New-York tribune., 1902-02-05
WILL PUSH RECIPROCITY
SENATOR CELLOU.S PURPOSE
MADE KNOWN.
HE MEANS TO FORCE THE PENDING
TREATIES TO A VOTE IN THE
SENATE-WANTS TO MAKE
4 NEW ISSUE IN 1904.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE, J

| BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
| Washington. Feb. At has just become
| known that the elaborate argument made in
the Senate last week by Mr.. Cullom of Illinois
! chairman of the Committee Foreign Rela-
tions, in defence of the Senates constitutional
| right and power to make commercial treaties
! with the aid of the President and without the
| concurrence of the House. was for the purpose
| of laying the groundwork for action of much
more interest TO the country than s the mere
! delivery of speech by any member OF the SEN
| ate any subject. Mr.. Culom has not yet
| made a formal announcement of his intention
but it is known positively that he proposes to
force vote in the Senate at this session on ali
| the reciprocity treaties pending in the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, some of which nave
| been sleeping in the committee for, more than
! two years The Illinois Senator is aware that
| the majority of his committee are uncompromls-
ingly opposed TO every one of these treaties but
| this fact will not deter him from pursuing reso-
! lutely the course he has marked out with such
thought and care. For several years he has ad-
vocated on the stump and in the Senate the
most liberal reciprocity policy, and he has
strven earnestly to secure action on the treaties
now before the Foreign Relations Committee
His well known advocacy Of reciprocity was the
chief objection urged TO his promotion to the
Craftsmanship Of that committee to succeed the
late Cushman X. Davis of Minnesota, and 1t is
action these conventions had been known
| three months ago he might not have been made
| chairman of the committee.
TO AROUSE POPULAR DISCUSSION.
But. however that may be. the fact of main in
| terest is that Senator Cullom intends to bring
| the whole Senate face TO face at this session
with the great question of reciprocity. and that,
| too. while he is fully aware that. as chairman
| OF the Foreign Relations Committee, he VIII be
instructed to report adversely on every one of
| the pending treaties. But as his chief object Is
TO get these treaties before the Senate and force
| vote upon one or all of them. in the knowl-
| edge that they will be voted down by the Sen
ate. and as this is the most convenient method
| Of getting the reciprocity question before the
country in concrete form, he Is perfectly willing
| to make adverse reports from his committee in
| order to achieve his main purpose Of arousing
| popular discussion Of the subject. Senator Cul-
! lom, in common with good many other Re-
| publican Senators, believes that reciprocity.
| which President Roosevelt I'm his first annual
| message TO Congress described the hand
maid Of protection" will soon become a vital
issue Of the party. He is convinced that the
reciprocity sentiment in the West is much
stronger than it is in the East. but this belief
only stimulates his desire TO start energetic
campaign Of education.
It is related that three weeks before President
McKinley's death Senator Cullom, in company
with Senator Hanna, visited Canton and there
discussed reciprocity with the murdered Presi-
dent Mr. Mckinley. it is said. then outlined
TO Senators Cullom and Hanna the main points
Of his now famous Buffalo speech, and Inn
pressed upon them his firm belief that the time
had when the Republican party must lead
the nation in new commercial policy. based
not on tariff revision. but on the soundest ana
broadest principles of reciprocity. Hence Sena-
tor Culom is OF those who understand that
IeD1 IDrnGf frlaFaf
he spoke at Buffalo for securing enlarged mar
kets for the rapidly growing commerce or the
United States through reciprocal trade agree
ments with every nation that produces Whal
this country wants and does not produce.
When he forces direct consideration OF the
question in the Senate Mr.. Cuiom II Is said
will dwell elaborately and with becoming en-
phasis on the attitude Of President Mckinley
toward reciprocity. and VIII point out that Mr..
Mckinley considered II the part of political
wisdom we'll as sound craftsmanship for the
party to embrace reciprocity a creed and
give it practical application while maintaining
unmpaired the great Republican principle of
protection, before the opposition party, taking
advantage of the first recurrent period of indus
| trial depression, forced radical tariff revision
and thus plunged the nation again into era
Of business embarrassment and financial
| paralysis
A NEW PARTY ISSUE FOR 1904.
Senator Cullom believes that by resorting to
| the expediency here outlined the party will be
in readiness to put definite reciprocity plank in
its next national platform, and thus present a
new and attractive issue I'm the campaign Of
1904 He is aware that the Democratic man
ayers will try to steal his thunder. but those
| who are acquainted with the incompetence and
general lack Of initiative in Democratic counsels
realize that danger is 10 he feared on this
| score. 1t is said that Senator Cullom and the
procity question Will have a practical scheme OF
reciprocity formulated by the time the next Re
| publican National Convention meets.
A