien was reported unfavorably by
the inter-oceanic canals committee
and was indefinitely postponed.
Pending discussion Of the subsidy
bill, a number of minor bills were
passed, among them an act appropriate
ing S., 900 for the erection Of a dwelling
for the keeper of the lighthouse at Ke-
waunee, Wis.
Vest Amendments Voted Down.
The various amendments offered
by Senator Vest to the ship subsidy
bill were voted down.
The vote on the Vest amendments
stood Is to 4S-a strict party vote
with the exception of McLaurin Is.
c. who voted with the republicans.
Shamrock in the House.
Washington, March 1S.-Sprays of
Shamrock in honor of St. Patrick's day
graced the lapels of the coats of half
the members when the house met Mon
day.
The River md Harbor Bill.
Immediately after the approval of
the journal the house went into COM
mittee of the whole and commenced
the consideration of the river and
harbor bill.
Still Seek an Agreement.
Washington, March 1S.-The confer
ees who are expecting to reconcile the
differences on the manner of relief to be
given to Cuba resumed their sessions
at three p. m. Monday. In anticipation
of this meeting the element opposing
the ways and means committee asked
their associates to gather at two p. m.
to consider the situation. 1t is UNDER
stood that at this first meeting the five
conferees representing the opposition
will make report and ask for instruc-
tions on the two propositions pending
before the conferees. One proposition
is the 20 per cent. reciprocity plan linn
fled to December, 1908. The other is
the rebate plan to maintain the regular